The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-10-30
n :" n I'D n Nh.
LARGE MEETING AT ELKTON
Speeches by Messrs. Harris, Stirling,
Pugh and Creswell.
We PROCESSION,

The Reformers and Republicans of Cecil
county held the largest and most enthusi-
astic meeting Of the present campaign, at
Elktoa, on Saturday, the e3rd inst.
The day was fine and the farmers, me-
chanics and operators in the mills and
factories of the county turned out in their
strength to hear the questions of Ring rule
and Reform discussed.
Delegations from several of the Districts
arrived at the west end of the town, about
eleven o'clock, where they were met by DR..
r. Ii. Tuft, Chief Marshal of the day,
accompanied by f. w. Janney, Thos. H.
Ricketts,, N. X. Warner, and Caleb Grant,
as Aids, and formed into procession and
passed through the town, which by its
numbers and enthusiasm clearly indicated
that the people are wide awake in the
interest of the great Reform movement.
AT half.past eleven o'clock the Commit
tee of Reception consisting Of Messrs. Jas.
7. Mccullough, VIM. J. Jones, Henry R.
Torbert, W. T. Warburton, Jr., Robert C..
Thackery and DR.. r. C. Carter, met the
speakers at the Depot and escorted them
to the residence of Henry r. Torbert, Esq.
At half past one o'clock p NJ, DR.. r. c.
Carter of the Fourth District, called the
meeting to order and nominated F. A. Ellis,
Esq, for President, and the following gen.
tlemen for Vice Presidents and Secretaries:
Vice Presdents.-Geo. A. Ford, Esma
P. Bowen, Jos. Fears, VIM. McCrery, w.
F. Baldwin, Thomas V. Oliver, John T.
Dewitt Jos. T. Reed, Jos. T. Stout, w. J.
Wilson, B. F. Thomas, II. II. Haines, S. J.
Reynolds, DR.. E. Heston, E. S. Whitaker,
johnson Shippers, Geo. Hines, E. McCul-
Tough, w. r. Citing, John NJ. Ireland, j..
c. Crothers.
Secretaries George johnson and DR.. T.
A. Worrall.
Mr.. Ellis upon taking the chair spoke as
follows:
FELLOW CITIzENs:-My position on this
platform may require in your Judgment, as
it does in my own, some proper explanation,
and in justice to myself proceed to give it.
Although in earlier life, l was for years,
more or less involved in the political con-
tests of those days, for the last twenty three
years have taken no part in party organi-
cations or in political activities of any kind
contenting myself with the simple discharge
of my duty as citizen at the polls, accord
ing to my conscientious convictions Of the
right in every issue presented.
When first called upon to preside at this
meeting, l expressly declined, although
could but feel highly complimented, having
no desire to abandon the quiet path of indie
pendent, individual action, in which have
so long travelled
Sympathizing, however, to large extent
with the movements that have resulted in
placing before the people of Maryland for
the highest Office in their gift the name of
the distinguished gentleman who is soon to
address you, associated with other names
equally distinguished and honorable, at last
consented-l may say reluctantly yielded
to the earnest solicitations of the gentlemen
who called upon me, assuring ME that it
was their desire and purpose, as far as pos
sible, to organize the meeting outside OF
party lines and local issues, SO that gentle
men divided upon those issues might come
together to consult upon the more import
ant issues involved in the general contest in
the State at this time.
On this ground consented, with the dis
tinct understanding, however, that my posi-
ton here is not to be construed into pledge
on my part, either to support or oppose the
entire local ticket of either party.
Upon that subject am left to the exercise
of my own best judgment as.to the merits
and fitness of the candidates of each party
in the present contest.
The grand old issues that once divided
the old Wing and Democrat parties, have
been long since buried out Of sight by a
flood tide of other issues, that have engen-
dered the most bitter personal animOsities
and sectional strife, and have brought cor
rupt and unprincipled men to the surface
in every section of the country: so that
good men have found it absolutely neces-
sary to drop for time their party shib5OleM
and band together to detect and overthrow
the designs of corrupt and unscrupulous
Rings who have sought to turn, and have
too frequently succeeded in turning, every
party triumph to their own selfish interests
and corrupt purposes. 1t is alleged that
just such a state of things exists at this
time in the good old State of Maryland;
and that the nomination for State offices
| on the Democratic ticket has been brought
about by just such combination. And if
Democratic testimony is true, there is too
much reason to believe that such is the fact,
and if such be the fact, it does seem to me
that it becomes the duty of every good Cit
zen to unite in wiping out the stain from
the fair escutcheop of the good old State.
Of the candidates on the Democrat State
ticket and their personal merits have moth
| ing to say. To me they are personally I'M
known, with the single exception of Mr.
| Wooford, with whom | have very limited
| business intercourse.
| leave their claims and the circumstances
under which their merits have been PIE
scented for your considerations to the gen
tlemen who are to follow.
OF the names of the candidates on the
Reform ticket no one need be either ashamed
or afraid to speak. Two of them ! knew
years ago as upright, honorable gentlemen
and they stand before the people of Mary
land this day as pure and untainted in thei
political and personal integrity as ever
while the cause they now advocate Is emf
nently the cause of the people.
Before | retire, allow me to repeat that
am here in the interest of no party; bu
while stand up for the needed Reform il
the government of the State, | am free tt
exercise my own Judgment upon all othe
questions, and in referancl to all othel
issues.
MIR. Ellis then intr oduced Hon. J. Morri
son Harris, the Reform candidate for Gov
ernor, who spoke as follows:
He came before the people of Cecil count
in the interest of nc Ring or clique, but th'
peoples candidate for the office for which
he was nominated, and assured them if h,
was elected they would not be disappointed
The Reform movement was a great nCye
ment-great in the moral causes that leat
to i, and great IN the numerical force o
the party that participated in it. 1t wa
different from most political movements il
the fact that in this contest the Office sough
the man and not the man the Office. Her
Democrats and Republicans stood side !,
side in the interest e goci goVernnen: ant
good tnorals.
Mr.. Harris SPOKE with telling effect Q
the increase of taxation by the party nov
in power. A large part of the taxes wen
to support drones who did the dirty worl
of the party and the Rings that ruled it
and said that if necessary and anyi4o,i.
wanted the araGf 81 iha assertion he wa
ready to produce the best nemocrat
authority for the assertion.
Though the democrats admit that tn
party was all wrong, cit ,oas all right,
and though they had long promised t.
reform the party they had not taken TIL
fret sten in that direction. that Rinp