The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-10-18
The Higher Law.
CONTINUED. |

We mag not close without few re,
marks on Notwithstanding as it i.
! regarded by that highest law-the law o.
God. This law does not treat men as
communities. but as individuals, and as
such we will be judged. How can mel
plead the excuse for bad act. that il
was done at the behest of those in au.
thority, and they, therefore. are not to
blame. 1t is this miserable refuge OF
lies : that makes such an obstacle to any
improvement in the condition of society
or the State. SO positively are the evils
i'll our present SYSTEM of government felt
by some members Of certain religious
denominations that they decline to take
any part in our civil government. lest
they he considered as helping to sustain
moral evils. But the rest of us do not so
regard it. and think we may not escape
the responsibility of our citizenship by
declining to vote at all. But iC VIC blind
~ join in g. political party, or a church
even, and always do just as we are bid,
without knowing ourselves whether We
do right or wrong, what has then become
Of man as free moral agent? 1t has
often been said that corporations have
no souls and there is mach tr.ltn III the
proveIh. Aien collectively sustain meas
ures where responsibility is divided that
individually they would condemn. A
governor vetoes bill that, as a member
of the legislature, he might have voted
for, or allowed to pass unnotiHcd
Trustees of churches resort to very
questionable means 10 obtain money to
be used professcdly for the honor of God,
when they practically go to She devil to
get it. # every brick and stone in our
grand temples, with spires pointing to
the sky, that has been paid for out of the
liquor business and other wages Of sim
were taken away, how many Of them
would tottcr to their fall. How far the
individual members Of the church are of
completely i'll this solemn muckery we
may not judge. If we, as citizens. or as
Il political party, solicit the pecrniary aid
Of the most dangerous elements Of So
ciety, how can we maintain our honor or
integrity? Can our candidate for district
attorney solicit the support CT every law
defying citizen, and tsen, when elected,
proceed 10 enforce Judgment against his
friends, without fear or favor? But
honor and integrity is respected by all
classes. and the man who has proven
himself as having these qualifications
together with the necessary capacity.
will command support, without soliciting
it, wherever known. The speaker who
resorts 10 appeals to passion and preiu-
dice admits that he has an unworthy
cause to advocate.
The right and duty of scratching a
ticket is one of the fundamental rcqui-
sites of good CITIZEN 4 man would he
doing more good ly voting blank ticket
than by supporting L candidate entirely
UNFIT for the place. We often vote for
men on the recommendation of others in
whom we have confidence, but after We
have once voted for Su"h :. i,.;:i,. aud
when he has E.le,. eiccted lie has bctray-
ed ina. confidence, Should we vote for
him again? Can man who was asked
by hundreds of his constituents to give
us Local Option law, but who failed to
give us one vote in that direction, now
claim or expect the support Of teiafe.~
ance mon? True: Vel may talk about
his being compelled TO do az YOU wish,
but what Is his unwilling support worth
Can he not now, as before, find plenty Of
ways not to do it?
Can party tf,E!ig excuse a man for doing
an ;,9t he is ashamed Of or is the law of
party the only ruling motive of his life ?
Is he man or not ? In our recent eiec-
tons, a healthy public opinion has been
shown by The number of "split tickets, -
and if the indications are not very ,!ccep-
tive there will be more Independent vot-
ing done this season than at previous
elections. There are no national issues
at stake in the selection Of county Off,
GERS and even in the selection Of hen 10
represent. oT lniS.oi:re&tnt, us at Annapo-
lis, ,he local Option issue is of more IN
l.ort&nec than who may he otr possible
|. :. Senator, We want more men
the stamp Of the lamented Henry Win
ter Davis. who dared TO do right, even in