The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-01-29
RING REPUBLICANS.

ore at Annapolis. Year after year it's rich
placers have yielded its Industrious work.
ers the amplest returns. 1t has proved,
indeed, continuous feast. At it's ample
board, the lean have grown fat, and the
hungry fed upon the bounty of the State,
have swollen into corpulent grossness. AT
the last session of the Legislature the patti
ent taxpayers danced to the tune of sixty.
nine thousands of dollars. But it was the
air of "Hard Times" Now, however
they propose to indulge in higher class
of amusements. Nor do they intend tc
squander such sums upon Legislative liter,
ature, SO small proportion of which is
profitable except to its publishers. Sc
at least, honest Reformers at Annapolis
thought, who early in the session proposed
to change the present system, by the pas
sage of a law, making the contract for the
work the subject of open competition and
award, to the lowest bona fide bidder
The business Judgment of every disinter-
ested man in Maryland approved the plan
proposed, as calculated to put an end to
the corrupting traffic upon State patronage
The Elk. Governor had pressed the matter
in his message, convinced doubtless more
of its necessity, than inspired by the hope
of its accomplishment. Last week, the
issue was joined in the House, between the
advocates of Honest Reform, and the de
tenders and apologists of the present in
iquiteus system of priuGte awards. As
usual, the prestige of the Ring did not
desert it. 1t achieved its wonted victory
The contest marked the exhibition of rare
skill in political maneuver. "To know
your men," was the key to the situation.
That absolute knowledge of the inner
workings of Legislative human nature,
and compared to which all other knowl-
edge is relatively useless, when the success
of great schemes is involved, did its work.
In this enticing field of Legislative enter
prise, where bad men become worse, and
weak ones feebler grow, the veteran heroes
of the Lobby, looked beyond the coulter
ring" for stuff to mould and fashion to
their use Nor did they look in vain.
They sought, and found unexpected ma
terial, in the ranks of their professed ene-
mics. Four willing Republicans laid them
selves upon the altar, on which official
integrity was offered a ready sacrifice to
propitiate the greedy gods. We have no
comment to make upon "the true inv ard
ness" thus displayed, except to ask, Who
holds the credentials of these accredited
Republican members, who by their votes
sustain the Ring in measure involving SO
largely the interests Of the constituencies
they representa- Have they been trans
ferred to Cotton s. Co., or have the Re-
formers of Maryland any further CLAIM,
upon their Legislative services? The Re-
formers who honored them with their cleo
ton, repudiate dioided party allegiance.
The line has been already distinctly drawn
at Annapolis. Let them stand out openly
on the one side or the other. If they be
true to the interests of those who sent
them there, let their votes attest the SINGER
ity of their professions. If they prefer to
Batten on Bannon's Moor, let no man offer
them richer fare. Do they long for share
of majority spoils9 Then let them openly
disavow their minority obligations. Do
they secretly covet the ill gotten gains OF
the Lobby? Then let them withdraw from
the less profitable pursuit of Legislative
responsibility. Whatever be their motives,
let there be no disguise about it. Indepen-
dent Democrats who dare raise their voices
against the party policy that rules by force
of fraud, and violence, need no encourage
ment from this class of Republicans. True
Reformers embrace in one sweeping denun-
citation, all trickery and jobbery, be their
authors and finishers professed Democrats
or Republicans. They make no dscrimi-
nation, based on party distinctions. AS
the Legislature is now organized they ex-
pect to see legitimate Ring business done.
So long as political gymnastics are con-
fined to Ring acrobats, they will look on
and applaud. But they want no hand in
the performance. If the Ring Managers
hold mortgage on single Republican
member of the House, let it be foreclosed
at once.