The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-07-10
Local Optio-

Local OptiO-.
There being II general desire among the
friends Of Local Option throughout orr
county that n convention should be held
soon for the purpose Of giving expression to
public sentiment on the subject, and that
desire having been expressed ON the part of
many 10y signing call for such meeting, a
number of the friends of the movement
met at the office of the County Commission
ers, in Elkton, on Tuesday last, at | a. NJ,
for the purpose of comforting together as to
the time and manner of the convention and
the ends TO be attained by it. There were
present MesSrS. Il. s. .Jetferis, +. +. b. Day,
j. W. Fails, Patrick Eeidy, Alfred Ford, J.
H. Bunting, John NJ. McClenahan, G. W.
Cruikshank, II. Il. Torbert, l.. Nj. Haines,
q. y. Blake, and Revs. y. NJ. Browne and
Vaughan Smith. y number of gentlemen
from various parts of the county, who had
respected to he present, were unable to do
so on account of business.
George \. Blake, Esq, was called to the
chair and l.. NJ. liaineS, ESD, acted us Sec
rotary The call signed in the several dis
tricts was read.
On motion, and after discussion. Tuesday,
August ;ird, next, was selected as the day
for the convention, to be held ut odd Eel
lows Hall, Elkton, at 10 y. NJ.
y number of gentlemen We're suggested
from the several districts to serve us Vice
Presidents, and the committee of arrange
l,lo
correspond with them. \ number of gen
tlemen We're also mentioned as suitable
ones from whom to select President.
The meeting adjourned from l until >
o'clock. 1t was determined that in order
to ensure a larger and more general attend
ance at the convention, preliminary meet
ings he held III the several districts, on Sat
urday, July 3lst, for the purpose of desig-
Mating large delegations who will be saie to
attend from each district.
Messrs. Cruikshank, Torbert and Blake
We're appointed Il committee to report to the
convention programme of proceedings: to
provide music; to prepare 4 plan for the
organization of Local Option clubs in each
district for discussion of the question, and
the nature and object of such clubs: and to
secure an executive committee in the dis
tricts to take charge of such matters.
For reasons stated below, Messrs. Cruik-
shank and Torbert were excused from said
committee, and DIR. j. H. Frazer and l.. NJ
Haines, Esq, substituted.
Mr.. McClenahan was instructed to pro-
cure speakers. Judge Magruder and Messrs.
Babcock and Morrison We're mentioned in
that connection. All present were consti-
tuted committee on finance.
Mr.. Cruikshank, ut the close, asked to be
excused from serving as above for two rea-
sons: /. That he would be ont of town. >.
That while he Is in favor of Local Option
and Prohibition and wishes to see the move
ment succeed, he feared that the plan of
campaign about to be inaugurated would
arouse opposition. He thought that under
the circumstances quiet one most likely
to succeed. He distinctly stated that he
differed only rs to method, and gave his
views at some length.
Mr.. Torbert urged him to serve observing
that if the contemplated action alone would
be the means of exciting such opposition,
there would be force in the position taken,
but that long since in the county and in Bal
timore movement in 4 quiet way has been
set on foot to defeat the measure by use of
money and other means, and that such op-
position will go on whether the friends of
the movement work or not. He thought it
ill-advised to abandon the field at this june
ture. He was of the opinion that free dis
cussion, appeals to the intellect and con-
science, never injured any good cause and
one that could not stand such discussion
ought not to succeed. He said that the
same argument might he urged against dis
cussion in religion, politics or any reform.
That the present advanced condition of SEN
timent in Cecil county was due solely to ar
gument and discussion. That the Local
Option law, recently passed by the Legisla-
ture, and which we expect to be reatfirmed
by an emphatic vote of the people of Cecil
county this Fall, was solely the creature of
agitation and discussion, and without which
such law for this county would never
have been passed. Mr.. McClenahan stated
that discussion had accomplished much in
the upper districts of the county.
Mr. Cruikshank was excused, AMI DR.. j.
III. Frazer substituted, Mr.. Torbert then
said that for him to remain upon the com
mittee might possibly give the affair Il party
color; therefore, he asked to be excused,
though no less an advocate of prohibition.
This WAS done and l.. NJ HaiueS ESD. sub
stituted.
The meeting then adjourned sine die.
The call for preliminary meetings and
convention will be found in another column.