The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-06-12
for Inc te'n w III
INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM.

INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM.
The existing controversy between The
Wing and Democrat furnishes an amusing
illustration Of the opposite theories of jour
nalistic independence. From the Republi
can standpoint an Independent paper is one
that has its opinions and dares to express
them without fear or favor; one that will
~ fearlessly criticise its friends as its foes,
if they show themselves deserving of it.
From the Democratic point of view it is
one that regards all Republicans as thieves
and scoundrels, and all Democrats as saints;
one that meekly does the bidding of the
party leaders, even if the little conscience
left an average Democratic editor, revolts
at the odious men or measures he must en-
dorse.
In Maryland the two theories are quite
fairly represented by the american and
Sun. The american, uncompromisingl
Republican, does not hesitate to criticise
its party action at any or all times. The
Sun, strictly "independent," is one of the
most subservient tools of the Democratic
party in the south. A sheet to whose edi-
tors all Democrats are as pure as angels,
all Republicans as black as devils, that
never dares to criticise its party or its party
actions, and to which all " Conservatives,
as a matter of course, are pure patriots.
The Cecil Democrat belongs to the same
class of independents. Supporting Greeley
on Republican platform with the same
readiness as the Bourbon Bayard, all of
whose ideas are drawn from the middle
Ages" and standing ready to support Ben
Butler himself if any turn of the political
wheel should make him Democratic can
ddate, and in whose eyes Satan would be-
come quite good sort of a fellow if he
were only endorsed by Democratic con-
vention as candidate for office.
The Democrat is a fair representative of
it's class; all its "independent sympa-
thies are with the Lost Cause;' all who
dared to stand by the nation in its hour of
trial are tyrants, thieves and sycophants
yet it has the effrontery to pirate about
reconciliation; meaning, of course, that
reconciliation that would place the govern
ment in the hands of the men that fired on
Sumter OF starved the thousands of Ander-
sonville; in the hands of the ku-K of
Kentucky, the "White League" of Lou
isiana and the Tammany gang of New
York.
A few weeks ago the Democrat saw fit to
denounce, in the most unmeasured terms,
the publications of the Harpers', simply
because they belong to the better class of
Independent Republican papers, and in the
same issue copied and commended the libels
of the New York Sun, a sheet the course
of which has been dictated not by honest
independence, but by disappointed ambi-
ton. There is little room for question that
had Dana received the New York collector
ship in 1869 that he would now be as un-
scrupulous a friend of Grants as he is a
malignant traducer. On the contrary, the
editor of Harpers' Weekly, even if disap-
pointed and disguised by the failure of
"Civil Service Reform" has not, on that
account, gone over body and soul to the
Democrats.
One of the disadvantages under which the
Republicans labor compared with the Demo-
Gratis, is the independence of their voters.
1t is nothing unusual for an unfit Republi-
can to be defeated by boilers, but boiling
is bad habit that has not yet attacked the
Democracy. 1t suits them better to stand
by the ticket the ring indicates, even if
they stand high in the church and know
that their candidates should be in the peni-
Tertiary. No scratching for them. This
is only as it should be. Republication
represents the intelligence and independ-
ence of the nation, while the Democracy is
simply its organized prejudice and ignor-
ance-the sentiment that living in the nine
teenth century draws all its ideas from the
fourteenth.
One of the most amusing things in cur
rent politics is the Democrats endorsement
of Gov. Weston's action in the New Hamp-
shire canvass. The old spelling books of
forty years ago tell the story of the law
yer's OK that was gored, and it is equally
applicable to-day. When Yarmouth in
Louisiana tried to count in by fraud and
violence Democratic legislature he be-
came quite good sort of fellow, but
when Kellogg's returning board tried it
they were villains of whom Satan was
ashamed. Now we have the Democrats
trying it again, and if not exactly right,
the "independent press" think it quite
e1cusable. Vsrily, il does make an inanssnse
difference vhose OF is gored. What in a
Republican is villainy of the deepest dye
in An independent reconciliation, State
sovereignty Democrat is the purest virtue.
However, it serves the New Hampshire
folks right; they should have known better
than to vote the Republican ticket.
Consistency may be a jewel, but it sci,
dom CLOVIS in Democratic caskets. To the
independent press we could commend
Christ's advice: Pluck ont first the beam
that is in thine eye then thou mayest see
clearly to pluck out the mote that is in thy
brothers eye.
INDEPENDENT REPUBLICAN.
AIMS HOUSE MANAaEMENT.-The fol
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