The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-09-18

broadcast possible claims for Nationa
power, overlooked the express Language,
of the Constitution which gives to the
States full control over the manner o
for Congress the right to make itself E;
returning board and investigate the &c
ton of State calvasSers and even the
returns of separate polling places. In
stead of final judges of their own action
in the choice of a President. this theory
made the States mere certifying author
tiles, whose attestations Congress might
regard or not, according to its pleasure
The Republicans appealed to all the early
interpretations of the Constitution, and
to the unbroken line of precedents to
Justify their position that the certified
return of a State of it's vote for Presi-
dent is iinality, and that the only func-
ton of Congress in connection with the
electoral count is to be present as official
witnesses to see that the returns are cor,
rectly announced and tabulated. This
issue the Republicans would be glad to
take before the people in the present can
vass, but the Democrats have avoided it.
At the date this article is written the
stump speaking campaign has not begun,
and it is therefore not possible to indicate
the drift of argument to be followed by
the orators Of the two parties in their
appeals to the voters. So far as it is
foreshadowed by the discussions in the
party press, the canvass is not likely to
be particularly instructive to those who
like to see opposing theories of public
policy brought into sharp antagonism
The Democrats have outlined no course
of argument thus far, and are evidently
anxious to obscure the recent record of
their party, and to escape the necessity
of defending it. They content them
selves with personal attacks upon the
Republican candidate for the Presidency,
as if there were no principles at issue,
and as if the campaign were to settle
nothing but the question of who is the
better man, Garfield or Hancock. The
Republicans decline to engage in de-
Tense of the record of their nominee
He has been in public life for twenty two
years, seventeen of which he has spent
in forum which puts mems characters
and talents TO a severe est,-the Nation
al House of Representatives. They do
not believe his integrity or capacity can
be successfully impeached. Besides. no
charges are brought against him which
were not made before the jury of his
own constituents as long ago as 1874,
when great effort was made to defeat
his reelection. His district was sown
broadcast with printed sheets containing
the identical attacks now revived by the
Democrats and Methodist presiding
elder, Of excellent repute and great per-
sonal popularity, was persuaded to run
as the opposing candidate. Having been
a Republican, it was hoped that this
worthy preacher would draw off votes
enough from the Republican ranks to
enable the Democrats to defeat General
Garfield. 1t was year of widespread
Republican disaster. States and Con-
gressional districts which had been stead
Easily Republican ever since the party
was organized were carried by the Dem
ocrats.
General Garfeld's opponents had the
great advantage of this powerful current
to aid them in their effort to overthrow
him. He made his defense in print and
on the stump. The charges against him
printed in the form of a broadside sheet
in the Office of New York newspaper,
were distributed III every office he ad-
dressed. He met them squarely and
manfully, and so eflectually disprovcd
them that he led the Republican ticket,
and had larger majority in the district
than was given for the popular candidate
for Governor General Noyes against
whom the Democrats directed no per-
sonal assaults. General Garfield's dis
trict is shown by the census reports to
be the most intelligent i'll the United
States. 1t has always been exceedingly
jealous of the reputation of its represent
tatives. In half a century it has had but
four. The verdict of such a district Oh
the personal character of its member of
Congress is conclusive. Since it was
given at the polls in 1874, it has been
twice reallirmed, and has been Endorsed
by the Republicans of the State of Ohio
in their unanimous selection of General
Garfield for the United States Senate.
While the Democratic newspapers fire
away at the person of the Republican
nominee, the Republican newspapers di-
rect their shots at the record of the Dem
ocratic party, paying particular atten-
got power in Congress. Their line of at
tack substantially is as follows: They
charge the Democratic party with pur-
suing a policy that has soldilied the
States attached to each other by the
memories of slavery and rebellion into Il
compact political entity, hostile to the
ideas, achievements, and tendencies of
the nation at large, and has made it i'm
possible for a healthy, honest, and re-
spectacle opposition party to exist any
where in the South. This solidity of the
South is attributed to desire to escape
from the results of the war SO Tar as they
established equal suffrage and citizen
ship, and SO far as they strengthened the
National authority and overturned the
States rights theory; and, furthermore,
to an Gag ambition to justify the Re
bellion on the pages of history, The
Democracy is therefore charged with
sectional party, ready to do the bid
ding of the South in return for its votes
in Congress and in the electoral cole gcs.
The new Democratic doctrine. that Il
majority in Congress has the right to
nullify law which it cannot repeal by
refusing appropriations to execute it, is
vigorously assailed as revolutionary in
spirit and effect. The course of the
Democratic party on financial questions,
its effort to break down the public credit
by schemes to pay the bonds in irredeem-
able greenbaeks, its resistance to resump-
ton, and the aid and encouragement it
gave for twelve years to the manifold
schemes for imitation and reputation,
,,,J;ob ,rarminotn1 in tbe West like wood