Oxford, Maryland

Mystery Loves Company, Oxford

I have been contacting bookstores across the State to let them know about my book, Witch Trials, Legends, and Lore of Maryland. So far, Back Creek Books in Annapolis and Fenwick Street Books in Leonardtown have agreed to carry copies. Last week, Mystery Loves Company in Oxford also asked for a few copies. So, I got into my car, turned on my GPS, and drove out there.

Although I had looked on a map, I was surprised that my GPS took me to the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry in Bellevue. My initial reaction on seeing this was 'funny, I don't remember Oxford being an island on the map'. I purchased a ticket with a check and was bemused when asked if I wanted a return ticket. Did they think that I wanted to stay there and never leave? I thought. Of course, shortly thereafter I discovered what I had previously thought. Oxford was not an island, but the ferry was a "short cut". Although when you consider wait time, the ferry probably isn't much shorter. It is only a few extra miles to go by land. But it was sort of nice and I remembered being on this ferry many years ago with my parents. It was likely the same boat. I wouldn't take the ferry again to drop off books (it was $18 round trip), but it was sort of interesting.

Oxford is a nice little town. It was founded in 1683. In 1694, it and what would become Annapolis, were named the only official ports of entry for commerce in the then province. It was a prosperous port town, sending tobacco all over the world.

There are several places to eat in and around the town. I stopped at the Robert Morris Inn which bills itself as "America's Oldest Inn". They alleged that it started operations in 1710. I actually ate at the connected Salter's Tavern, which is for more casual dinning. The service was okay. The food was decent, but sort of overpriced. They only had two beers on tap and they too were overpriced. Other than that, I can't complain. If one wanted a cheaper and better meal, one could find a WaWa or Royal Farms up the street somewhere. But at these places you are paying for the history and atmosphere as much as anything. It seemed to have plenty of that. I'm sure there is probably a ghost story or two associated with the establishment as well. If not, then someone should invent one.

The streets of Oxford were pleasant to look at and enjoyable to walk. There was a small museum that might also be worth a visit and other small corners to explore. But after half a day, it would probably become rather boring to the average tourist. I would recommend a visit to the town, if it is not too much out of your way. And if you do visit, stop by the local bookstore to buy a few things, including a signed copy of my book.

Witch Trials, Legends, and Lore of Maryland

Witch trials took place in early Maryland. Few people are aware of this fact or of the other legends, myths, or lore associated with witchcraft in the Free State. My new book, Witch Trials, Legends, and Lore of Maryland, reveals this fascinating history.

Available through Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble, and other online book sellers.

It is also available as a Kindle Ebook (free to Amazon Prime members right now), it will be available in other electronic formats later in the year.

You may also purchase copies at Back Creek Books in Annapolis, the Annapolis Cigar Company, Fenwick Books in Leonardtown, or directly through the books website - Marylandwitches.com.

Chesapeake City, Cecil County, Maryland

Located on the eastern shore part of Cecil County, Chesapeake City's history is deeply linked to the building of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal.

Named Chesapeake City in 1839, the town grew to its peek population in 1849. Today the city is rather small, but it is pleasant enough and worth a visit.

There is a museum dedicated to the canal. There are various bed and breakfast type places, small shops, and restaurants, including the Bayard House.

According to the bartender at the Bayard House, the city was founded by Irish immigrants who had built the canal. St. Patrick's Day was exceptionally busy at their bar. I visited there two days later, however, and the place was empty around lunchtime, the explanation given that the regulars were still recovering.

At the downstairs bar, the food was sufficient, the beer was not unreasonably priced (if you consider the typical prices today not unreasonable), and the staff was friendly and helpful. The view of the canal was also good. I would have no objection to returning and would not discourage others from eating or drinking there.

There is a large bridge over the canal that separates the two parts of the city. There are steps near the free parking lot to walk up the bridge. The bartender at the Bayard said he once walked over it, but swore he would never do it again as it unnerved him. After drinking some beer, I decided to give it a try.

Walking up the old stairs was a bit scary. Once on top there was a sidewalk for pedestrians. The bridge shook a little as cars, and especially trucks, drove by and parts of the bridge looked old and rusty, but I survived unharmed. Below are some pictures from this experience:

 

You might not want to step on this.

