He accordingly earnestly hoped for the adoption by the
pec^le of Maryland of a call for a new constitution, sub-
mitted by the legislature in 1858, being especially desirous
of reverting to an appointive instead of an elective judidary:

A. W. Machen to his Father.

Baltimore, Mardi 10, 1858.

Our State Legislature has just passed an important measure —
an Act for taking the sense of the people upon the question of
calling a convention and providing for the succeeding steps in
the way to a new constitution. In 1851, the present constitution
was adopted, and already the people are heartily tired of it. There
is hope that in the formation of the next one the abominable
feature of an elective, short-termed, and low-salaried judiciary,
may be discarded.

He deplored the apathy of the people with reference to
this important question, and feared that the call would be
voted down (as in fact it was) :



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246 IN ANTE-BELLUM BALTIMORE

A. W. Machen to kis Father.

Baltimore, May 25, 1858.

If a lottery commission, a few inspectors of tobacco, limiber or
hay, a doasen or two of worthless justices of the peace, or even a
parcel of constables, were to be voted for to-morrow, the State of
Maryland would be in an uproar. But as the question to be
then presented, to a people calling themselves capable of self-
government, is whether th^ shall overturn the existing State
Constitution and erect another upon its ruins, the most profound
apathy prevails. I dare say the majority of the voting population
do not so mudi as know that such a question is to be determined.

The need of a constitution, differing widely from that we are
now afflicted with, in several respects, and particularly in regard
to the appointment, organization, tenure, and salaries of the judi-
ciary, is manifest to every right-thinking and moderately observant
man.

The Sun newspaper, with its usual radicalism and narrow-
sightedness, opposes the change; and as the effect of any earnest
move in such a time of indifference is not contemptible in itself,
and is vastly magnified by a circulation so great as that paper has
attained to, among a class of people who read nothing else, but
have votes out of aU proportion to their literature, I should not
wonder if it were doing a good deal of harm. Of course, misrq>-
resentation is resorted to in order to deter the people from doing
a sensible thing. One day, it is said the object is to re-establish
lotteries: when the fact is that throughout the life of the present
sickly constitution lotteries have never ceased to flourish; and it
is simply ridiculous to say that there is any logical connection
between the construction of a new constitution re-establishing
the judiciary, making judicious changes in the usury law, the
periods for calling together the legislature, &c., and the pro-
motion of a scheme for the benefit of a few gamblers, and sure to
be frowned upon by the overwhelming majority of the people,
or any convention feirly representing them. Then, the ignorant
portion of the Democrats are told that it is a Know Nothing
device to get absolute power into their hands. On the other side,
the Enow Nothings are warned that the Democrats will thereby



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ELECTION RIOTS 247

be enabled to juggle the administratioii of the State out of their
grasp. Many of the place-holders, such as clerks of courts,
members of the judiciary, &c., are working against a movement
which may result in ousting them all and whidi (if successful)
assuredly would and ought to oust some of them.

Under these circumstances do not be surprised if the reform
project should be voted down. StQl I hope better things.

In the now quiet and peaceable dty of Baltimore, it is
difficult to realize the scenes of disorder and bloodshed which
were only too characteristic of the place in the decade pre-
ceding the Civil War. In th<^ days, at every election, riot-
ing and loss of life were anticipated as an inevitable incident.
For example, just prior to the election for Mayor in 1855,
my father wrote:

A. W. Machm to kis Brother.

Baltimore, October 26, 1855.

The election in Baltimore City and County comes off Wednes-
day, Nov. 7th. ... In the dty, the contest will be dose and
deq>erate. But a different state of things will be presented than
was seen in the City CouncQ election a few weeks ago. Sam's
death (as th^ call that typical oki feUow), was prematurely
announced I am thinking. Hiere is some prospect of a grand row
that day: if some lives at least do not come to a violent end before
the polls are closed, public expectation will be much disappointed.
The Democratic bullies who so long enjoyed despotic sway are
very much chagrined and disconcerted to find themsdves nowa-
days o'ermastered at their own weapons. The Know Nothings
are a stalwart and determined set of f dlows ; and at every fight that
has taken place during the last six months — and there have been
several considerable skirmishes — ^they have come off triumphant,
sometimes against odds. Only the other day, a noted jailbird
and ddspendo, of old much petted by the Democratic City authori-
ties, in attempting to serve the cause of his masters with the terror
of his pres^ice, recdved a wound which effectually put him
hors du combai, and came within a hair's, breadth of sending him



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348 IN ANTE-BELLUM BALTIMORE

to his grave. The proqiect of rioting and bloodshed on the 7th
18 not so agreeable as to make me sorry that I shall not be here to
witness the actual some.

