Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-06-22
Crs. H.scocx AVE THE PRr.,pr..

Daily Gazette in reference to the abdi-
cation Of all mere personal preferences
by our delegates at 81. Louis and the
concentration Of the party voice upon a
man who, possessing the Prerequisites
Of honesty, capability and sound democ-
racy, will best unite our party on issues
in which it is divided and who will also
present to the enemy the greatest invul-
nerability at most important points of
probable attack. Announcing it as our
earnest conviction that Gen. Hancock
will best unite us and most thoroughly
disarm the enemy, we join heartily with
the Gazette in recommending his nomi-
nation for the presidency by the St.
Louis Convention.
There is not one Of the candidates
now named as possible at St. Louis
whom We could not cheerfully support,
nor is there one against whom we en-
terrain a solitary unfriendly feeling
But the time has come when, for the
common good, friendships must be laid
aside. and prejudices must be'forgotten n,
if they stand, for a single moment, in
the way of victory. If it should be dis
covered at st. Louis that the nomina-
ton of Tilden, or Hendricks, or Thur
man, or Bayard, or any otherman named
in this connection, should provoke any
well founded opposition in any section
of the country, the question must be
boldly met and the danger must be
promptly averted by ignoring them all,
and seeking, even if necessary i'm the
crowded ranks Of the people, new men
to meet Hayes and Wheeler in the field.
II is no purpose of ours now to indicate
with positiveness who these champions
should be, for in the Kaleidoscope OF poll
itics, which in the swift recurrence of
events is ever changing and presenting
new and startling picture at every turn,
that which might seem wise and saga
cious to-day may be precisely the re-
verse tomorrow. Our voice, therefore.
is one asmuch of warning as of coun-
sci. To be successful, the democratic
leaders must first see their danger be-
fore they attempt to guard against it..
One false step will plunge them over
the pFecipice, and that step can only be
ayertcd by wisely turning away from
the gulf that threatens them. At this
important crisis, under the spur of such
momentous circumstances, men must be
presented as democratic candidates who
can touch the popular heart and COM
mand popular support by the strength
of their personal character, the purity of
their intentions, the integrity of their
lives, and the ability of their intellectS
to meet and grapple with all the leading
questions Of the day, as patriots, and not
as blind, unreasoning partisans. This
is the divinity which shapes our ends,
rough hew them how we will Are
such men possible: Are such cham
pions within the narrow circle of dem
ocratic hopes and aspirations: Writing
as of to-day, without seeking to foresta!l
public sentiment in any degree. not
knowing what Tomorrow may bring
forth and ready to meet any emergency
that may hereafter arise, the shadow of
a great and good nfc,fa,ls across our
pathway as We earnest Can thepelit-
horizon. ArounSf 40 clusters .tro,
plies honorably won in civic strife, as
well as on.the field of battle. Against
its purity the poisoned breath of SANDER
has never breathed. From boyhood up
ward he who bears it has been true and
honest and faithful. Though never
soiled with the dust raised by scufiling
partisan>, he has always been a fearless
and uncompromisine democrat. As sol
der ofthe republic, fighting bravely for
the flag OF his country, but never staining
his sword with n brutal action, he won
the respect and confidence even of those
who stood in hostile array against him. .
In the desolated South he is to-day re-
membcred as one who never took an
unmanly advantage Of foe, or pushed
a victory to the borders of cruelty. Al
ways teaching that the military power
should be subservient to the civil au-
thority. in Louisiana he made himself
dear TO the people of that stricken state
by his chivalrous bearing and his I'M
tlinching devotion to the great principles
of constitutional liberty. IL these be
qualities TO make a great popular leader.
would it not be wisdom for the men
who are TO meet at st. Louis to weigh
we'll the name of him who possesses
them all-t,eneral WINFIELD Scorr
HANCOCK This NAV he an error of
Judgment but, il it be, it is made venial
by deep solicitude to secure wise and
prudent action OF st. Louis. We speak
to-day to the brave, the loyal, and the
true men in the democratic ranks who
prefer their country to party. and who
love Rome better than Caesar. We speak
To men embarked on a common voyage.
whose certain destiny is either COM
mon safety orccmmon ruin" and invok-
ingth name of Hancock hallowed i'm this
, centennial year by the memories Of 70,
we place it by side of Hayes without
fear of the result in the sure and firm
belief that in the great November trial
which is TO take place in the august
presence OF forty-tour millions Of free
men. God viii send him safe deliver
ance -
MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
The commencement exercises of the
Maryland Agricultural College will take