Other pictures from that I took of Chesapeake City can be found here.

H.L. Mencken House, Baltimore

A three story row home.

Born in Baltimore in 1880, Henry Louis, or H.L., Mencken rose to become a prominent journalist, critic, reviewer, and social commentator (among other things) in his day. A prolific writer, he authored several books and countless essays, articles, and letters. It is fair to call Mencken a libertarian. He was influenced by many great minds, including my favorite philosopher, Herbert Spencer.

Many today are unaware of who Mencken was and how he and his ideas influenced his world and the world we live in today. The Mission of the Friends of the H.L. Mencken House is to educate "the public about the life and legacy of H. L. Mencken." To this end they are interested in purchasing, or at least permanently leasing, Mencken's house to establish a museum to teach others about Mencken, his life, ideas, and times.


The Mencken House, where H.L. lived all but 8 years of his life, and where he died, is only opened today for private tours and special events. I had the opportunity to visit the house during one of those events.

Located at 1524 Hollins Street in the Union Square area of Baltimore, the neighborhood could use some work. I spotted at least one drug deal while driving away. I would advise against leaving out any valuables. But it is safe enough, especially during the daytime and especially if you park near the house. Parking is generally not a problem.

The house is more empty than it would have been when Mencken lived there, but, they try to give a feel, based on old photographs of it, of what it would have looked like then.

The house was properly decorated for the Christmas season. Although Mencken was a famous agnostic who had no interest in religion, he, unlike so many professional atheists today, enjoyed the cultural aspect of the Christmas holiday. In his youth especially, Christmas was an important day for him and his family.

An original chair from the Victorian period was preserved for the house. Other items that belong in the house are apparently in storage elsewhere. Hopefully they will be returned to the house.

On the second floor, if you visit on the right day, the ghost of H.L. Mencken himself, still thinking it is the past, will greet you and talk about his life, views, work, and times. Also, if you would like H.L. to come to your event or party that can be arranged as well.

The garden in the back of the house is worth exploring as well. Original artwork in the walls is still present. View some samples of that below:

H.L. Mencken was an amazing individual who fought, though his words, for the rights of all people, even when that was unpopular. Below are some of my favorite quotes and links to books by and about Mencken. Those interested in learning more about him and his ideas as well as saving the Mencken House should join the Friends of the H.L. Mencken House and also visit the house.

Favorite Mencken quotes:

"The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all."

"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard."

"The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable, and so, if he is romantic, he tries to change it. And even if he is not romantic personally he is very apt to spread discontent among those who are."

"Every time the papers print another account of a Prohibionist agent murdering a man who resists him or searching some woman's underwear or raiding a Vanderbilt yacht or blackmailing a Legislature or committing some other such inordinate and anti social act they simply make a thousand more votes for Prohibition. It is precisely that sort of entertainment that makes Prohibition popular with the boobery. It is precisely because it is unjust imbecile arbitrary and tyrannical that they are so hot for it. The incidental violation of even the inferior man's liberty is not sufficient to empty him of delight in the chase. The victims reported in the newspapers are commonly his superiors he thus gets the immemorial democratic satisfaction out of their discomfiture. Besides he has no great rage for liberty himself. He is always willing to surrender it at demand. The most popular man under a democracy is not the most democratic man but the most despotic man. The common folk delight in the exactions of such a man. They like him to boss them. Their natural gait is the goose step."

H.L. Mencken books on Amazon

William Bladen's Grave, Annapolis. Maryland's last witch prosecutor

Grave of William Bladen

William Bladen, an important early Maryland official is buried at St. Anne's Episcopal Church, in Annapolis on Church Circle. There are only a few graves in the actual church yard, (the larger graveyard that they own is nearby). Who was this person and why was he considered important? 


According to Side-lights on Maryland history: with sketches of early Maryland families by Hester Dorsey Richardson:

Honorable William Bladen came to Maryland in 1690, at the early age of nineteen years. That he was possessed of eminent ability is very certain from the fact that he at once became active in public affairs. Two years after his arrival, when but twenty-one years old, the House of Burgesses awarded him 1600 pounds of tobacco for his services as clerk. Later in the same year young Bladen was allowed in the levy 4000 pounds of tobacco for transscribing copies of the laws, and in 1693 he, with Captain John Davis and William Aisquith, was appointed deputy to apprehend, seize and take into custody Colonel Peter Sayer and Thomas Smith, of Talbot County, for conspiracy.

