The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-02-28
SENSIBLE ADVICE.

Now that We are upon the eve Of an
exciting Presidential contest, the par
TALLY that men feel for certain candi-
dates, too often betrays them into intem-
perate expressions concerning others. and
which frequently return to plague their
authors. Most individuals have per-
sonal choice among candidates, which
they do not hesitate to express. They
are apt to advocate with might and main
the supposed claims of their special fa-
yoriteS and in doing so belittle the mer-
its of others equally deserving. News
papers, particularly those whose editors
have special interests to serve, are even
more unguarded. 1t is an amusing COM
mentary upon human nature. to notice
the arguments and points urged by each
in support of his favorite. The worst of
it is. that the most of them descend be-
low the level of sensible argument, and
condescend to detraction and abuse. This
is particularly the fact just now in the
case of General Grant. Very many Re
publican newspapers are, by indirect at
tacks upon him and his friends. furnish
ing the best possible Democratic ammu-
milton against him, should he be Domi-
mated for the Presidency. What senSi-
bic Republican. whether editing a news
paper OF not belittles Mr.. Blaine because
he prefers General Grant, or denounces
the latter because Mr.. Blaine is more
acceptable to him. We commend the
good sense of one of our exchanges on
this subject.
1t is much to be wished that certain
Republican newspapers were as wise as
the politicians whom they are so fond
OF rcviling. There are journals profess
ing to desire the election of a Republic
can President. who have made it Il point
for the past year or more, to in urc every
prominent candidate in turn. by every
device which malice and bad temper can
suggest. They have been more reckless
in their denunciations and more unchar-
table in their SurmiSes than the organs
Of the opposition. The most indecent
ISLANDERS against leading Republicans are
found i'll their columns rather than in the
pages Of the Democratic press. They
accept every malevolent suspicion as a
proved fact, every campaign lie as an
admitted truth. Grant. Blaine, Sher-
man, Conkling, all have been the objects
Of attack, all have been pursued with Il
querulous and petty hostility. During
the Autumn campaigns these same pa
pers kept up Il fire from the rear upon
the friends they professed to support:
and nothing prevented their defeating
the party, except the fortunate circum-
stance that they did not influence their
own readers.
If they will not pause to consider the
mischief they may do to the cause which
we presume they really have at heart, it
is strange that prudence does not warn
them Of the cmbarrassments they are
preparing for themselves. One of these
days they will discover that they have
to support u nominee whom they have
been Safeguarding for months. and in
their ridiculous dilemma they will meet
with no commiseration in any quarter.
Independence is a virtue which We all
respect; but nobody thinks much of the
patriotism or the common sense of Il jour-
nalist who prepares himself for an active
political campaign by discrediting his
leaders and industriously manufacturing
ammunition for the enemy.