The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-10-20
DEMOCRATIC PARTY DESPOTISM In
CECIL.

uele Was pcliou III lne uIStoll vi
Cecil county politics, and that within
the memory of persons now living
when the selEsulicient leaders of its
local Democracy lily brooked discussion
of their political acts, and scarcely toll
Grated the mildest criticism of their
local administration of county affairs.
Dogmatic and overbearing, these petty
political leaders dashed with the we'll
applied party whip, the unresisting
backs Of their sycophantic followers,
with all the assertive audacty of the
personal ownership that characterized
the slave-driver of the period, whom
indeed, they in their own persons repre-
scented. A Democratic voter at an
ordinary primary, exercised in those
days, about the same freedom of poiiti-
cal opinion and action that his scarcely
more unfortunate colored brother en-
joyed freedom of limb,-the inestimable
privilege of doing as he was ordered,
without reason or inquiry Free speech,
free press, freedom of discussion, were
not tolerated, or if permitted at ALL were
Democratic luxuries and prerogatives
limited in their possession and enjoy
ment to the favorite apostles and ora
cles of the popular political faith
Muscle and mouth were then the ordi-
nary stock in trade of the average street
Democratic politician, who pcrchance
applied either or both, as occasion re-
quired, in the conversion and subjuga-
ton Of the casual Wing unbeiever 1t
is almost needless to remark, that his
exact counterpart still exists
Such perfect unanimty of political
sentiment prevailed as bound almost
the entire people Of the county and
State in a single party organization
the glorious, old, rock-ribbed, everlast-
ing and eternal Democracy. a unan-
unity Of political despotism, it is true,
as offensive to individual independence
as its arbitrary exercise of power was
congenial to the spirits of its admins
traitors the veriest mockery indeed of
free political institutions-but still,
technically speaking, entirely and in
tensely democratic and pleasing-to
the political despots themselves In
Cecil county, the project Of founding a
newspaper to advocate Wing principles
was sneered at and ridiculed as an en-
croachment upon the lifelong and pro-
scriptive rights Of the local Bourbon
leaders, even rs late as the year 1871,
and the audacity displayed by its found
edition Of THE CECIL WIG, sent
thrill Of surprise and modification
throughout the entire nervous systems
of Cecil Democracy Brow-beaten,
hectored, and. bullied, its editor, cour-
ageous and undaunted, brought into the
contest against the aristocratic political
pretenders Of his day rare power and
vigor, and the sturdy blows he dealt the
strongholds and citadels of their power,
made them quake to their very founda-
tons Since those palmy and halcyon
days, however, of the great "unterr-
fed" time, and the rude hand of adver-
sity, have wonderfully toned and tuned
the harps of the minstrel bards that
once sung in such lusty, but dscordant
strains, the mythical virtues of cold
Hickory" the laundering Jupiter of the
Bourbon Pantheon. 1t is true, that in
the old Fourth district, the Gibralter
alike of the antique and the modern
faith, here and there a time stained
patriarch still survives the ravages of
time. Like some gaunt, shriveled oak,
barren and leafiess, rearing its withered
head above its younger forest brethren,
impotent and resistess, but still defiant
Of change and innovation, he stands the
welI-remembered landmark of the old
bourbon regime. But the mellow flavor
of IIarry's bourbon, the inspiring
odor of John Evans apple, still cling
round his nostrils, and the old minstrel
as he carols his last political lay, or in
fancy once again twangs the old Bour-
bon lyre,() rejects with disdain the
physical idea that the hero of New
Orleans still survives not the tomb.