For a while Honorable William Bladen seemed to have rivaled the modern clubwoman in his many offices. In 1695 we find him clerk of the House of Burgesses; on December 12, 1696, he made oath that he was then clerk of the House of Burgesses, clerk of St. Marie's County and clerk of general indictments in Prince George's County, while just one year later he gave bond for £500 as Collector of the Port and district of Annapolis, with Charles Carroll and Edward Dorsey as his sureties.

St. Anne's Episcopal Church

In 1698 he was Surveyor and Deputy Collector of the port; the next year or two Naval Officer and Surveyor of the Port.

In 1701 Nathaniel Blackistone, Royal Governor of Maryland, appointed Honorable William Bladen Secretary of the Province. On May 8, 1702, he was commissioned Attorney-General and in 1704 he was Clerk of the Council.

In addition to his civil offices William Bladen was a vestryman of old St. Anne's Church, Annapolis. In the year 1708 Queen Anne appointed Honorable William Bladen one of the first Aldermen for the City of Annapolis. But this high and important Colonial official upon his arrival in Maryland had lived first in St. Mary's County on St. Elizabeth's Manor, an estate of 2000 acres, originally patented to Thomas Cornwaleys in the year 1639. It was in St. Mary's that he met, wooed and won young Anne Van Swearingen, daughter of the notable Gerret Van Swearingen, of St. Mary's County, a native of Holland and said to have been of noble lineage.

The removal of the capital from the City of St. Mary's to the Port of Annapolis accounts for the change of residence of many Colonial families whose representatives figured in official life, and this it was, no doubt, that resulted in Honorable William Bladen's removal from St. Mary's County. His name is associated with the important work of compiling the first laws of Maryland into one volume.

What is left out of this account is a review of his performance as Attorney General, one of the many positions that he held. C. Ashley Ellefson in the book, William Bladen of Annapolis, 1673?-1718:"the most capable in all Respects" or "Blockhead Booby"? painted a far more cynical picture of Bladen as a scheming public official who would do anything to get and hold onto power. Ellefson pointed out that as prosecutor Bladen only received convictions in less than half of the cases that he took to trial. And while that was probably better than my average as a prosecutor in Baltimore City, it was low considering that criminal defendants had less of an ability to get a fair trial in those days. Ellefson wrote about this:

Bladen’s high proportion of failures might be evidence not only of incompetence but also of simple cynicism. Criminal prosecutions and punishments in eighteenth-century Maryland were designed as deterrents — warnings to others to behave themselves as authority demanded —, and the prosecution of an innocent person was as good a warning as the prosecution of a guilty person was. 

Actually the prosecution of an innocent person might provide an even better warning than the prosecution of a guilty person would. The person who watches the prosecution of a defendant whose guilt appears to be clear might conclude that if he does not break any laws he will be safe, while watching the prosecution of an innocent person might lead him to conclude that he had better not draw attention to
himself in any way by deviating from the strictest conformity.

One additional fact about Bladen, that may interest readers, is that as Attorney General he brought the last (capital) witchcraft case to trial in the Provincial Court in Annapolis (then Maryland's highest trial court). Virtue Violl, from Talbot County, was charged with using witchcraft against a neighbor, Elinor Moore, and causing her to lose the use of her tongue. Violl was indicated, transported to Annapolis, and put on trial. She was acquitted by a jury. What is most strange about this case is that it took place in 1712, when most educated people would have ceased to believe in the power of witches to do harm. Did Bladen actually believe that Violl was in fact a witch? Did he care about the truth of the accusation? Or did he simply prosecute her, as Ellefson suggests, as a warning to others?

Hooper sleeping

History's final judgment on William Bladen may still be out. But while visiting the site, my dog, a greyhound named Herr Hooper, made his own judgment. Upon seeing the grave he promptly walked up to it and, despite my protests, urinated on it.

Historic St. Mary's City

Historic St. Mary's City, in St. Mary's County, Maryland, is the birthplace, so to speak, of the State of Maryland.

