The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-10-20


blssful period of Democratic supremacy
of idea and opinion that still survives
in Cecil and which now and then some
local political event, some startling re-
minder of the ancient domination, so
forcibly recalls Indeed naturally. the
general tendency of modern Democracy,
in its sectional cry of solid South, the
shibbolcth Of the later day Bourbon
leaders, the wild desire of triumphant
and eXpectant cx-confederates in the
Nations councils, to obiterate all dis
tinctions between loyalty and treason,
seems to be towards the early re-estab-
lishment Of the ancient Party depotism.
Recent political events in the States of
the South certainl Y warrant this opin-
ion. But locally, evidence of the same
tendency is not wanting, and which the
recent manipulation of Il County Con-
vention clearly and incontrovertiblv
furnishes. Now, thirty years ago, had
you asked a Cecil county Democrat
we mean him of the unwashed pcrsua-
slon-the average type of the radical
Bourbon, at any time during the can
vass, except upon the very eve of the
election, he intended to vote for,
he would have looked you stolidly in
the face, and replied, that SO far as the
man was concerned he did not know or
care,-hc voted the straight Democratic
ticket. He bothered his brains(?) little
about the personal qualifications of can
didates, and less about the manner or
method of their nominations. A sin
gle leaf from the diary of an old Wing,
still living, and once a county candidate
for prominent Office in Cecil, will make
the fact palmer: Seeing a man at
. work in a field close to the roadside, |
" dismounted from my horse, my mode
of conveyance during the campaign,
and approached him with my usual
Difference on such occasions, although
1.-The disagrecabe recollection of my
recent politicians feat of kissing all
d" round the dirty faces of nine children,
"the combined unwashed household of
IAN influential Democrat in the neigh
I" borhood, was still fresh in my mind.
" / shook cordially (?) the horny hand
"of the hardiisted son of toll, asked
" the health of the family. &c, &c, and
=" finally blandiy inquired for whom he
" intended voting at the approaching
" election? | don't know was the
"replv Again | remarked, of course
"vou will he at thepolls' He thought
she would, but didn't know Then |
"put the straight question, viii YOU
"vote for me? | am, you know, the
" friend of the working man, the bene-
" factor of his orphans, and the solace
"of his widow But came the quick
" rcioinder, Are you on the Dimm vkrat
"ticket p No Then don't know
"' But when will you know ? | urged.
" Leading me, without a word, to the
roadside, and pointing down it, said
che, Do you see yon black oak tree at
"the forks of the roads? If you come
g there the night before the election,
when Harry Miller and John Evans
" bring up the whisky and the tickets,
50 | will tell you all about it"
Here is plainly indicated the incipient
idea of the modern Ring" that manip-
ulates conventions, controls primaries,
influences voters and dictates policies
in the interest of its virtuous represen-
tatives. Did space allow, it would
prove interesting, as well as instructive,
to trace the gradual Improvement and
development of the methods new en-
ploved by the skillful Democratic
tacticians of Cecil over the more print
tive ones of past generations. But one
fact is as patent as ever-the perfect
subserviency Of the average Democratic
voter to the wills of his recognized
leaders Individual conviction and per-
sonal opinion are readily subordinated
to the DEGREES of party managers -
\ our Democratic Sir Oracle of today
is as potential in party concerns as were
his gifted political ancestors, and the
general disposition to resist his dicta-
ton has not kept pace with his increased
assumption Of party authority.
We reassert only what is undeniable,
that the party shackles bind the limbs
of individual Democrats in Cecil closer
than ever The Independent voter-he
who scans closely the claims and merits
Of candidates soliciting his suffrage
is either Republican, or afliliates with
neither political party. He is never a
Democrat. BE it good, bad, or indtter-
ent, he always votes the party ticket.
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THE MESSAGE.
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