The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-03-21

by appeal from he people. We have
not been advised who are the great
people making this appeal other than
few choice spirits in the Democratic
party, who under the whip and spur
of party management were called and
driven into conferences and instruct
ed, many of them against their will
and against their conscience, to have
appeals and representations made 10
the Governor to Justify him in issu-
ing this call. But, Mr. President, the
great body of the people have been
heard from in another direction, the
metropolitan press OF Baltimore city,
which certainly seems to, and gener-
ally does, voice the popular sentiment,
has almost without exception de-
nOunced this measure and warned
this Legislature of the retribution
which will follow and OF the ven
geance of public condemnation which
will be the penalty which must be
paid in the near future to those Of us
who. as public servants, dare abridge
the sacred right of franchise. Citi-
zenS in public meeting, TO the respOn-
sive applause of thousands OF indig-
nant hearers, have denounced this
bill and appealed to this body to stay
its mad career in revolution. The il
literate people, in excited groups
about the country stores. the village
blacksmith shops, upon the farms
and III the factories and upon the
street corners in the city and in their
homes. in their places Of social inter,
course and even in their churches
where they go to worship, have with
i'll
with abated breath or wildly eXtrava-
CANT declarations protested, criticised
and condemned what is about TO be
done in this Senate today. The
wounds of humiliation, of degrade
ton and of infamy which are to be
placed on this people, will not be
/ healed during the lifetime of any
member of this Senate. The children
and the children's children of these
citizens who are to be wrOnged, be-
trayed and politically crucitied, will
mark the name and the ambition and
business and social aspirations of
every one of us who goes upon this
record as the one betrayer of the in
terests of the unfortunate masses.
More than this, Mr.. President, if the
courts should decide, as we are con
WINGED that they must and will de
eide, that this law is unconstitutiOn-
al, in what darkened retreat, away
from public gaze and sneering crit
cism and away from the pointing OF
the finger of pity and scOrn, will such
of the honorable members of this body
rs may have. in violation of conscience
and Judgment. been seduced by party
eXpediency and fidelity, hide them
selves away from Il storm which will
ever he n recurrent one when they
/ have any ambition for future public
hOmOrs or official recognition. Mr.
President, the minority members Of
this body sought to go upon the rec
ord made by this measure, according
to their best judgments and the die
tates of their conscience, as to their
/ obedience to the constitution and
( laws of the State: to their oath of Of
/ flee and their duty and obligation to
/ the whole people of the State, ire
spective of party or social condition
/ They withstand proudly upon the rec
! ord they are now making and will go
confidently back to the people of the
State feeling profoundly assured of
the most absolute and overwhelming
! NllIdlCCttlOll anu l+llIl PIC
/ and public duty, purpose to protect
those who are at this hour helpless to
/ defend themselves, and purpose to
maintain the honor, dignity and
/ proud reputation of this old State
without any motive of partisanship
or party dictation, have been the in
centives and the controlling purpose
/ of the members on this side of the
House. When the people shall again
assemble in convention and at the
polls the protest they will enter
against the passage of this act will be
| so loud and strong that it will rever-
| berate throughout the limits of this
/ land. Handicap, manacle and OBJ
struct the illiterate as YOU may; de
/ fraud, deceive and betray them to
your utmost, pervert the election
/ machinery to the utmost of the abil-
/ ity Of those who manipulate it, for
/ the purpose of fraud, bribery and in
timidation, still yet, Mr. President,
the sovereign voice of the indepen-
dence, liberty-loving ana fair-minded
people of Maryland will sweep from
power the party which made possible
/ the opportunity to arbitrarily dis
franchise and defraud large body
/ of our citizens against their cOnstitu-
tional rights. The Legislature which
/ meets here next January will hasten
to undo this gigantic wrong and his
i EXcellency the Governor will sign or
j veto. according to his then construc-
! ton of what is the voice of the peo-
( pie, a bill which if signed will he an
other monument marking the path
way Of progress, liberty and equal
rights III this old commonwealth.
! There are some Senators on this floor
who will come back bearing the gar
lands of public approval, with the
material in their hands to help build
that monument There are some of
you, perhaps, who will come back
under changed conviction as to the
divine authority of party eXpediency
as formulated by men who have not
been chosen by the voting public as
the leaders of any party, and you will
either help, as converted sinners, to
build that monument or you will sit
in sullen protest, nursing your own
remorse and grieying over your own
misfortunes and the misfortune of
your party, and you will see this mon
ument being builded and regret that
you did not yourselves at this session
help to lay its corner stone. The day
of it's dedication will mark new and
brighter era in the history of this
State, and it will be planted over the
| tomb of political bOssism. intolerance