George Calvert, a secretary of state to James I, was forced to resign his position due to his conversion to Roman Catholicism (which was technically illegal to practice), but was given the title of the first Lord Baltimore (named after the Irish city) by the king due to his previous service. He campaigned for a charter in the mid-Atlantic region of North America in order to set up a colony for disaffected English Catholics. His charter was eventually granted, although shortly after his death, and it was instead given to his son, Cecil Calvert. Maryland's charter set up a proprietary colony under the Lord Baltimore, with the condition that he govern with the advice and assent of the freemen of the province. Maryland was not an English (or British  - there was a union of crowns, but not parliaments between England and Scotland) colony (in the traditional sense of a colony), but a self-governing territory.

After landing in Maryland in 1634, in what is now St. Mary's County, the settlers soon set up their capital nearby, in what they would call St. Mary's City. The capital of Maryland moved in 1695 (1694 if you are using the Julian calendar as they did at the time) to Annapolis, but today a historic park has been set up at the location.

State House Reconstruction

One of the first places to see is the reconstruction (and it is important to note that everything depicted is a reconstruction as the original, mostly wood, buildings have been lost to time) of the original State House from 1676. In this building the lower house of the Assembly, the upper house (which was picked by the governor), the Provincial Court (Maryland's then highest court) and the St. Mary's County Court all would have met. Before the construction of the State House they would have met in private houses and bars.

The building is open to visitors. You can explore the first and second floor. On the left is a picture of the first floor where the lower house of the Assembly would have met. It is also the place where the court would have sat as well. All capital cases in the province would have been heard here(in the Provincial Court), including the witchcraft case against Rebecca Fowler of Calvert County, which resulted in her conviction and execution.

The Dove

The Dove is a reconstruction of a 17th century trading ship and named after The Dove that brought some of the early settlers to Maryland. It is important to note that the blueprints to the original Dove have been lost, but it is fair to say that it would have been similar to this vessel. If you arrive at the right time (12 noon when I visited) you can watch a demonstration of how 17th century settlers would have navigated the waters. Needless to write, it all looked very complicated and since I get lost with GPS, had I been in charge of anything on the ship they never would have made it to Maryland. The reconstruction is an actual sailing ship that they often take out for trips on the bay. If you volunteer working on the ship they will take you out on their trips.

Not every structure has been completely reconstructed. Wooden frames have been put out along the grounds to give the visitor some of idea of what the place would have looked like. A fair amount of trees are present on the property, but I was told by a guide that the early English settlers would have removed most of the trees in the city limits. They could not do this today as the area is a watershed and there is a state law against removing trees in a watershed.

Other structures have been reconstructed on the grounds. In some of them there are guides who will answer questions. Others have placards that display information about the history of the area.

A reconstruction of a Catholic chapel is at the site, demonstrating the importance of religion to the lives of the early settlers. The ruling Calvert family was Catholic, but the majority of early Marylanders were Protestants, including Puritans who were fleeing from religious oppression in Anglican-ruled Virginia. Maryland was more tolerant than most places at the time, but only towards trinitarian Christians. Blasphemy was a capital offense, although there are no recorded executions for it.

A brief walk from the main part of the park will take you to the Tobacco Plantation. The staff at this location act out the roles of 17th century people working on a tobacco plantation. They will show you around the farm and answer questions about the period, as if they were actually still living there. It is a little bit weird at first, but sort of entertaining.

I was a bit surprised, but happy to see, that they actually were growing and curing tobacco, despite the fact that it is a State park. Maryland can be such a horribly "liberal" (actually authoritarian) state and many would love to tax or prohibit tobacco out of existence. Many have the rather fascist view that you are not smart enough to decide what substances you should ingest, whether that be tobacco, marijuana, or trans-fats. I almost didn't want to post pictures of the growing tobacco out of fear that some mentally challenged legislator might seek to introduce legislation requiring them to remove the tobacco from the tobacco plantation in some sort of Stalinist purge.

On the farm you will also find live farm animals, including pigs and cows. The actors will answer your questions about everything related to the property. You will find out how people became indentured servants, how they could eventually own their own land, the origin of the term earmarks, or anything else that you wanted to know about 17th century farming. Around the plantation there are also lots of trails that will take you around the surrounding woods.

