The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-01-12

could not raise tune, because, forsooth,
its grinder nursed an ambition, and
when discordant note did reward the
nervous twitch of the player, it damned
its object with faint praise This was
the promise of the county contest when
the primaries met. The friends of the
Ex-Governor were beaten, horse, foot
and Dragons. The opposition had car
ried seven out of nine districts, and the
rout seemed complete. But the battle
is not always to the strong, nor the race
to the swift
The temporarily discouraged friends
Of the Ex-Governor, however, showed
pluck and admirable recuperative power,
two inestimable virtues in political war
fare. Time was well and industriously
employed, for the county convention
was soon to assemble. The self-com-
placent champions of victorious par
tisan cause contemplated its meeting
with unusual tranquility In fact, they
felt peculiarly comfortable, not to say
exultant Apparently the game was all
in their own hands. But the political
fruit, so easily gathered, was soon to
turn to ashes on their lips Democracy
was about to show itself more conserva-
tive in party council than in passion
prevailing primary The convention
met. The party heads We're put to-
gether, the plea of expediency urged
and the assembled wisdom ST Cecil
Democracy, unwilling to-eiid personal
grievances TIE party's expense, and
eersiooking individual schemes and the
cIashing interests of ambitious aspirants
for place, in the attainment of higher
party ends, in its capacity as the high
est representative body of the county
Democracy, refused to ratify the parti
san work of the primaries. In a word.
the practical result of the action Of that
convention was the comparative demon
alization of the local opposition to the
Ex-Governor, and was so accepted by
disinterested people generally. How
far it involved the violation of party
instruction by delegates who regarded
party interests and party success of
paramount: Importance to the individual
interests of its members, we are not
now prepared to discuss. Nor is it
pertinent to present inquiry. As an
expected consequence Of this action of
the convention, a portion of the Democ
racy of the county repudiated the act,
and refused to support Mr.. Knight,
whose nomination, in view of previous
encouraging results, was SO unexpected
and therefore dstasteful. With this
drawback-if, indeed, it so proved-the
Democracy went into the campaign.
There was an ample expenditure of
both wind and muscle, argument and
persuasion. Finally, on the seventh of
November, the body of Cecil county
Democracy, in its aggregate capacity
as voters, was appealed to, to ratify
and confirm, or repudate and reject, the
work of its own convention, and bv
majority too decisive to be misunder-
stood-upon any question of party lead
ership, at least-returned its whole
ticket triumphantly elected Republi-
can realizations in that campaign proved
wonderfully disproportionate to the ex-
pectations and predictions of dissatisfied
Democrats. What, then, from this cur
sorry review Of the canvass and it's re-
suits, can the fair and reasonable con-
clusion be, other than that Mr.. Groome
is, by virtue of those results, personally
entitled to all the political benefits of
his party's triumph! 1t cannot, indeed,
be said that the senatorial question as
the underlying and absorbing issue of
the canvass, was not generally under
stood, and fully appreciated by the
voters of the county. The opposition
to Mr.. Knight was too obstinate and
the personal hostility of some members
of his party too bitter towards him to
leave unpublished any statement cal
cuated iniure him, or to prejudice the
cause of his brother-in-law, and the SEN
atorial interest he represented.
We claim, then, and we think, fairly
and justly, that the last election. in view
of the canvass that preceded it, settled
once for all all disputed party questions
as to the senatorial question, so far as
this county is concerned, and if obiec-
tons to Mr.. Groome still remain, thew
are of a personal character, and which,
in our opinion, the authoritative voice
Of his party has silenced. We repeat,
then, our opening statement, that re-
garding the senatorial issue, as one now
between Cecil county and the balance
of the State, and not as a local question
between Mr.. Groome and Judge Stump,
if he really be a candidate, that the
delegates from Cecil should soldly sup
port the former, upon the uncompliment-
airy argument of his possible success, if
upon no other ground.
THE MORTGAGE TAX AGAIN.
In anticipation Of possible Legislative