The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-08-20
THE PROSPECT.

In taking n general view of the political
situation at this time, as compared with the
Immediate past, we are constrained to believe
that many hopeful signs present themselves
TO the friends of constitutional liberty. 1t is
true that the fifteenth amendment hangs like a
threatening cloud that obscures many ray
of hope, but it is nevertheless becoming more
and more apparent that this is the main and
last reliance of the Republican party to per-
potuatc its hold upon the government Their
other schemes TO this end, such as military in
reference in elections, &c, are temporary in
their nature, and by the very frequency of their
employment, are beginning to pail upon the
public TASTE even in the North. Defeated in
Virginia, the extremists ofthc party, to avert q
like catastrophe in Tennessee had recourse to
am eXpedient, the like of which had never be-
fore been dreamed of in this Countrywide
high officers of the Cabinet at Washington,
STOPPING to throw the political weight of the
administration into the doubtful scale, in the
interest of a partisan candidate. The magni-
tude and novelty of this proceeding only rem
il rccoils with crushing effect upon the party
ungenerous enough to resort to it, In Ala
hama also the election has resulted in gain
of two members for the Democrats in the
next Congress of the United States, besides
the increased majority in their favor in
Kentucky. The Southern States have thus
held their own against the attempts Of the
extremists although notupon issues which we
in Maryland, situated rs we are here, would
have pressed upon our opponents for adjud-
cation at the ballot box Yet they have held
their own. With the dislnartcning effect of
these failures resting upon them, and the ad-
ditional odium of being defeated in schemes
which no party, could have been justified in
adopting to carry its ends the Republicans of
Pennsylvania are engaged in a contest in that
State, the chances of success ia which are more
than doubtful. The selection ofthcir candidate
for Governor is conceded by many of their
own papers to have been an unfortunate one,
whilst his opponent has awakened an cnthu-
siasm and infused new life into the Democ-
racy ofthegreat State of Pennsylvania, which,
it is fair to argue, will go far to turn the even
ly balanced scale in his favor. Should the
Democrats succeed in that State, great stride
will have been made in the direction of a re-
turn to better times, and the winter will close
in upon us better than ever prep ,red, since
the termination of the war, to resist the usur-
pations ofthe Republican party. These, we
repeat, are some the more hopeful signs of
the situation, With us in this State, so far as
Federal politics are concerned, it behooves us
simply TO defend the ground we have had
such ample time to entrench ourselves upon.
OF our ability to do this there can be no
doubt, whilst We are subject to attack in q
legitimate way-but when the general gov
eminent shall intervene in our domestic poll
tics, and unlawfully seek to dictate the quail
ficatons of voters in this State, then and there
will arise strugg' which we are fain to wish
We were prophet enough to foretell the issue
of. This is not question of which we may
be justified in saying sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof" Unfortunately also
it is one which precaution seems powerless
to avert-cxccpt the wise precaution every
prudent man, to prepare for the evil day,
whilst he has time ard opportunity. 1t may
be that the tide will change; and the cloud
that threatens may break ere it comes upon
us--but this will only result through stern
opposition, and uncompromising fidelity to
the one organized party opposed to radical
ism in this county. We must fght it out on
the straight Democratic line