The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-06-16
BALLOT.BOX SUFFERS PARDONED.

The recent action OF Governor carroll
in pardoning the political criminals who
were convicted for otfenses committed
at the election of 1875 looks badly for
Democratic promises Of reform. The
communication of Mr. Ditty to the
" American" this week presents plain
and unexaggerated statement of facts
which are well calculated to give rise
to great solicitude, if not positive appre :
tension
1t is we'll that the attention of the
public should be called to things of this
nature as they transpire, for very often
the great majority of our citizens are so
engrossed in the business and other pur-
suits of their every day life that the
most significant political events escape
their notice altogether, or they fail to
comprehend the full meaning of what is
taking place.
The public cannot but think that the
pardon of Slater was grave mistake, to
say the very least, but his pardon,
though bearing suspicious look, does
not point so ominouslv towards Ringism
and corruption, as does that Of the other
criminals who We're sent to the Peni-
Tertiary or the jail for violations of the
election law in 1873.
To understand the full significance of
this action on the part Of Gov Carroll
it must he remembered that except
among certain class of politicians who
for fifty cents would swear that white
was black, and black was white, it is
universally conceded that the municipal
and State elections of 1875 were char
acterized on the part of the Ring by
vast amount of fraud, violence and trick
cry. Strong and persistent efforts were
made to bring some Of the offenders to
justice but Except in seven or eight
cases) the ballot-box suffers, Ring-re-
peaters, and bought-up DULLES, who
made the election of 1875 mockery
and farce, escaped scot free. Seven or
eight of them, however, justice did get
her hands on, and they were safely
landed in the penitentary and the Jail.
The conviction and punishment of
this small number, however incomplete
the work ofjustice, was vet of consider
able value, as setting an example which
might be Of benefit to the public in the
future, and which afforded wholesome
warning to a large body of unconvicted
offenders.
Such being the circumstances of the
case, the pardon of these men at any
time would have been most ill-advised.
But coming as it does, just at the open
ing of the campaign it looks as if it
were direct invitation by the Execu-
tive of the State for these men to COM
NIT over again in the coming campaign
the very crimes for which they were
sent to prison.
But not only does this action of the
Governor show sympathy for the crimi-
nails, but it seems to be at the same
time a combination of their past crimes
and conformation ofther future ones
q public proclamation to all the rowdies
and rulfians whom it may concern, that
they may do what they please at the
next election without let or hindrance
and that, if by any strange accident of
Baltimore justice, they should find their
way into prison, the ready pen of their
gracious Executive will quickly write
out their pardon.
If this does not indicate the line on
which the Ring proposes to fight the
present campaign, we shall be happily
disappointed. But to our mind it seems
almost certain that the Ring contemplate
the same programme of fraud and vic.
lence which they made use of in 1873.
Whether it be successful or not depends
altogether upon the people themselves
If they think their political rights are
not worth the trouble of defending, and
are willing to allow the politics of the
State and city be controlled by the low
est and basest classes of society, they
are perfectly at liberty to do so, and
can probably bear the evil consequences
with philosophical calmness and COM
posture.
One thing is certain: If the people
don't choose to defend their rights, |
either their rights are not worth having
or the people are not worthy of their
rights. We sincerely hope that the peo-