In this particular instance, the anticipations were not jus-
tified, for the election passed off quietly:

A. W.Machenio his Father.

Baltiinofe, November 15, 1855.

The talk of the town still runs on the election. The Democrats
and their Whig allies are, mentally, bruised and sore. On the
other side, congratulations are exchanged with a natural and
becoming joy. Fortunately, no riots or other disagreeable scenes
attended the occasion, and even the ingenuity of the Democrats
is almost at &ult in thdr search for something to complain of in
the conduct of the victors. Richard Gittings is among the fore-
most on the Baltimore G)unty ticket and has received a very
handsome majority.

In the following year, however, pitched battles with mus-
kets and revolvers resulted in considerable bloodshed:

A. W. Machen to his Father.

Baltimore, October 9, 1856.

It is to be regretted that there was a good deal of fif^ting and
disorder yesterday, attended even with the loss of several lives.
There was no mcb; but much street fighting. Organized bands
on the respective sides engaged in pitched battles with each other
with a reddessness which made them sanguinary, and occasioned
some alarm, to say the least, to good citizens, who did not partici-
pate in them. And these wild fellows fought with fire arms, and
those of the most formidable kind. No cannon indeed were
brought out, I believe, but mud^ets and revolvers were used with
freedom and htsl effect.

In addition, we hear the usual complaint from the defeated
party that their voters were frightened or driven from the polls
in several instances. But the Uke means, or worse, were resented
to in stray Democratic wards; and no doubt most of the foreigners



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ELECTION RIOTS 249

who fadled to vote in the wards to which th^ belonged had amends
by voting in other wards to which they did not belong. The
result, therefore, is probably about the same as if everything had
been conducted p^ectly legally. This, indeed does not excuse,
must less Justify, such scenes of license and violence,' and I trust
we shall have a better administration of the police hereafter.

Even these bloody affairs were, however, less than had
been anticqiated:

A. W. Machen to kis Brother.

Baltimore, October 9, 1856.

The Plug Uglies, Rip Raps, Babes, etc., on the American side,
and the Empire Club, New Market Engine boys, etc., on the
Democratic side, had several bloody and determined pitdied
battles; but on the whole there was less disorder than was appre-
hended. As usual the Democrats had the worst of it, and con-
sequently they complain dolorously of the breach of the peace.

By the time of the election in the following year, there
was little or no improvement, and, apparently, complete
indifference on the part of the citizens at large:

A. W. Machm to kis Father.

Bsltimoie, October 15, 1857.

Yesterday a municipal election was held; and though no other
officers were to be elected than members of one of the brandies
of the City Council, there was a good deal of rioting and disturb-
ance, and I fear &ir play was not extended at many of the polls
to the Democratic voters, or to the foreign-bom portion of them.
It so happens, however, that all the lives that were taken so &r
as I have heard, and all the serious bodily injuries that were com-
mitted, were committed and taken by Democrats, the sufferers
being generally policemen, at the time confessedly in the discharge
of their duty. Surely, this indicates that all the blame is not to
be laid at the doors of the successful party. To whomsoever this
or that particular act of violence is to be imputed, it is plain there
is urgent occasion for such a reform either in the constitution or



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2S0 IN ANTE-BELLUM BALTIMORE

administration of government as shall give to all men the practida
enjoyment of those privileges and immunities which the laws prom-
ise, but now too often only promise. The most significant and
dangerous symptom of the times is the apathy with whidi deeds
of Moodshed are witnessed. The killing of two or three men a
day does not ezdte the pulse of this community nearly so much as
the bagging of as many pigeons of a morning would affect a sports-
man not more in practice than I. I dare say that although I
moralise in this strain I share to the full in the prevailing indiffer-
ence. Certain it is, I pursue the routine of professional business
as composedly as if the great theory of free government were
not in daily and manifest jeopardy. For instance, I argued an
equity case this morning, just as though the body politic were in the
soundest possible health.

