The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-08-24
The Cecil Wing.
ELKTON, AUGUST "a, 1867.
The New Constitution.

Alter u SeSSion vi Heariy ioHT inOHtnS,
during which was expended all, or nearly
all, the appropriation, the Democratic Con
vention has adjourned. Its last measure,
that Of dispersion, is all that Republicans
have to be thankful for. Without inteli
gence, honesty, character, or loyalty dis
tinguishing single member, it is not sur
prising that such convention should have
been held in no respect abroad, and have
awakened nothing but contempt at home
There is not single honorable Democrat
among us but who feels aggrieved and hu.
inflated by such Convention. No true
Marylander could be so lost to shame as not
to really wonder at the course of events that
could have thrown forward such body to
frame new organic law for our State. Ii
is much to be lamented that such persons
should control the State even for season.
1t is true they will soon disappear beneath
the wave Of an advancing civilization, but
their baleful influence and conduct will be
felt when they are forgotten. Long years OF
pain and labor will but witness our State in
| the position of year ago. 1t is now re.
ceding in greatness and strength, and will
continue to retrograde while present Mary
land Democratic politicians control affairs
! The etfete and Pre- Adamite slaveocracy
would ride us nearly to destruction to ac-
| complish their own selfish designs. Welded
to the past, with their minds needing only
the records Of barbarism, they are as blind
men in the advanced civilization Of the pres
| ent. For them the future has no hope
They sit and cry over their fall, while the
world moves on around them. The world
heeds not their tears and laughs at their de,
spair. But they will not, cannot, arouse,
| and the tide of human affairs gradually sur
rounds and engulphs them. By such men
as these are we now governed; by such men
rs these is the Maryland Democratic party
led. The utter prostration Of enterprise,
the entire cessation of improvement, the
decline in the value OF property, the lament
able indifference Of our people to all those
things which make State powertuf and
prosperous, is directly traceable to the do
ings of these men. The industry and pro
gress Of our people have received check
which it will take years to recover FROM
The recuperation of State is a slow pro,
cess at best, but, beset as we are by so dread
full set of Democrats, our future progress
will be doubly slow.
And now this same class of fossils have
thrust upon us another Constitution for ac-
ceptancc or rejection. From such persons
one would not suppose good Constitution
could spring Neither from them has any
good arisen. Their new Constitution has
many faults, but no excellencies, not pos.
sessed by our present one. Not one of the
new principles guiding our whole country is
contained therein. The great American idea
Of universal citizenship, and of the unscp
arablcness Of citizenship and the ballot is
carefully excluded. The fundamental Amer.
lean principle that the rights of taxation and
Of representation are coequal, is not &C
knowlcdgcd. The balbarous and ancient
is practically asserted. The right of self
government is practically denied, by reus
ing to citizens, because their color a voic,
in the making of those rules and laws fol
| their own government. The sublime lesson,
of the war for emancipation are unheedcd
the teachings of history are unregarded, and
the voices Of the prophets are nnheard -
Not a single new section of this new Consti
tuition is worthy Of the age we live in it be
longs to the past, dead past, never to
live again. Modern traths went for nothing
with the authors of this instruments the
truths of the middle ages could only awak,
their slumbering perceptions. But whether
| they awake from their dreams, or die in theil
sleep, the swift car of human progress vii
crush them beneath its wheels. They ar,
but slight obstacles to victory. This Con
atitution is so repngnant to our ideas of lib
erty, Of a republican government of an ad
vanced civilization, that, were there more
intelligence dih'used in our midst, we should
confidently expect its rejection. But ever
if adopted, time, that remedies all things
will make the most servile Democrat rest
less under its expressions, and lead to it
eternal overthrow.