Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1880-09-23
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER %, 1880,
The KGir Trigger.

expectancy, o. Jal anu u'oco'u' 'n"'
may result to q greater or less extont
in positive trouble in the near future.
What we have eaid has reference to
cur approaching quadrennial election
for president and vice.president OF
this country. What We may have to
say will not be in tho form Of prophe-
cy. from the fact, that true prophecy
10 based upon inspiration and we fear,
that in matters 50 unclean as politics,
not only to US, but to no one else,
would the Giver of all knowledge
deign to give prescience. Neither are
We ambitious to make guess and then
in after times be able to feel pride to
say, 1--WE told you 3d." What We
may say, We shall base upon past his
tory and present and passing events
and from such premises, draw our
conclusion.
What then is the danger that bssets
US and what are the indices, by which
our attention is directed thereto?
The danger ahead may not DO that
most dire evil, war. and yet it may,
the probabilities. tao indication"
are against it, yet a. QUIZ climate fails
to make good, "iR d;cations," 80 too,
may our people and OUT institutions,
under strain, fail in their Imdrcstions
OF cobesiveness. In 1876, IN election
was held, in which both sides, then
and to this day, claimed to have elect :;
ed their candidate. We can not dis
.cuss that election further than W Day,
that one side made up its mind, that
under no circumstances, woall ut give
vay, nor didit. During the past 1ous
years, tho other side hes been drilling
and training itself up to the mark Of
desperate courage, already atts.nea
by the othsria 1876 ana it too. We
are prepared to believe, has to-day as
sirm set determination, as had the
other party four years ago.
Has the other party given ever its
determination to win, during the past
-Four years. Has it. to 'day, any less
cause to apprize victory, or dread
defeat? We can see good ressons only
TO the contrary. The situation, then,
is that ola deep. determined, even
desperate intention, 'on GtEsr side to
claim and insist upon the election and
consequent Inauguration Of its candi'
date, unless no doubtcan be entertain.
ed as to the result. Herein lies the
danger. Four years ago the vote
in the electoral college stood 1874 to
1856. AS to the right or wrong Of
that vote, it is not our province to
speak. For our purpose, it suffices to
know and to say, that IN the event Of
any such possible vote, either way in
1880, consists the risk oftrouble. We
'as a nation, during the PAST ten years
have perfected the most vicious, open
and barefaced system Of election
frauds and have accustomed ourselves
to the sight Of osfcers occupying pc.
sitions, high and low, attained through
tho debasement Of the elective fran
chise. We have come to expect it on
all occasions and scarce an election;
state, national, county or municipal
is held now, in which the cry of fraud
is not heard. Our people are prepar.
ed to hear and believe it in Novem.
Der and as we have already said we
believe that both parties are prepared
no resent it. She uld the margin be
slight on the electoral vote of the
states in which no doubt exists as to
the fact, that one or the other party
has a rightful majority, and further
should the cry Of fraud, by either
party, apply with any apparent
grounds ofright, in sufficient states TO
change the majority; then with our
conception Of the temper and disposi'
ton Of both. parties, accepted as a
true one, certainly do we handle an
overloaded gun, aimed at ourselves
with the hair trigger set. Accustom-
ed as we have been in America to
dual state, county aud even munici.
pal governments, some such awkward
result might ensus. The only certain
escape from troubicus times exists, in
.ts Feasibility Of an overwhelming