When another year had passed, conditions seemed to
have become worse rather than better; for the ruffianism and
fighting was not confined to election day but was of daily
occurrence:

A. W. Machm to his Paiker.

Baltimore, October 2, 1858.

Politics are stagnant. Our present Mayor, Mr. Swann (Ameri-
can) will be elected for another term with little or no opposition.
Day and night, there is the usual frequency of knockings down
and shootings and stabbings. So accustomed are we, indeed, to
these things that the very worst instances of crime hardly ezdte
remark. Our sensibilities are deadened, like those of the ancients
when they went one morning to see a score of gladiators hew one
another in pieces, and the next to witness the rather more lively
entertainment of the martyrdom of twice as many Christians.
Some attribute this state of things to the condition of the police.
The state of our judidary has, I think, more to do with it, and the
bad manners of the times most of alL

In another year, conditions were different but hardly
better:



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LAWLESSNESS IN BALTIMORE 2S1

A.W.MachentokisFaiher.

Baldmore, November 3, 1859.

Yesterday witnessed a strange and sad spectacle in Baltimore.
A large number of gentlemen, actuated by good motives, under*
took a task which will alwa3rs be impossible, unless attempted by
the machinery of the law. They denoimced the police, disdaimed
their aid, and assimied upon themselves the duty of keq>ing the
poUs open and free. The consequence was that the executive
magistracy — ^weakly and unjustifiably, but naturally enough —
abiuidoned the dty to the rowdies, to be rescued from them by the
reformers — ^if they could do it.

A contest between respectable men, boimd to act within the
limits of the law, and a numerous and organized band who acknowl-
edge no obligations of law, whether human or divine, could not be
doubtful. The citizens were not prq)ared for extreme measures,
the roughs were ready for anything. The latta: were better
organized, better armed, and, by reason of the weakness or cor-
ruption of the acting mayor, who allowed them, through judges
of election of their own nomination, to select such places for tak-
ing votes as they desired, had the choice of position. What made
the matter worse is, that several men who have enormous pecuniary
interest in procuring or preventing certain legislation, have the
rowdies in their pay, and give them such wages as no mercenaries
known to history, probably, ever received. Hence, while the name
of Americanism is used, the rowdies are fighting, and their masters
have hired them to fight, for ends as private, and selfish, and
corrupt, as the means resorted to are abominable.

It is natural that such a state of things should drive a great
many persons who were formerly staunch Whigs, who have no
repugnance ^to the principles of the American party, and who
heretofore have heartily detested Locofocoism in all its disguises,
to separate from the American party, and enter into more or less
sympathy and intimacy with the Democrats. I do not for my
own part share the disposition to invoke such allies. To give a
temporary relief, I would not put my neck under the yoke of
masters as imprindpled as the Plugs, and more inexorable. I
am satisfied that the Saxon will prove worse than the Dane. But



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252 IN ANTE-BELLUM BALTIMORE

the multitudes are acting the other way, and Maryland is fast
becoming a Democratic State.

Law, literature a&d poHtics left little time for society; and,
as stated above, my fieither resolved to achieve professkmal
success by the thoroughness of his work rather than through
social acquaintances. Indeed, to be a society man in the
ordinary sense of that word was wholly foreign to his taste.
Yet, he was never a recluse, always had a widening circle of
friends of both sexes, and as years wore on was rather sought
after socially. Scarcely was he ensconced in his bachelor
quarters at Baltimore, at the age of twenty-six years, than
he accounced himself to his brother as ^^an old bachelor/'
without f orseeing that after nineteen years n^xre of single
life he would at last marry:

A. W. Machen to his Brother.

Baltimore, April 3, 1854.

