The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-05-05
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William NJ. Tweed, ex-chief and ex-
"boss of Tammany and the New York
Democracy has made a confession"
and those who participated with him
in the rascalitv are dancing to the music.
The manner in which great city was
robbed of millions Of money, elections
controlled, legislation secured and legis-
lators bought like sheep in the sham
bIes is freely and fully described. De-
malls, of course, are as plentiful as black
berries in season, but as guilty men
usually asseverate and protest their
innocence, they must be received with
considerable allowance.
An era of reform is upon us, and con-
fessions are in order Plunderers and
corruptionists are trembling in their
shoes and fleeing from justice. The
Oakley Halls are packing their carpet
bags and engaging foreign passage
The carrion feast is ending, and as the
penitentiary looms into view each un-
scrupulous politician is anxious to Sc
cure his personal safety by revealing
the misdeeds and venality of his fell
lows
The time is ripe for the boss of the
Maryland Democratic ring The dan
ger of delay is imminent. To save him
self let him toe the mark and tell those
who are to dance to step upon the plat
form. With an unburdened conscience
be can then pass his declining years in
comparative ease. unvexed by the hor-
rible vision of stone walls, and enjoy
ing the luxuries which his Is per cent
earnings can purchase. His confession
will make choice reading, and we are
anxious to see it as much from motives
of curiosity as from a desire for the pub
lie veal He can tell US, in the first
place, of the secret ways and workings
of "the lobby" that for years has been
standing disgrace to the State, illus
trate how this delegate and that Sena-
tor was secured and dwell long and
lovingly upon the share of the profits
that he and his co-laborers secured.
He can reveal to us how the bands of
shoulder-hitters and ruffians were
marshalled in order to deprive the citi-
zGns of Baltimore of the privilege of
the franchise, can comment with expand
ing bosom uporisthe beauties and eff
cacv of "pudden tickets" and inform
US who issued the celebrated order to
trough the city" The Christian
statesman need not blanch as vet, for
his garments are only soorched Warm
ing up to his subject, the Irish leader
may dwell with fond remembrance upon
the time when fraud ran riot in the
! State, when Bannonism was the svno-
nym of Democracy, when " Doc " Slater
was weaving the chaplets of prefer
ment, when scoundrelism aud peel
ers > and ballot-box stuffing were the
pet instruments of dominant ring of
inscriptions politicians. He can give
US the name of the gentleman who con-
ceved the plan by which the ishts of
our people were troddon under foot,
and the crown for which the two parties
were contending was snatchcd from
the hands of the successful leader and
placed, stained with the blood of citi-
zens, upon the brow of the defeated
candidate. The Christian statesman
might begin to tremble then
Proceeding with his story, he could
show us how the honor of the State
was bartered and sold. and tell us who
the actors were in the last great play
that consummated the shame bv which
the title of Governor was given to
man to whom, for the first time, per-
haps, in the history of the State, it was
mot an addition of honor, but a sacra-
ment of infamy, baptism into the COM
munion of corruption"
Space will not permit US to suggest
further. We have merely given a hasty
and incomplete outline We beg the
boss to fill in and put the flesh upon the
skeleton.