The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-01-24
OUR ANNAPOLIS LETTER.
ANNAPOLIS. Jan. Goth, 1896.

ANNAPOLIS, Jan. Goth, 1896.
Eighty-one members Of the Mary
land Legislature, on the first of Janu-
airy, 1896, on the Holy Evaugely of
Almighty God, took solemn oath to
faithfully observe the Constitution and
the twenty-second day of January,
1896, Republican members of the
Maryland Legislature voted in open vi
olation of the law of the State of Mary
land, for George l.. Wellington, of
Allegany County, for United States
Senator. No one act could be more
monumental to the State of Mary land
of the reckless character of the party
placed in power 10y the Democrats,
who wished to get rid of the bosses
within their party, and have fastened
a bOssism upon the State that disre-
CARDS statute law, solemn oaths, aud
public sentiment.
That Wellington doomed head and
shoulders above all other Senatorial as
pirants, your readers were told last
week, with that other potential fact
that his forces were by far the best or
ganized and best equipped in the field,
and they never left it from the begin
ming of the fight to the close, but con-
staLtly augmented their cohorts by
gathering their bravest chiefs from ev-
cry section of the State, until victory
crowned their banners.
This contest has been a remarkable
exhibition Of the unblushing effiontery
of the Republican leaders of this State
when they have point to make. 1t
is not the testimony of the Democrats,
but the bitter denunciatiOns of Repub-
licaDs themselves that warrants the
! statement that Attorney General Cla-
baugh and Comptroller Graham used
their highest powers to compass the
defeat of Wellington, and that Gov
Lowndes came down to personal inter-
views and offers of public patronage
for votes for his favorite, and this was
said of His EXceilency in the rotunda
of the State House, a few minutes after
the contest was decided by Republi-
can from Dorchester. In spite Of all
the animosities that this contention
has excited, and they are great, there
was a general burst of enthusiasm
along the line of Republican workers,
when the announcement came forth
from the caucus that the Duke of We'll
lington had been nominated
Up to tonight the whole fight has
been sham battle. The Eastern
Shore never was in the contest, and
that is proved by the fact that the Re
publican caucus. though summoned
for that purpose, at the first session,
would not, and could not pass resolu-
ton restricting the choice of S nator
to the Eastern Shore, nor could they
ever unite on a single candidate, and
with indecent haste, Senator Dryden,
of Dorchester, deserted the forces of
Goldsborough when he was holding
more than his own.
The initial and crucial work that
brought the sudden victory to Yelling
ton was doubtless done here in the
quiet of last Sunday, and in the Exec
utive Mansion itself. The 'Allegany
Senator and all the delegation from
that county remained here. All his
henchmen were on guard at his head
quarters. Robert II. Henderson and
Judge Sloan, of Cumberland, had hur-
ried to the scene OF battle. Governor
Lowndes reached Annapolis by an ear
~ train. Wellington lay ON a SICK bed at
the Maryland House. He could not
go, but there was constant tramp of
his friends in, the direction of the Ex-
ecutive Mansion, and they met a gen.
tleman there aud one who had al
ready said, have very friendly feel
ing to Mr.. Wellington" From that
day the news went forth that Yelling
toms vote was to be augmented
When asked, Mr.. Wellington did not
deny the conference, but said: s'Let the
future speak for the votes" Ii was all
arranged. At the one ballot Tuesday
night Senator Dryden stepped forward
and kicked the trigger. The caucus
had the novel way OF voting by voice
and all In the caucus knew how each
man had voted aud how many votes
each man had received. At the end of
the roll call the vote stood-Welling
ton, 30; GoldEborough, 81; Westc0tt, s;
Dixoh, 2 Then the change Of thed
n