Saint Mary's beacon., 1901-09-19

bricks. . generation OF wheat or q
generation OF murder. PAssin 4 by
snis pecnIiarity and assuming that
what was meant was this That
after fraud and violence had pre.
vailed at the polls for the period Of
generation, the republican party
gave ns peaceful, fair and free elec.
tions Ne have a statement which
can be understood, but which is
utterly at variance with facts.
IL comes with-xsrss6ss esAes
from the leaders Of the Republican
party to talk about peaceful. fair
and free elections. Have they for
gotten that in this very State before
they we're driven from power in
1867, elections were carried in the
interest of Republican candidates
by the most notorious fraud and
violence? Have they forgotten
that q meager minority OF the vot.
ing population Of Maryland con-
trolled elections, because the ma
Jority were dlsfranchised by fraud
and corruption or we're driven from
the polls by violence: Have they
forgotten that Federal bayonets
kept voters away from the polls
aud prevented lifelong residents
from voting, because by no other
means could g hopeless minority
retain control Of the State govern.
ment? Have they forgotten that
Republican Judges Of Election were
sued In great numbers for fraud
ulently refusing to allow Democrats
to vote and that Judgments were
rendered in some cases and in the
others there we're settlements affect.
ed By the Election Judges paying
the costs Have they forgotten
that the iniquitous Constitution of
1854 was thrust upon the people OF
this State by fraud and violence !?
That an infamous test oath was ex-
acted from every Democratic voter,
in fiagraat soIation of the then
existing Constitution OF the State.
and that illegal votes cast beyond
the limits of the State by soldiers
IN the field were counted in defiance
of Law? By counting 2. .633 votes
deposited out of the State and far
away from the regular polling pre-
cincts, a pretended majority Of 375
in favor of the adoption of the
Constitution OF 1864 was figured
up, out of total vote OF So. 973.
Have they forgotten the carpet. bag
rule OF the South during the pre-.
yslence of which fraud and violence
ran riot, until an outraged and IN
dignant people we're driven almost
to desperation? Have they for
gotten the outrageous Force Bin
and Senator McComss' advocacy of
that scandalous measure when be-
was member OF the House /? Have
they forgotten how the voters of
the Sixth Congressional District
turned upon Senator McComas and
defeated him at the polls for his
persistent advocacy of that same
Force Bill? Have they forgotten
that the Repu blican party secured
the Presidency in 1876 by fraud,
and seated X. B. Hayes, though
Samuel j. Tilden had been elected.
But who gave us the election
Law which secured "pesceful. fair
and free elections ?" IL was adopt
cd by Democratic Legislature in
1890. It was amended in 1895
when the Republicans had control
OF the House Of Delegates and the
Democrats we're in the majority in
the Senate. If the existing elec-
tion lsw hss given peaceful. fair
and free elections. then the credit
10 due to the Democratic Legisla-
ture of 1890 and to the Democratic
Senate of 1896 no less than to the
Repu blican House Of the last named
year, and it 10 consequently un-
truthful to say that the Republicans
''gsve us peaceful, fair and free
elections. So far as the amend.
ments adopted in 1896 were con-
cerned. the Repu blicans and Demo
Gratis alike were instrumental in
passing them, aud il 10 msnifestly
inaccurate TO say the RsPH6ieGas
alone gave us that lsw. The cleo
tion Law, like many other statutory