The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-10-13
Election for congress---Its Importance


tive Of freemen, Upon the proper use
Of it must depend the purity aud per.
petuity Of free institutions. It is,
therefore, the duty Of every voter to
comprehend intelligibly the motive aud
object which impel him to the exercise
Of this important franchise. 1t is ad.
mitted that the elections this fall are OF
more than ordinary interest, for the
reason that they involve consequences
that must leave durable aud profound
impression upon the future of the
country. The Radicals see this and
hope to achieve permanent success
through their allies--the negroes. The
Democrats are keenly alive to the same
truth, and desire to neutralize the evil
consequence Of this alliance by appeal.
ing to the reason aud patriotism of the
country in order to conserve, as far as
may be possible, the original basis of q
polity which achieved such important
results in the first seventy years of our
national life.
Public opinion is Just now in trausi.
ton state. For nearly decade Of
years, the Radicals have had almost
uncontrolled sway, in both national and
state affairs. The character and effects
of their stewardship are written 10
their Legislation aud stamped upon the
present condition of the country. This
history is open to the Study of all who
are willing to contemplate it. 1t is
clearly Ineligible to the rhite popula.
ton Of the land and, if the questions
involved, could be left to the decision
of this population, does any one doubt
the verdict that would follow? 1t
would condemn and repudiate the Rad.
isal party by an overwhelming majority
and consign it forever to merited politi.
cal oblivion. Its hopes of success are,
therefore, founded on the negro vote.
The chief and most important struggle
in this State centres in the election for
members Of Congress. The Radicals
view with alarm the thinning out of
their ranks in the national legislature.
The Democrats regard this fact as au.
spicious for the country aud indicative
of their ultimate triumph. In this
district two prominent gentlemen are
candidates before the people. Judge
Smith of this county is the nominee of
the Radicals. The Judge is a most
amiable gentleman, courteous, of high
social position, of respectable legal at.
tainments, with some experience in
political affairs, but with political
record neither indicative of breadth of
intelligence, nor distinguished for the
federation and liberality that give moral
grace and dignity to a generous nature.
1t is not with the Judge as a private
individual that we have to do. We
measure him by the principles he ad.
vocates, aud the company he Keeps.
Now there is no encomium, whether
of personal or public character that can
be justly applied to Judge Smith, which
may not be applied, with greater force
and truthfulness, to Mr.. Richie, the
Democratic nominee. It is not our
businessjust now to exhibit the superior
qualifications Of Mr.. Richie. Indeed,
in question where there can be scarcely
cause OF disputation, it would seem to
Be work of supererogatiou to provoke
comparison. There are some moral
truths which possess the force and
character Of physical axioms. Being
selfevident, they do not admit of dis.
cussiou.
We prefer, therefore, to regard these
two gentlemen as representative men.
and the opponents of the principles
which underlic the parties they respec.
lively represent. In doing this we
eliminate from the contest all aerimo.
NOUS personalities, and invoke, on all
sides the charity that " is not easily
provoked aud thinketh no evil"
We have already, in previous articles,
characterized some Of the results that
have followed on Radical rule. 1t is to
be observed that these results, if once
fastened, either as precedent or law,
on our form of polity, they are likely
to become permanent; and, in their
tendency they must eventually destroy
the spirit of that polity. We mean Of
course the negatiou BY the Radicals, Of
the constitutional rights of the States
and the consolidation of all the powers
of the general government in Congress.
II is obvious, that such consolidation,
however achieved, is practically revolu.
ton 1t is equally COMPREHENSIVE that
such revolution means neither more nor
less than despotism. The form of this
despotism is immaterial. It's practical