Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-08-29

in the way of information.
The trouble which assumed such Il
threatening aspect in East Tennessee
short time ago. oyer the attempt to
displace a number of striking miners
by the Introduction of convictS was
not settled by a surrender on the part
OF :he State authorities.
To explain the situation III Tennessee
IT is necessary to revert to occurrences
and causes having their origin IN the
years following the close of the war,
when Brownlow and his militia terror
lied that unhat Ply commonwealth. In
the first place there never was any
community of interest between the
people of east Tennessee and the peo-
pie of the remainder of the State. \
majority of the people OF east Ten
nessee retained their loyalty to the
Union during the war for the reason
principally that the people of middle
and west Tennessee followed the for
tunes Of the Confederacy. After the
war Brownlow undertook to retain his
hold on power by oyerrunning middle
and west Tennessee with militia com
posed exclusively of east Tennesseeans
and negroes. The memory Of Brown
lows militia eXcites the average Ten
nesseean OF to-day in about the same
way that the mention of Cromwell and
his soldiers arouses the patriotic ire Of
the son of Erin.
Well, when the people of Tennessee
finally overthrow Browniow and his
horde OF thieves and cuttfroats they
made new Constitution, and in fran
ing that instrument they determined
to place it beyond the power of any
one man to call out the militia under
any pretense whatever. 50 the gov
ernor OF Tennessee to-day is expressly
shorn OF the power to use the militia
Of the State without the consent of the
Legislature. In dealing with the
trouble at Bricevile, Gov. Buchanan
seemed for the moment to forget that
he was acting in direct violation of
the Constitution until the fact was
called to his attention by his own At
torney-General. Even then, although
his proceedings were entirely lawless,
il cannot be said that Coy. Buchanan
acted any other part than that of a
brave and determined executive. Hav-
ing made a false step he did not retreat
but decided to- face all responsibility
and place all the convicts back in the
place from which the miners had dis
lodged them. This ne did, and then
had the moral courage to turn to the
miners and say he would Immediately
assemble the Legislature and recon-
mend the repeal of the law author
ling the employment of convicts in
the mines providing the miners would
promise not to disturb the existing
condition of things This was agreed
to, and IT now remains to be seen what
the Legislature will do.
When it is understood that these
coal mines are in east Tennessee that
the miners threatened with displace
m2nt BY negro convlcts are, many of
them. the very men who wears ago
harassed and raided middle and west
Tennessee as Brownlow'S militia, and
that the convicts are mainly vagabond
negroes from the plantations and towns
Of middle and west Tennessee. some
people affect to see something very
like retributive Justice in this strange
turn Of the wheel of fortune. And the
worst of it is. east Tennessee is per
fectly helpless, and nothing but the
forbearance and forgiveness of the
people whom they wofully oppressed
in the day of their opportunity can
now offer them any escape from be-
coming the dumping-ground for the
thieves and vagabonds of middle and
west Tennessee.
| read with great pleasure the com
ments of 1.-THE great paper on current
n1
wealth, and | heartily concur in its
estimate OF Frank Brown. Those who
know Nh. Brown will be unable to find
any reason whatever for his nomna-
ton for the distinguished position of
governor beyond the sordid consider
alton that he happened to inherit n
million of money. Is it necessary for
the democratic candidate in MY
Marvland' to have IL "bar'l ?' If so,
then upon that view of the case alone
can such Il nomination be justified.
THE great paper" knows Mr. Brown
well, and so do /. We both know that
as :. member of the House of Delegates
in 1878 he made haste to have himself
appointed chairman of il special com
mlttee to Investigate the expenditure
State House, and then whitewaShed
as suspicious Il job as ever demanded
investigation. So much we know of
him as II practical politician. AS to
his intellectual calibre we believe any
boy of fifteen in the Frostburg public
schools can put him to shame in the
discussion Of any question of public
policy, national or State. You are
right-uhere will be no great speeches
ernor this fall, because there is no in
telleetual fitness on tap-it is the
''bar'l," and it is the ''bar'in alone that
gives such men rs Frank Brown their
Importance.
Il wish to qualify as clerk to the
Court of Appeals said Spencer Jones,
making his bow to Chief Justice
Bartol.
equality ~ said the grave Chief
Justice. looking Jones over; here,
I'll swear you, but all h-ll won't
qualify you ~
Will Chief Justice Alvey'S face give
expression to any such appreciation
of the fitness of things when he comes
to Equality" Frank Brown as Governor
of Maryland Yea, verify, Judge
Alvey knows a man.
Yours, &C.,
T. f. MCCARDELL.
GENERAL ITEMS.
Last Excursion to PittSburg.