The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-06-15
To the Democrats of Cecil County

The unusual appearance of call for Demo-
cratic primaries, as an advertisement. in Il
Republican paper, makes it proper that Il
statement of the facts which have led to it
and justify it, should be given TO the Party.
As is well known, when the county is to
he represented by delegates in Il State con
vcntion. the state Central Committee for the
county fixes Il date for the primaries, pre-
5crhes the qualifications OF the voters and
appoints the Judges. and when II county
ticket alone is to be nominated, this duty in
regard to the primaries devoves upon what
is known as the county Central Committee.
1t has been the inyariable practice of the
lrty in this county heretofore, when II
! county ticket was to be nominated and also
delegation sent to represent the county AT a
State convention, for "A meeting to be held of
the two committees, at which, by agreement,
II date was fixed for the primaries the quail
lications of the voters prescribed, and the
judges appOinted:thus avoiding the necessity.
which would otherwise exist, OF two sets of
primaries and two county conventions.
The ext NJ r0uatY Central Committee was
appointed by the county convention of 1898,
and consisted originally of Daniel Bratton,
Hester Hess and Manly bremen The
recent death OF Mr. Bratton left the commit
tee to consist Of only two members: Mr. Hess
and Mr.. Drennen: but. of course the powers
of the committee, being joint, survived, and
Mr.. Hess and Mr.. Drennen could exercise
10y their joint act all its powers.
The State Central Commute consists of Mr..
Constable, DIR. Ellis and DR.. Slicer. and they,
or Il majority of them, must join i'll every
exercise of the committees powers.
As Democratic State Convention for the
nomination of II Governor. Comptroller and
Attorney General will meet in Baltimore ON
the 3lst Of July, it was necessary that pr-
marics and county convention should be
called 10y this state Central Committee or Il
ma ority Of it, And us II county ticket was
to he nominated to be voted for this fall. it
was necessary that convention and prim-
aries should be called by the county Central
Committee, or ma GRITTY of it.
This being the case, the unbroien and
invariable party usage in this county pre-
scribed, that meeting should be held of the
wv NpIlllllllttS, III WHICH luttlluS an uSTtt-
ment should he made fixing a date for the
primaries and convention. prescribing the
qualifications of the voters and appointing
the judges avoiding las has always been
done heretofore, the necessity for two sets OF
primaries and two conventions.
Now what was done? Instead of following
the well known usage of the party upon such
occasions, instead of waiting for call, and
without even the suggestion of a call of the
two committees. and without notice even of
his-intention to Mr.. Hess (his fellow member
OF the County Committee), or to any member
of the State Committee, Mr.. Drennen prepares
a call for Il county convention to choose dele
gates to the State convention and to nominate
a county ticket and then takes this paper, in
which the date was fixed for the primaries,
ETC., to Dr. Ellis tC sign and then upon Friday,
the very day of its publication, demanded
peremptorily of Mr.. Hess that he also sign it,
Those gentlemen both refused to sign the
paper thus prepared for them in advance
of any meeting of the committees, and in
advance of all discussion by anybody as far
as publicly known, of the questions pertain
ing to the date OF the primaries, the qualii!-
cations Of the voters or the selection of the
judges.
DR.. Ellis and Mr.. Hess were treated to the
doubtful compliment of being requested to
sign this cut and dried paper Of Mr. Dren-
mems, but not to participate in its prepara-
ton, while Mr.. Constable and DR.. Slicer were
not even approached upon the subject. The
whole scheme was apparently to override Mr.
Hess, Mr.. Constable, DR.. Ellis and Dr. Slicer,
by having Mr.. Drennen arrogate to himself the
whole power of the two committees, though
he was a member of one only, and could do
nothing legally, even as member of that
committee, except by the concurrence of Mr..
Hess.
DIR. Ellis and Mr.. Hess both declared to
Mr.. Drennen, that they were ready and will
ing to have meeting of the committees and