The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-06-05
WHAT 1T MEANS.

day last, possessed but little meaning or
significance, other than the ordinary and
usual contest of local leaders for tenn
porary party supremacy. To all intents
and appearances, it was but the repetition
of the triumph of a partisan combination,
inspired by personal hatreds and jealous
les, which but recently had jeopardized
the Democratic ascendency in the county,
and which the cooler headed and more
reflective members of the dominant party
had vainly hoped never to see repeated.
The recollection of the narrow escape
last Fall from utter decentralization and
defeat, the result of reckless and I'M
scrupulous leadership, was, however,
still fresh in the thoughts of sober DEM
ocrats, and while the unwelcome fact was
apparent on Tuesday that another attempt
would be made to prostitute the party
machinery to the most unblusLing and
vindictive personal uses, yet but few be-
lieved that the second attempt could be
SO successful as the first. The sequel,
however, shows how lily grounded were
their hopes.
Indeed the combination that threaten
ed the party organization last Fall, and
which demoralized Cecil Democracy be-
yond the hope of early recovery, is. in
the Summer of 1880, even more active and
aggressive than in the Autumn of 1879.
1t has grown holder with age, and has
waxed stronger by reason of the hatreds
upon which it fed. 1t has suborned to
its personal uses i'll the aggregate, five
districts out of nine. or about two-thirds
of the average representation OF the
county 1t has sedulously cherished local
iealousies and individual resentments,
until in a party contest over simple
question of county representation, the
wishes, desires and preferences of Cecil
Democracy are no longer consulted, but
the vmdictive and splenetic tempers OF
it's chosen apostles, dictate the party pol
icy. and distribute the party favors.
To this delightful pass hath it come at
last. But as we have intimated, the re-
suit on Tuesday has a deeper meaning
than appears on the surface. 1t means
more at this time than the triumph of one
! faction of Cecil Democracy over another,
| but for which it would be undeservins
the attention we are now giving it. Tn.
deriving the contest of Tuesday is al
issue in which all the people of Ceci
county are concerned, and not merely {
factional portion of those politically
known as Democrats. The representa-
tives of Hiram Mccullough were turned
down on that day by a combination
whose voice and ears both betray it:
identity, not for any individual or part!
sins, either of commission or omission
They have given no offence to the bod,
of Cecil Democracy. They were respect
able men, and at peace with their part.
brethren. The of1ence(?) for which the.
were chastised was Mr.. Mccullough
own. And wherefore? Now the peopl
of Cecil county will remember that las
Fall they gave voice by a majority o
2.13S 10 their desire for the passage of
law by the Legislature, giving them al
opportunity to say whether or not the
desired to abolish in Cecil county tn
present license system for the sale OF i'll
toxicating liquors. Mr.. Mccullough wa
not in the contest preceding that cam
paign. known or recognized either as
friend or well wisher of what is know
as local option. Indeed, the contrar
was assumed by his friends. Notwith
standing the fact that he was not com
mitted, in the event of his election to til
Legislature, to the advocacy of specia
local option law for Cecil county, a
least by any individual act or committa
vet he was returned with two other co
leagues as delegates to Annapolis, an
bound by the emphatic expression of til
| sentiment of the people of the county I
faror of such law. There was no altel
native left him OF his colleagues. 1t
not pertinent to the issue to inquire whf
pledge, promise, or assurance, either q
rect or indirect, positive or implied. h
Gas the opponents of local option no
claimy gave them Of his intended opp'
sition to the passage of that bill. The
knew as well as Mr.. Mccullough did I'll
: exact sentiment Of The people of Gee
county on that subject. They kne
when they voted for Mr.. McCulloug
that Il majority was certainly awaitin
its expression. and in the face of whicl
and SO emphatic, too for him to have o.
posed the passage of that law would hay
worked the forfeiture of the esteem an
, respect of the people of the county.
Mr.. Mccullough went to the Legisl;
ture only to find the sentiment i'll fave
of local option simply irresistible. I'll
: delegates from Cecil county, whatevt
may have been their individual opinion
as to the expectancy or inexpediency I
the measure, had no alternative in tt
premises: and now, because Hiram M On
[Ouqh Aad tie honesty and mantinfss
resDect tie 9fatiment Of tie constitaen,
that sent linn u annapolis, q .tacttOn
his party in Csca reHhty combines Il
,ohisky interest agathSt him. and Ptedg
their influence 10 dcfc"t 1'rohttuion nc
Fail, in return.tor tie present personal sc
rirs Of his personal dItrat in ronrentioI
To carry ont this programme, the prim
ries were organized on Saturday by IL
,, opponents OF psohibition in every di
: trict in the county in which such organ
cation was practicable. The fair,
open trade was offered the whisky we
:sHelp us to defeat Hiram McCulloue
: and we will help you to defeat prohil
ton in November.' The same intiuen,
that was self-assertivc aud aggressive
the primaries was equally conspicuous
| convention. The leaders of the e0mGsR
ton, of course, knew the temper OF Gee
Democrats well enough to know TIL
mere personal dislike of Mr.. McCulloug
growing out OF past party differences. WI
no ground on which to predicate the
success. They awaited Themselves of
much more potent factor in polite
:, These gentlemen know, too, the potent
+ of whisky as factor in Democratic pc
j., tics. Combine that influence again
Hiram Mccullough or Any Sther man. al
his downfall in that party is eertass,s B
the people will now take the contest u