Of late I have been to one or two little parties— very pleasant
ones. Then again, Miss Margaret Gittings has been spending
some weeks with Miss Mary Rogers, so that with the presence of
both yoimg ladies the cheorful parlours at the comer of Court-
landt St. have strong attraction for a bachelor adrift on this
desolate sea. Miss Margaret, besides, has been unwell with a
neuralgic affection, which is good excuse for frequent calls. They
all treat me very kindly indeed — on Dick's accoimt in great meas-
ure, of course; but I should be an imgrateful wretch to institute
a nice inquiry into the motives and grounds of a hospitality of
which I derive the full benefit. The principal use I make of this
social enjoyment is to reflect how important a part of a man's
education is skipped over when he grows up apart from the gentle
influence of the ladies. It is too late for me to become an3^thing
better than the gnarled, case-hardened, thorn-bush trunk that
I am, fit only to cry to all passers-by, in most pointed phrase,
''Hands off 1 at your peril, touch me not I" You are in condition
to profit by the lesson. By all means, therefore, praetermit no
opportunity to cultivate the acquaintance of ladies. Be careful



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SOCIALLIFE 253

at the same time not to foil in love— at kast not rashly. Yet if
you are constituted at all like me, there is no great need of this
caution; for if poor mortality were as exempt from all lapse as I
find it is (as represented in my person) from inclination to this
qpedes of timibling, it would be easy to walk with head erect
through the world. Interest, sympathy, friendship spring iq)
readily enough, but as for more, I think I wiU have ample time to
make thBXfarkine in, before I shall have occasion for it as a justi-
fication for exchanging a bachelor's narrow lodgings for the com-
forts of a house up-town, I begin to suspect that I am appointed
for poverty throughout life, such is my striking adaptation to the
sin^ life I am now leading. If, for example, I was the fossil
remains of a fi^ and Agassiz had me imder his microscope, he
would exclaim, with all the glee of a philosofdier perfectly satis-
fied, "An Oid Bachdar beyond a doubt!"— a poor, very poor, old
bachelor, as sure as that a creature with gills was never designed
to figure as a land animal!

He was by no means averse to good cheer; and when Mr.
Levin Gale, a well known member of the bar, was expected
at Walney upon the occasion of the argument of one of my
father's earliest cases (referred to above)** in the Fairfoz
County Court, explicit directions were given to provide ade-
quate entertaizunent of a liquid kind:

A. W, Machm to his Brother.

Baltimore, October 26, 1855.

Gale, the lawyer on the opposite side, will probably spend his
nights with me at the farm. And if he does, I hope you will be
able to give him good entertainment Pity, that the supply of
Maderia and sherry, in dimensions like the widow's cruise, was
not as inexhaustible. By the way, if you have an opportunity
to procure it, some really good brandy — or what is easier to obtain
— good whiskey, would be convenient.

In conteinplation of a party, or series of parties, at Walney,
iqKm the occasion of a double wedding at a neighbouring

"Supimp. 175.



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254 IN ANTE-BELLUM BALTIMORE

place Chantilly, belonging to the Stuarts, he gives elaborate
directions illustrative both of his care for this mother and
sister, and his solicitude for the enjoyment of their guests:

A. W. Machen to his Brother.

Baltimore, October 16, 1859.

With so may things to talk about, I forgot in leaving to spesLk,
more particularly about the necessity of not overlooking Ma and
sistar's outfit. WlOl you see to this? Especially look out that the
latter is fixed up Uke the other ladies of the day. This thing
of being half-hooped is worse than having no hoops at all, for then
the resources of female ingenuity provide some substitute. Let
them by all means be provided with all things essential Bishops
and other clergy, hoops, dresses and what not.

If you think well of it, you might get a dozen of good champagne.
Know who you buy from. Moet & Chandon's Green Seal is about
the best brand now. This, of course, to accompany the meats.
But let the servant be properly instructed beforehand, so that he
may not shoot the corks into guests' faices instead of the ceiling,
or make a fool of himself generally. Put all the wines on ice
some hours before dinner, and have broken ice ready to put in the
champagne glasses.

If you get the champagne, I'll pay for it. If you don't get it,
you must make the sherry do for both courses. But I think you
had better get it.

If any of the groomsmen stay with you, don't omit to provide
them at odd times (at bed time for instance) with whiskey, etc
You are such a Washingtonian that I have to jog your memory
about these matters. I don't want our name for hospitality to
5Uffer.

In 1857, upon the marriage of Andrew S. Ridgely, one of
the four friends who had kept bachelors' haU together, my
&ther wrote an accoimt of the wedding reception which shows
that his acquaintance in Baltimore society was not at this
time very extensive:



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SOCIAL LIFE 2SS

A. W.Machen to his Brother.

Baltimore, May 21, 1857.

