The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-01-10
', &c votors The Court has

~ thousapds Of voters. Tine Court has
o,,aeId the principles Of natural justice
.,.a s,,,ity which he tried 10 override. Il
! hos ! ,,,. :, at his request and in response
to his questions. lie will have to submit
- ,ha ,csnlts he has been the means of
invoking. lust as John Smith would have
:, su,,nit. in any case of his submitted
70 the same tribunal, Further opposition
an the Governors part, to the expressed
will of the people, would be ridiculous
! and futile.
For the same public opinion that COM
oelled him to submit the main points in
/ issue to the Court. will compel all the
more respectable Fusionists who have
been unjustiy counted in to resign and the
bottom will be out Of the whole conspira-
cy.
Thus the new year opens with a con-
spicuous and peaceful triumph Of law and
justice under circumstances highly cred
table to the Intelligence, sclf-restraint
and seli-governing power of the people.
In Il lilnited and local degree it is as well
calculated to prove the essential conscr-
vatism and steatliness of our institutions
as was the conduct of the American peo-
PIE i'll acquiescing in peaceful settle
nent of the succession to the Presidency
in 1877. Both examples prove that the
broader the base of government the less
likely it is to be upset.
The spirit of the decision is most clearly
shown in a few general remarks with
which it closes. 1t says:
This government rests upon the great
constitutional axiom that all power is i'll
herent in the people. ut is Govern
ment of the people, by the people, and for
the people," and if administered in the
spirit of it founders, lit shall not perish
from the GARTH Its Constitution was
formed" to use the apt expression OF one
whose memory is embalmed in the hearts
OF his countrymen, ''by plain people,
and .splain people must administer it.
The ballot is the pride as we'll as the pro-
lection OF all; it is the truest indication OF
popular will The official returns requlr-
ed from the municipal officers OF several
plantations towns and cities are, and Will
be. made by plain people. and made,
too. in the hurry and hustle and excite
meut of an election. They are not re-
ouired to be written with the scrupulous
| nicety of writing master, OF with the
technical accuracy of plea in abatement.
Sentences may have been ungrammatlcal
the spelling may deviate from the recoS-
n;zed standards, but returns are not to be
/ set to naught because the penmanshl
may be poor, language ungrammatical on
| spelling erroneous. 1t is enough If the
| returns can be understood: and If under
stood. full effect should be given to their
natural and obvious meaning. They are
not to be stGangled by idle technicalities,
nor is their meaning to be distorted by
| carping and captious criticism.
| Hereafter. it may be doubted whether
any court in the land will decide qucs
! ton concerning an election without hav'
| ing them il mind. Nor can any official
whose duty ii may be to pass upon re
! turns OF to declare the results of cleo
tionS. hereafter escape the feeling that IL
these words is laid down the true will o
! the people. and the supreme law of the
land. 1t is to be hoped that this deci
sion marks the beginning of great ant
healthy reaction from the era of petit
Jogging technicalities.