The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-10-23
PARTY SLAVERY.

slavery as was made for negro slavery; and
the men who struggled hardest for the lat
ter are to-day found on the hastings and in
the political club caucus and bar-room, ex-
horting, threatening, promising, denounc-
ing and pleading with their fellows to stand
by this last system of slavery for its time
honored principles "for its glorious an
Gent name;" "for the old party's sake"
The claims and promises of these bigots
and blatant blatherskites are like assump.
tions and without a CLEAN of reason or
truth. If there is any thing contemplate
and humiliating to American manhood, it
is to hear what ought to be free, indie
pendent citizen of this great nation, tax
ing the stand amidst his countrymen and
boasting, actually boasting, that he "glor-
les - in having been born Democrat, and
having lived Democrat, and that he hopes
to have an epitaph to that effect on his
tomb. When the great growth Of this ma
ton, and the advance in popular govern
ment throughout the civilized world, is
compared with half century back, we are
filled with disgust when we hear such blat-
ant demagoguery as Carroll, Woolford and
the rest of them delivered to the little COM
pany last week, in front of the Howard
House porch. The primary questions of
government, which engaged the statesmen
in the experimental days of the public, are
comprehended by school boys of the present
day. Political theories which Democrat,
Federal, Wing and other parties divided on
and contested under those party names,
have'been swept away with the cobwebs of
the past. The government has been estab-
lshed on an enduring foundation of national
freedom. E pluribus unun, is no longer a
theory to be doubted, or an experiment to
be tried, but an established fact. Self. gov
eminent, by an educated people, has proved
to be the strongest government in the world.
The jealousy of our early statesmen, of the
power of the Federal Government usurpng
the rights of the States and endangering the
liberties of the people, is grown to be myth,
entertained only by few Bourbon crack
brains, whose eyes only see in the twilight
of the past. The genius of our republican
form of government is thoroughly under
stood, not only by American born and edu-
Gated citizens, but by the we'll Uniformed of
every other nation, and the potent influ-
ence of our free institutions is undermining
every throne throughout the civilized world.
1t is not the form of government that Amer
leans are to concern themselves about
These things about which our fathers were
so exercised, and those principles they guard
ed as the apple of their eye, are happily
crystalized. What was, as it were, plas-
tic mass in their day has become solid bed
of rock in our time, on which this nation and
free institutions stand immovable, defying
alike shocks within and from without. 1t is
a wicked and gross deception for such dena,
gogues as generally mount the stand in the
name CT the Democratic party and exhort
the people by every thing sacred, to stick
to the Democratic party" and vote the
Democratic ticket" though it were filled
with thieves, liars and adulterers from top
to bottom.
Now farmers, mechanics, laboring men,
you know these fellows are lying to you and
deceiving you for a purpose. You know
that one, three or five capable, honest men
of any party, installed in any office or offices
in State or nation will administer those
offices better, with more economy and profit
to the public, than one, three or five, OF
any other number of dishonest, incompe.
And it does not matter by what party name
the honest men are known, they will all
administer the offices in the same manner.
And it does not matter what party name
dishonest, incompetent officials are classed
under, they will steal, mismanage and waste
the public revenues in precisely the same
manner.
Our institutions, State and National, are
established on an enduring basis. The
principles on which they are founded and
to remain are permanently fixed by almost
universal consent. What we want in State
and National Governments are honest men
of ability and answering integrity to fill
our offices and administer the public affairs.
In the face of these plain facts-which
every man, though he be of but limited
intelligence, knows to BIZ facts-the dema-
gogues who stand up and preach and e1-
hort their fellows to "stick to the Demo
crat party, vote for the party,'' are either
fools in their generation or unblushing
knaves. Honest, competent officials is the
crying need of the day. The machinery of
government is all prepared, and honest men
are only wanted to run it. Demagogues
have swindled the confiding, stupid people
out of untold millions with the arrant hum
bug of party, by making them believe there
really are sacred Democratic principles in
danger of radical ruin. Let US have hon.
esty first and party as a secondary consid-
Grafton. Party has been the first and hon
esty the second choice heretofore, and the
people having been fooled by the cry of
party, "always Democrat and such
bosh, the managers have given them party
while they took possession of the offices
and the spoils.
This thing has been carried on too long
for the public good. Let the people try
honesty and efficiency, and they will have
no cause to complain of increasing taxes
and enormous cost of public business
The den of thieves who have now the treas
ury of Maryland in their possession, are
going about the State bowling " democrat
party" in the ears of every honest man.
Let the peoples reply to these sereechers,
be the selection of honest men, and when
they set about legitimate Office work, it
will require the most powerful microscope
to detect any party difference in the result
of their labors. Jeffersonian Democracy"
is on the tongue of every blatherskite Dem
ocrat of to-day. And what is Jetfersonian
Democracy? Its very essence was COM
prised in these three questions, SIS he hon
est, is he faithful, is he capable?" And
since the principles of our government are