Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1890-11-07


Another Outrage.
Fooled in bis attempt to practice the out
rageous bayonet Force bill upon the people
as means Of sitting the popular voice at
the polls, Congressman Mudd resorted to an
other outrage, by invoking the provisions of
the present non-bayonet force bill, and put
ting its machinery in operation at the recent
election Ore of the provisions of the force
bill passed in 1872 authorizes the Federal
authorities to seld Z. S. Supervisors to any
county in which ten citizens will sign petit
ton declaring that fair election cannot be
held, to iutrude into the polling rooms and
exercise an espionage and supervision over the
State election officers. The sole object of those
interlopers is to intimidate the State officers
in the discharge of their duty. In all the
congressional campaigns We have had here.
up to this time, with DR.. Wilmer and other
radical Republican leaders as candidates, no
one ever thought of making such charge
against our law abiding and entirely too meek
and submissive people, and of invoking the
strong arm of the Federal government to awe
and intimidate them in casting their votes.
This distinction remained for Congressman
Mudd. 1t was with astonishment that our
people learned last week that this extraordi-
mary step had been taken, and when the
further intelligence was received that beneath
this high h-handed measure lay . deliberate
conspiracy to override the new secret ballot
law of the State by sending these Federal
agents into the polling booths to inspect the
tickets and ascertain for whom the voter cast
his ballot, the Indignation of the people rose
up to fever heat and forcible resistance to
such an outrage was clearly and unmistaka-
bly, foreshadowed. When Commissioner
Bonds circular of instructions to the newly
appointed Federal hulldozers, giving them
that authority, became known through the
pyhl etioa ip the Baltimore Sun, a mur.nur1
of spontaneous and deep felt Indignation
passed through our community and the most
quiet and conservative people agreed that the
outrageous attempt should be forcibly re-
sisted. There was evidentlya storm brewing
ard its deep murmurings were Enthusiastically
heard. There was a whirlwind gathering
which would have certainly caused the reck-
less sewers Of the wind to rue their rash step.
lit WAS for this reason that The TINES made
no mention Of the outrage i'll the last issue.
But fortunately. through the prompt action
Of Hon. Barnes Compton, the chairman OF
the Democratic State central committee and
other leading Democrats, the trouble was
averted. The opinions Of leading Baltimore
lawyers, including the Attorney General,
denying to the Federal agents any such ex-
traordinary power. was promptly obtained
and Mr.. Commissioner Bond having regard
to the feeling Of the people and evident con-
flict that would result, recalled his outrage
ous instructions and advised his minions
not to attempt to thus invade the rights of
the State, preferring, he explained, to first
get the opinion of the U. S. Court by a test
case.
The trouble which the impetuous Congress
man Mudd would thus have brought upon
himself and his followers was by that means
.averted The ~. S. Supervisors were on
hand at every polls, but their functions were
merely nominal and their presence for the
most part unnotieed OF treated with contempt.
But Congressman Mudd and his local follow
ers Lave more particularly endeared them
d our people by this last little game
and the kind feelings which they
mus created will probably endure with
undimini.hed ardor until another election
comes around and tie favor probably be
amnly repaid.