The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-12-01
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THIS COLUMN Is OPEN To ALL.
LOST, AND WHY!

MIR. EDIToR:-Now that the smoke Of
the political battle has cleared away, allow
one who has had an opportunity of watch
ing the result from the beginning to add a
few remarks i'll answer to the letter of your
Independent Republican" That there
aIe so many of this class is to the honor of
the party, aud IL is equally to the honor of
the Democratic voters that SO many who
have i'll the past yoted with them are ready
to cut their tickets and rebuke the leaders
who fuist upon them bad and improper
candidates. We make no personal allu-
sions. but the returns themselves are a
suitable commentary upon the candidates
There was no attempt made in the late Re
publican convention to force the party into
the contest on 0ne issue. and that one on
which the party was divided, even if there
was a desire to have leg isiatIye ticket of
honest and reliable men, whose personal
characters were sufficient guarantee of fit
ness, better than party pledges. In steer
ing clear of one possible evil the party
managers fell INTO another and copied the
preco dent of their opponents and went into
the contest without any motive at all or
any base line from which tn push n n attack
The Democratic party in this State has not
lad any principles cor we may well say
IN the uatlou). for many years. ANY
thing to succeed > has been their motto,
and the lust Of power their motive. AS
tal as our c0unty issues are concerned,
there is not one on which the parties are
divided, and the decent men nf all parties
are ready at any day to lay aside rational
questions and ,ore for men TO RELEASE us
from the d,<graceful bondage to a clique,
who manage our county Gtairs 10 suit them
selves and personal friends. The party
that will recognize this fact and act on it
III good faith, far, square and above board,
will be sure of success n. party deserves
success that is ashamed to admit and fairly
publish to the world that it has some prin-
ciples, ard is ready to defend them. G.
For The Cecil Wig
Mr.. EDITOR: When the news first
reached us of the loss of |. ). ship Huron.
it struck every sea faring man that the late
violent south east gale, prevailing on the
coast, had caught the ship on a lee shore
with disabled engines, and that such was
the force OF the gale that, with her pecu-
liar rig fer man of war, three masted
schooner. she had been unable to carry suf
ticenJ sail to crawl off the shore. and con
scquently was driven heiplesSy on shore at
one OF the most dangerous spots along the
North Carolina coast: but As later intellI
gence breaks upon us. if at all supersti
tious, one would be led to believe that she
was IA doomed vessel from the moment she
left the safe anchorage of Hampton Roads,
in perfect disregard of the cautionary sig
mails displayed both at Fortress Monroe and
Cape Henry. Commanded by an officer,
who was a competent and scientific navi
ID h,y,h
than any of his grade. aud whose knowl
edge of the coast and the course to be
sailed can not be doubted yet we tind that
in less than twelve hours after taking his
departure from Cape Henry, engines in
good working order and the storm not So
violent as to prevent hauling the ship off
shore, when no one anticipated danger.
officers and crew not on watch but quietly
sleeping in their berthS Or hammOcks.
reused up to find themselves in the very
Jaws of death, does this not have the APP
pearance of doomed fate ? Unless the
attraction of her irou hull had entirely
destroyed the accuracy of the compasses.
there must have been some gross mistake
made III the navigation; if so. sadly have
those. who directed or those intlusted with
the orders as 10 the course to be steered,
paid the penalty of such want of Judgment
or neglect of duty. But knowing. as the
writer does. those in charge, ! am satisfied
that the compasseS must have been se:i-
o:iSly affected by some unknown attraction.
causing perhaps several points difference
in the couise being sailed aud the course
Intended, thereby carrying sorrow and dis
tress into the bosom of many families, and
that, too, ere those little mysterious oblong
messengers. freIghted with messages and
.pEa # fri. .II ri .haI
perhaps by the pilot who had safely piloted
them out the capesj had reached their DIES
tination. A letler-is there aught mani
mate on earth possessed OF such tremend-
Gus powe! =? "a very part OF those near and
dear to US, and ere one Of these was re
ceived, the writer was being washed in
death 10y angry waves upon sea shore,
never more to see or meet in life those
lately parted with. Ship wreck differs
from all other dangers. In most instances
one is suddenly aroused from pleasant
thoughts OF home. or sweetly dreaming.
during the watch below. of those dear ones
lately parted from. You find yourself,
without warning, the victim of TemorSe
less and angry ocean, from whose ruthless
grasp there is no escape. None but those
who have been placed i'll the awful position
can realize the thoughts and "reminiscences
that rush through the mind. Every act of
Your life, good or bad. seems instantly TO
be presented to yonr view, as in a picture;
good deeds with pleasure, evil ones with
remorse. and yet with thoughts aud feel
lngs more concentrated on those dear TO
you than on yourself
Much has been said and written about
the construction of the Huron as being the
cause of the loss. Let her construction
have been perfect, yet under the circum
stances her doom would have been the same.
II is true, that il she had been one of The
ola fashioned Government lve-oak built
ships, the probabilities are that she would
have hung together forming bull
wdrk against the angry waves until relief
could have been afforded from the shore
Let us, therefore, weep with those who
weep, give our sYmpathies to the bereaved,
laying blame at no ones door, bowling with
meek submission TO the decree of Him who
doeth all things well. II. p. l..
For The Cecil Wing
SILVER NFNOINE