Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1899-06-29

TO the E0IEors OF the beacon - ME
the names Of number Of distinguished
gentlemen have been placed before the
party from which 10 select the nominee
by the ensuing Democratic State Com
vention for the Office IF Governor, re-
cali 10 mind that some weeks ago the
BEACON referred in suitable terms to the
eminent fitness Of our felIow-citizen,
Hon. 4. Leo Knott, for the position.
mean 40 disparagement 20 the claims
or abilities Of the gentlemen whose
names have already become familiar TO
the public In connection with the guber-
Material nomination, when assert that
Mr.. Knott Is the peer Of any one Of Them
either In Intellectual endowment, exc
cutive capacity or fideisty to party. As
q scholar and lawyer, Mr.. Knott ranks
with the ablest In our State. He gradn-
afed from 81. MarY's College In this city
In his young manhood with the highest
honors, and, after few years spent In
the honorable profession OK teaching he
completed his course as student Of law
with that eminent jursst, the late VIII
liam schley Of this city. In 1867 he was
nominated by the Democratic party and
elected, without opposition, States At
torney Of Baltimore city end was re-
elected for the two Succeeding terms.
making an aggregate service In the POI
siti0n Of twelve years. In the course OF
his duties Mr.. Knott tried numerous Inn
portant cases. both of q civil and crimi-
nal character, some Of them involving
interesting and important questions Of.
constitutional law, among them the con-
stitutionality OF the law Of Maryland.
taxing the bonds of other States and Of
municipalities without the State, held by
our citizens, the constitutionality OF
which was upheld by our Court Of APP
peals and in the Supreme Court Of the
United States and also the question of
the constitutionality Of the laws passed
by Congress to enforce XIV and XIV
amendments to the Constitution, then
recently declared as adopted, and which
laws were known as the Force Bill. Mr..
Knots views were endorsed by some OF
the ablest legal minds In the country,
among them that lllustrious expounder of
constitutional law, the late Judge Thorn
as Cooley, Of Michigan, who highly COM
plimented Mr.. Knott In personal letter.
In 1882 Dir. Knott was urged to accept
the nomination for seat on the Bench
OF Baltimore city, by the Independent
party, on what was known as the New
Judge Ticket, but refused for the reason
that he was q regular and consistent
Democrat, and IN undertaking supporter
of the party's State and national policies
and nominees.
In 1850, young as he was, and having
just been admitted to the bar. he took an
active and aggression part in the reform
movement which eliminated In the de-
liverance Of the State and city from the
baneful clutches Of Know-Nothingism
After the war became fragrant, and the
choice lay between the beligerent North
and South. Mr.. Knots feelings and SYM
pathies, were with his State and section,
whatever may have been the inclination
of hts Judgment rs to the ultimate results
of the conflict, and be declined an invi-
tation to unite with the Republicans, or,
as then designated in Maryland, the I'm.
conditional Union Party.
1t Is not, however, my purpose, to give
here detailed recital of Mr.. Knots
conspicuous connection with political
emancipation and Democratic suprem-
acy In Maryland. Il n,ay suffice TO say
that 1t was Mr. Knots aim 10 use his
best efforts towards helping to rescue
the city and State from the relentless
and despotic hands that held them. In
this great work ne was factor of de-
voted service, indomitable courage and
matchless judgment. In conjunction
with such eminent and esteemed citizens
MS Colonel John +. Dent, of st. Nays,
Governor Thomas @. Pratt, Justice Oh
liver Miller, Governor Odin Bowie. Judge
Richard B. Carmichael, Governor Philip
+. Thomas, Hon. Bernard Carter, Judge
Ezekiel Chambers. Hon. ]. Newt Steele,
DIR. John Morris, William Kimmel, Ed
ward Belt and other worthless, Mr.. Knott
worked with unfagging zeal and unfal-
tering courage for the redemption Of the
State from Republican rule imposed upon
il during the war by Federal bayonets.
During that protracted aud arduous
strnggle Of four years for the peoples
rights. Mr.. Knott was secretary of the
Democratic State Central Committee, of
which the late Governor Oden Bowie,
was chairman, and IL was this body that
conducted the fight from the beginning
Of the movement In February 1854, until
its triumphant close In 1867.
Ar. Knott was one Of the delegates
representing this State In the Democrat
ic National Convention of 1854, and also
in that Of 1s72, and was q member of the
National Democratic Executive Com
mittee from 1879 to 1875. In 1854, he
took an active part in the campaign
which resulted in the election Of the
Democratic candidate for President.
Grover Cleveland, and made numerous
speeches in Maryland, West Virginia,
New York and other States. In 1885,
President Cleveland rendered Mr.. Knott
the important position Of Second Assist
ant Postmaster General. which he &C
cepted and dlled the position with the
highest credit until the close Of his term.