The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-10-09

him for this fall.
At the conclusion of Mr. Torbert's adj
dress the meeting adjourned with cheers,
and the regrets of all that the hall had
not been five times its size that all who
desired to attend might have done So.
WHAT THE RECORDS WILL DECIDE
Democratic malignity and Democratic
SANDER will not decide the pending po-
ltical contest. And Democratic black
guards, with paint pot and brush. plying
their vocation under the cover of night
will not succeed in convincing the nation
that the Democratic party ought to be
trusted with power.
The American people do not reach their
conclusions by any such means They will
scarcely give to the Democratic mOth"ds
Of cohducfi0gd camp0iJh-methods which
are stencil in the nostriis of all decent
lousy cultivated since the adjournment
of the Democratic National Convention
more than passing thought.
They will look beyond the Democratic
methods to the Democratic record. They
will remember the past of that party.
And they will compare that record and
that past with the record and the past of
the Republican party.
No party ought to succeed upon its
promises alone. The confidence man and
the swindler will make you as fair and,
to aN outward appearances, rs honest a
promise as the purcst citizen
What you want to know, is: What are
the antecedents of the respective parties
that are seeking your support? What
have been their careero Have they been
honest or dishonest, pure or corrupt,
faithful or faithless?
Tried by these tests, and what becomes
of the Republican party? What becomes
Of the Democratic party'
A party will continue to be in the fu-
ture. i'll all probability, what it has been
in the past An African cannot change
his color, and party cannot change its
principles without ceasing to be.
The American people are not gudgeons.
They have common sense. They know
that il a man has been honest and up
right in his past life. it is reasonable and
right to presume that. he will continue SO
to be. And they know that if a man
has been corrupt and dishonest in his
past life. it would not be safe to trust
him in the future.
And with these plain principles in their
minds they will come to the conSidera-
ton of the issues involved in the pend
ing contest and of the parties that are
asking their suif,rages. Apply the tests
then. we say, and how stands the Demo-
cratic party ?-how stands the Republic
can party?
Since the Republican party first tri-
umphed at National election, it has
unswervingly held up the banner of Ma
tional unity and National integrity. Sue
ceeding to power in 1860 the first salute
that met it was the thunder of artillery
turned upon it from Charleston harboi
and fired by Democratic hands.
Is it not true? Who shot the flag from
Sumpter? Who trained the guns that
battered down the walls of a National
fortress? The supporters Of Abraham
Lincoln or the descendants of John c.
Calhoun!
The rebellion was rebellion inaugu-
rated by the Democratic party. Its lead
ers were Democrats, its soldiers were
Dea9crats, its sympathizers in the North
were Democrats, the money that carried
it on came from Democratic pockets, and
the prayers that ascended for its success
issued from Democratic Threats.
No Republican was found within its
ranks, no Republican gave aid and com.
fort to it.
The question at issue was whether the
unity of the nation was inviolable OF
whether the doctrine of secession was
right.
For four years the conflict ragged, and
on a hundred battle fields Democrat,
voters testified their devotion to the prin,
ciples of Jefferson Davis and Stonewal
jackson and Robert f. Lee.
Is it an open question to-day which
party was right? The question was set
tled-settled in fayor of National unity
and settled by virtue of Republican states
manship and the heroism of Republican
soldery.
In so far as the record upon that ques
ton goes, which party presents the
greater claims for the confidence of the
people?
The war closed and the Democratic
party at once began its effort to achieve
by the ballot what it had lost by the bull
let. Unable to destroy the Union by
force, it sought to do it by fraud. Ii
assaulted the National honor: not openly
of course, but covertly. 1t advocated q
reputation of the National debt. II
sought to pay the National bonds in a
deprecated currency.
One of its most conspicuous leaders
George II. Pendleton, of Ohio. stood
forth boldly as the champion of the
effort. His utterances were applauded
to the echo by Democratic audiences
and embodied in Democratic platforms
by Democratic conventions.
The Republican party met this second
assault upon National integrity with Il
courage equal to that with which it had
met the first. 1t said, debts that the
Nation has contracted shall be paid. and
paid in strict conformity with not only
the letter, but the spirit Of the law. 1t
said, there shall be no initiation of the
currency, no deteriorated money to tar
nish the faith of this Republic.
1t declared for hard money, it fixed
the date of the resumption of specie pay
ments, and it maintained it's own primary
and power.
TO which party is the greater credit
due? To which party ought the reins
of government be intrusted? Scan the
whole record, turn on the light, scruti-
nize the history of the last twenty years,
and then say upon which side the con-
tnuing honor and glory lie.
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