The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-02-17
THE Bitter BITrEN-A SPICY SPEECH.

large.
THE Bitter BITTEN-A SPICY SPEECH.
Mercury, the thieving messenger to
the gods, was born full grown. So, at
least, we learned al school He was no
weak and puny bantling, muling and
puking in fair Marias arms. Not at
all. He was boy of the period
Blessed with his full complement of
incisors, bicuspeds and moars, as yet
guiltless of the Olvmpian dentist
Suppose this phenomenal youngster
had bitten his classical mother at his
birth, what would his venerable old
sire -Jupiter-have said? Just what
Mr.. Carr, of Indiana, told the Demo
Gratis in Congress, on Monday, when
they were writhing in pain under the
Florida decision: !serced you right
" What did you girs birth to such mon
"strosdy for' II is your omn cfpr,ng.
" You brought it into life and po'otr."
Doubtless the hoary old electrician of
the Olympian observatory would have
chided the mother and spared the boy
So did Mr.. Carr. His colleagues
laughed But it was the mirth of the
mouth only. As the lesson is a good
one, the speech will repay perusal, for
its moral at least, if for nothing else
| have no hesitancy in saying that the
| Electoral Commission, in refusing to receive
any other evidence as to the geuuneness of
the Electoral votes than that presented in
| the certificate of the Governor of a State
has sought to establish destructive prin,
ciple. and in this particular. for a partisan
| purpose, has ignored its duty to Inquire
| into the facts. which was plainly imposed
upon both these houses, and through them
upon their Commission, by the Constiru-
| ton. | have no further hesitaucy in say
| ing that my convictions are that, under the
paipable facts behind The Governors certit
cate, the vote of the State of Florida should
| have been returned for IIlden aud Hen,
|
that the Democratic majority of the House
has no moral right to complain that the
| Commission has rendered a partisan decf
sion in reporting the four Electoral votes
of Florida for Hayes and Wheeler. While
| assert that this decision in contrary to
the facts, and contrary to the will of IA
large majority of the people of the United
States, yet | as boldly assert that the wrong
| is chargeable to cause further back than
| the Commission. The wrong rests upon
the shoulders of those who established this
| partisan tribunal. When the Democratic
majority of the House adopted this law,
with full knowledge that a ma iority of
the Commission would be Republican, gov
erned by Republican instincts, controlled
by Republican interests, warped by Re-
publicans bases, and moved by Republican
motives, they deliberately abandoned every
| claim which the Democratic masses as
serted to "a control of our National affairs.
| The Commissioners have done no more nor
| less than what could or should have been
expected or required of them. You
erected a political tribunal, invested it with
p .lItical attributes. and gave them political
questions to determine, which they have
settled from political standpoint. Be
| ing Republicans. they believe that the
| Republican candidate for the Presidency
was and ought to be elected. In making
their declaration they have been true and
faithful to their political sentiments, edu
cation and associations. No legal wrong
can attach to them for this, out when you,
as Democrats, deliberately but such power
over such questions in the hands of a tr-
bunal SO constituted, you committed a cold
and daring wrong to your pretended polti
cal convictions, and assuredly to your
political associates whose political senti-
ments and rights you betrayed and aban-
doned to your political adversaries.
| | arise to remind the Democratic major
ity that in common decency your votes on
this measure have estopped you from indulg-
ing in even one word of criticism against
| the decision of that tribunal. SrS, it is
your own offspring you brought it into
| being; you gave it life aud power. and you
and you alone, are responsible for the result
1t is no excuse for you to assert that you did
not anticipate such a result, that YOU ex
| pected higher and better things from yonr
founding. Iou had no more right to ex-
pect IA tribunal SO constituted to produce IA
| different result than TO expect Il thorn bush
to bring forth figs. Nor will so weak an
apology save you from the Just condemna-
ton which your betrayed and outraged con
stltuency will forever heap upon your
treacherous heads. [Laughtera and appluse |
| No, Sirs. The wrong, the great and burn
| ing outrage, is on your hands and your
hands alone. Nor will the Democratic PEG
| pie be slow in ascer, aiming the true source
| of tn cir discontinue and defeat. 1t may
subserve your purpose for a brief time to
attempt TO shield yourselves under cover of
| hollow denunciations of your tribunal as
the cry of stop thief ~ for a moment may
i e
mad populace shall have vented unmerited
anger upon this tribunal for brief hour
| it will seek the true object of its lust indiy
nation, and the blame will at last lie where
it properly belongs. The few only who had
the moral courage to stand here upon the
floor, and amid the derision and contumely
of the Democratic majority dared to warn
you of the inevitable results Of that day
| work, have moral right to complain of the
end of this days labor. But, Sirs. while
| they have deep regrets to the action of
the Commission, they have deep aud bitter
denuuciations and COMBINATIONS to heap
upon the heads OF those whO claiming to
be leaders of the great Democratic Party
in this trying hour of its existence, have
proved themselves either incompetent from
ignorance or unworthy for base reasons.
Renewed laughter and applause on the
| Republlcan side Here then, IN the name
of the Democracy of the whole country, |
absove that Commission from all charges,
save it may be that of an honest mistake,
and in the name of the same great power
denounce the majority of this House as be-
ing responsible for the wrong, and recreant
-ignorantly or norruptly recreant-to the
confidence which has been reposed in them,
and faithless to the trust confined in them.
Applause
B You can buy from Messrs. VIM. Read
| r. al -