Last night, after leaving court about eight o'clock, I had to sup,
and then dress for my friend Andrew Ridgely's wedding. Sure
enough I saw him married a little after nine o'clock. The bride
was Miss Camilla Johnson, daughter of Mr. Reverdy Johnson;
and the whole affair went off in brilliant style, as you may suppose.
Much fashion was there and some beauty. The hoops— but the
dectric telegraph itself could scarce compass those enormous
arcs, and language fatOs to describe what imagination could not
have conceived. Rather out of my element was I in that atmos-
phere of high &shion; but I looked on with great composure, and
considered with infinite satis&iction that I was only a looker-on.
Bearing this in mind, I enjoyed myself much more than I usually
do at parties. I was acquainted with the dutjority of the gentle-
men present — the bar, of coiuse, furnishing a large del^ation —
but knew not a single lady. This circumstance, and the large
niunber of gentlemen as compared with the ladies, saved me from
serving as squire at supper — an office I detest. Coimting by
space, the fair composed as much of the company as the men, but
hoops don't measure at supper and one pair of masculine hands
is redLoned competent to supply each dainty mouth. Of course
I was introduced to some ladies before the evening was over.

Ridgely and his wife went to Philadelphia this morning. This
marriage is a good thing for him. It will relieve him from the
reputation of a frolicsome man of the world — gay, witty, unstead-
fewt — ^which twenty years of reform otherwise manifested would
scarcely have removed. He is a very fine fellow, as you know,
and has businesslike and professional qualities which many who
think they know him do not dream of. He is the very soul of
manliness and integrity.

In the first years of my Cither's residence in Baltimore,
when his funds were always exceedingly low, his only vaca-
tions were spent at Walney. In 1855, he and his brother,
after vainly endeavouring to induce Alfred M. Barbour and Mr.
Thomas Blagden to accompany them, took a horseback trip



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256 IN ANTE-BELLUM BALTIMORE

of several weeks through the western part of VirgMa— now
West VirgiDia. Both of them often referred to this ezperi-
enoe with unalloyed pleasure. The course, as weU as some
incidents, of the trip are described in two letters:

A. W. Machen to Thomas Blagden.

Natural Bridge, Va., Se{itember 4, 1855.

In our out¥7ard course, passing through the SnickerviUe Gap
in the Blue Ridge we dropped down into Qarke and Jefferson,
that region so famous for its fertility and loveliness. After q)aKl-
ing Sunday with some cousins who own a cluster of fine farms
there, we rode through the heart of Frederick G)unty , in the lime-
stone district of which are some excellent lands. We dined at
Winchester, and taking the Moorefidd turnpike, an admirably
graded road, we reached by ni^tfall Russell's Tavern, a wdl
known stopping place just under the North Mountain. The Cool
Spring Gap in that mountain, through which we passed the next
morning, is very wild and grand, and of itself worth a ride. Leav-
ing Capon Springs about two miles to the right, we crossed the
elevated point where stands the comer of the four coimties of
Frederick, Hampshire, Hardy and Shenandoah. Of these the
road selects Hardy, and the view of the Capon Valley as we de-
scended was perhaps equal to anything of its kind we have seen.
In the Valley, and near Wardensville, the Capon River afforded
us one of the most charming little water landscapes I ever saw.
There is pretty scenery and very good land on the Lost River—
so called because it sinks under ground to emerge afterwards as
the Capon. After crossing another mountain, we reach the
celebrated Valley of the South Branch of the Potomac— an expanse
of bottom land of the width of a mile and upwards. This land is
very fertile and, distant as it is from markets and raihoads, com-
mands from $100 to $200 per acre. It rents readily (as we were
informed by credible and competent persons) for $10 to $12 per
acre. We lodged for the night at Moorefield, the county seat of
Hardy, after a day's journey of 44 miles, which did not mudi &tigue
either ourselves or horses.

At this point, we had to determine upon the route by which



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A RIDING TRIP 257

we should get through the mountamous region miiich aqparated
us from Rando^. Mountamous it is emphatically. In this
lofty part of the great Allq^iany range are head waters which
flow into the Chesa p eak e and into the Gulf of Mexico; five con-
siderable rivers, flowing northward and southward and eastward
and westward, here have their source. We dected that road
which was at once the shortest and affords the finest scenery.