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

We mag not close without few re
marks on individuals Responsibility as it i,
regarded by that highest law-the law o.
God. This law does not treat men as
such we will be judged. How can mer
plead the excuse for a bad act, that il
was done at the beheSt of those in au.
thority and they. therefore. are not tC
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
in 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 50
regard it. and think we may not escape
the responsibility of our citizenship by
declining to vote at all. But if VIC blind
ly join in g. political party, or a church
even, and always do just as we are bid,
without knowing ourselves whether VIC
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.lth i'll the
proveIh. Afen 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 unnotiaed.
IlIStccs of churches resort to very
questionable mcs;is 10 obtain money to
be used professcdlY for the honor of God,
when they practically go to She dew! to
get it. II 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 in this solemn muckory we
may not judge. If we, as citizens. or as
Il political party, solicit the pecuniary aid
of the most dangerous elements of So
clcty, how can we maintain our honor or
integrity? Can our candidate for district
attorney solicit the support Of every law
defying citizen, and tGen, 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 Il
ticket is one of the Fundamental! rcqui-
sites of a good citizen 4 man would be
doing more good hy voting blank ticket
than by supporting Il 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 such :, i,,ai,. and
when he has El;%et. eIccTed lie has bctray-
ed tilay confidence, should we vote for
him again? Can man who was asked
by hundreds of his constituents to give
rls 4 Local Option law. but who failed to
give us one vote III that direction, now
claim or expect the support Of tGTnpe,-
ance mon? True: Vel may talk about
his being compelled TO do as YOU wish,
but what is his unwilling support worth ?
Can he moi now, as before, find plenty of
ways not to do it
Can party tfg!:q excuse man for doing
an act hc is ashamed of, or is the law of
party the only ruling motive of his life ,
Is he Il man or not ? In our recent elec-
tlons, q healthy public opinion has been
shown by The number of "split tickets, =
and if the indications are not very ,lccep-
tive thorc 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 ncn 10
represent. oT n:SGcrre;.tnt, us at Annapo-
is, Ihe local Option issue is of more IN
portanoe than who may he or possible
|. ;. Senator. We want more men +
the stamp Of the lamcnted Henry Win
ter Davis who dared to do right, even in