Parking at the location is free and there are plenty of available spaces. It closes down in the winter, but opens back up in the spring. Check the Historic St. Mary's website for details. Entry to the State park was $10. There was a nice gift shop there as well, although I didn't buy anything.

Mount Calvert, Prince George's County

During the summer I took a drive over to Prince George's County to see the historical and archaeological park at Mount Calvert.

Mount Calvert, as the name suggests, was originally part of Calvert County, when it was established as a town in 1684. It had a vibrant trading community. It later became part of Prince George's County when it was formed in 1696. Renamed Charles Town, it became the county seat. It remained so until 1721 when the seat was moved to the nearby town of Upper Marlboro (which is not worth a visit, trust me). Mount Calvert is today considered part of Greater Upper Marlboro.

Indictment of Fowler.

In the 1680s, two witch accusations were made in this area.
In 1685, a former indentured servant, Rebecca Fowler, was indicted for using witchcraft at Mount Calvert and surrounding areas. Arrested, tried before a jury at the Provincial Count in St. Mary's County, and convicted, she was hanged on October 9, 1685. Less than a year later, Hannah Edwards was also accused of using witchcraft at Mount Calvert and other places around the county. She was also tried, but later acquitted. I am currently working on a book about alleged Maryland witches.

Dig site at Mount Calvert. Covered due to a brief rain storm.

On the site of the park there is an archaeological dig taking place. The supervising archaeologist there when I was visiting indicated that they were looking for (among other things) witch bottles, but so far had not found any.

In the 1780s a tobacco plantation was built on the grounds and today a mansion stands facing the Patuxent River. The mansion was damaged during the earthquake and is not currently open to the public. If it ever reopens, it is worth a visit inside. There is a brief outline of Maryland history and exhibits showing some of the items recovered from the grounds, including this collection of tobacco pipes.

Entry to the grounds and mansion was free and the archaeologists working there seemed reasonably happy to answer questions about the history of the place. I recommend visiting, especially if the mansion ever opens up again.

Additional pictures:

The mansion at Mount Calvert

 

 

An exhibit in the mansion.

A view of the Patuxent River from the grounds.

Assateague Assault Sprint Triathlon

I completed the Assateague Assault Triathlon last weekend.

The event starts and ends on the Maryland portion of Assateague Island, which is located in Worcester County.
This is a Sprint Triathlon, which means that it is half the distance of an international level triathlon.

The event was reasonably well organized. It was easy to sign-up online and one could pick up the race packet either the Saturday before or the morning of the race. The packet contained the leg-band with the RFID timing chip, the colored swim cap, and numbers for your shirt, bike, and helmet. You also got a nice t-shirt. Race number body markings were put on the morning of the race by the staff.

The transition area did not have assigned rows and I'm not sure if that was better or worse, but it didn't seem to cause any problems. The entrances and exits for the different events were well placed so as to avoid running into anyone or getting in the way (I mention this because another triathlon I was at years ago only had one exit/entrance and it was impossible to enter or exit the transition area after the race without getting in the way or being yelled out by the staff. I haven't done that event since and likely never will again).

The swim was a half mile in the Atlantic Ocean with a running start from the beach. I was in the first wave and thankfully it wasn't too crowded, so I didn't really have to worry about getting kicked. Getting past the rough water to get to the first buoy, however, was a bit of a challenge. The waves were a bit rough. But once out there it wasn't bad at all. At times the swim was even a bit enjoyable. This was my first ocean triathlon and I wasn't used to swimming out that far from the shore, so I appreciated seeing all of the lifeguards in their kayaks just beyond me. At the last buoy I turned to swim back to shore, where I was again battered by waves.

The bike was fairly uneventful. It was about 14 or so miles. There was one hill, over the bridge, but otherwise the course was very flat. The impact on traffic appeared to be minimum, although police were at at least one intersection helping us to get through faster.


The run was only 5k, or 3.125 miles, but it felt much longer than that. There were people giving out water at the start and at the half-way point, or so, but they probably could have used another water stop. The sun was beating down fairly hard on everyone. The course was very flat, but also sort of boring. We did run through two areas with campers and many of the people there were out cheering us along, which is generally encouraging.

The after-race party was okay. Because it was a Maryland State Park they couldn't serve alcohol, but they had sufficient food and drink available. I really appreciated being handed a bottle of water at the finish.

There are a few suggestions I would make. There was only one bathroom, a park bathroom which wasn't too big, and there were lines in it. Portable toilets in the transition area are always nice. Most athletes consume a good amount of caffeine and water (not to mention the water that you swallow after a wave slams you in the race). Also, it would have been nice to get a small finishers metal or some other object that I could nail to my wall to show off to my colleagues. Another water stop on the run and perhaps one on the bike would have been good. At some races the water stops have Gu or PowerBar Energy Gel for the taking which is helpful. And some beer at the end would be nice as well, if they could get the proper waivers from the State.

But, on the whole, I really enjoyed the race. The people were great and the event was both challenging and fun. I recommend it and encourage others to sign-up for next year's race.

Annapolis Triathlon 2011

I completed the Annapolis Triathlon this morning.
Despite the fact that it was a Sprint and the swim was only 500 meters, it was the most difficult one I have ever done. The water was cold and extremely choppy. It was difficult to catch my breath and for the first half we were swimming directly into the tide. I almost gave up and called for help, but managed to press through, despite swallowing a ton of water.

The bike wasn't too bad, but the space was limited. Most of my time was spent trying to figure out how to pass others or trying to let others pass me without going outside the cones and into the rest of the street, where there were cars. The rain didn't help either. It was also very hilly.

The run was only a 5k, but the first mile was uphill and felt longer than 1 mile.

Overall, I really enjoyed the experience and hope they hold another one next year. I did the 2007 Olympic length triathlon in Annapolis, which was sponsored by a different group. This one was much better in they had more and better food after the event. Also, since it ended downtown, we could go to the local bars. The Federal House had drink specials for finishers. The place was packed with people.

As expected, some locals complained about the event. It was moved from a Sunday start to a Saturday one to aaccommodate the local churches that complained so bitterly about the 2007 one. The guy who runs Storm Brother's Ice Cream was complaining about the event, but he didn't open his store until after 11am, when the race was over and traffic was back to normal. Had he opened up early he would have made more money. He certainly alienated many local athletes with his complaining.

Thank you to the volunteers, especially the ones from the Annapolis Triathlon Club who watched bikes, including mine, while I was the bar. The co-owner of the Annapolis Running Shop was also out there volunteering and cheering everyone on.

While there are certainly drawbacks to a large event downtown, the businesses that were open seemed to be doing very well. And the race was over by the time that most people woke up. Events like this are good for the community and ought to be encouraged.

400 years later socialism still doesn't work

I recently started reading History of Maryland  (also available on Amazon) by John Thomas Scharf, published in 1879.

This passage regarding the problems faced by the early settlers of Virginia caught my attention:

But a still more formidable enemy assailed the colonists, born of their own improvidence. Famine, and its accompanying diseases, soon set in, and in one year from the time of their landing, their numbers were reduced from 100 to 38; and these, too, would have perished but for timely supplies of corn, which Smith had procured at great risk from the Indians. Among those who perished was Bartholomew Gosnold, the originator of the expedition; and we can but regret that he did not live long enough to see even the first glimmering success in that adventure he had been the earliest to advocate. The cause of this calamity lay partly in the provision of their charter, which required that the product of the united labor of the emigrants should be brought into the public stores, and that all should draw their supplies from thence. For nearly five years was this provision enforced; and during that time, with the exception of the short period of Smith's administration, the condition of the colony was most wretched. It is difficult to conceive a state of things more propitious to the theories of Communism or Socialism, and yet the failure was most signal. A productive soil invited cultivation, while rapidly diminishing stores admonished to industry and labor, and yet, in the face of certain ruin, the large majority wasted their time in idleness, relying for subsistence upon the stores provided by the industrious few. In this they were encouraged by the censurable course of their officers who controlled the supplies, and feasted abundantly, while others had doled out to them a pint of damaged wheat or barley.

I would imagine that the political leaders of the day justified this policy by citing the Bible. Today, in our less religious society, our leaders rely on the more general themes of compassion. But there is nothing compassionate or wise about this sort of theft. And I do not assume that our leaders today have good motives for their actions either. They suffer from what Augustine called libido dominandi, the lust to dominate. They know that socialist schemes do nothing to help the poor or society as a whole, but they sure like the power that comes from having your money.