Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1880-04-29

erned. the ballot i not only night, but |
the most sacred Of ali iSnsts. The word
sseIeefion" means ehDice, and this inn
plies the exercise Of intelligence and |
will. The voter 3 not real sovereign
but the mere tool and slave Of another, |
| IL his ballot = not the honest expression
Of his own personality. itisby voting,
that public opinion u crysiallized into
| Law: but.f tie ballot IL . counterfeit.
the government becomes huge impos-
ltture and an organized lie. Lord Ma
/ ennlsy. In one of his lettkfs 10 bis con
si;tsenls, declares that "tIIe man who
| s6frenaers bis vote . caresses and inn
p0rtunilies forgets bic duty - much ~
4 he sold II for bsnlknele.D A ialss
vote or false return i treason against
the republic. Like the crime Of regl-
eide II . monarchy, j i The morder Of
The soyereign. u has BEEN hkened TO
| poisoning q Heil, from which multitHdes
are obliged 20 draw. water. The act Of
voting necessarily involves all that 10
sacred in ihe idea Of QouniEss or Price
less 10 our institutions. To make -
football Of the ballet Is akin 10 playing
with nilso-glycerine or steam. In vot-
ing, every citizen IL his brothers keep
err; end il he votes falsely or unfaithful-
ly, his responsibility 10 TO be multiplied
and compounded BY the multitudes
whose welfare Is of necessity commit
ted to his hands As the citizen Of rep
reseniative government.
i Dismissing these remedies IS deei-
dedly worse than the malady for which
they are proposed As azure, andreturn-
ing 10 our question, We have only 10 say
that the sovereign remedy for all the
evils connected with popular govern
ment is popular government. No other
is possible. and whoever rejects this
must therefore take refuge in political
despair. The chief danger which threat
ems our country is the decline of faith
in the great maxims offree government,
and in the ballot as lis safeguard and
support. Here is the root OF all our
political troubles. Without this faith,
the fate ofthe republic Is sealed. We
are absolutely shut up to this alterna-
tive, and the work Of political regen-
Grafton must begin with It's acknowledge
ment. The case would be different. OF
course, il any possible substitute for our
popular system were at hama; but there
is none. Faith in the people. noiwith-
standing the lamentable facts 10 which
We have referred, is the indispensable
condition Of reform. II was the power
Of this faith which saved the republic in
the beginning from the deadly paralysis
with which Federalism threatened il.
We have no sympathy whatever with
those political dyspepiics who spend
their spare time ia whining overthe evils
ofuniversal suffrage, and whose only plan
OF political salvation seems TO consist in
giving up The ghost Of republican gov
eminent. What Is needed. above all
else, is brave and honest leadership.
The masses, with all their faults and
shortcomings. are capable Of responds.
ing 10 It, and the supply Of this desider-
alum would be one of the surest means
of their further political enlightenment.
This, m fact, is the great problem ofour
politics to-day; for II involves the COM
plete destruction Of what is called the
political ssmachine," and the thorough
emancipation of the people from their
party shackles.
! We do not ssy there is any magical
power IN democratic government. II
must be carried on under conditions,
and eternal vigilance is the price OF sue
cess. As we have endeavored 10 show,
it Is our only hope: and tor this reason
we would exhort the wealth and con-
servatism Of the country TO lend IT their
powerful aid, instead Of throwing them
selves across its path. Should II break
down 10 anarchy or communism, Il will
be their fault, and not It's necessary fall
ure. IL will come of the rayenous APP
petite for gain which 'sover-rides even
the love OF iife." and now openly de-
mands that the wealth OF the country,
and not its citizens, shall be its master.
1.-THE railroads, she banks, the manufac-
turers, and the heavy importer must
all be protected IN their just rights; but
so also must the millions whose toll is
the source oil all wealth, and from whose
ranks the best part of our military estab-
llshment is drawn when the country IS
in danger. Humanity must NOT be sac
riiced to the Moloch of wealth. The
Tree play and natural sweep of popular
liberty must not be fatally hindered by
seli-appointed .plutocracy, which SUI
bordinates justice and the rights OF man
10 its greedy behests. Democracy asks
for "a free field and fair fight" and
it will accept nothing less. It's defeat.
should il happen, win be temporary.
while the ruin of IT'S foes will be GER
tain and overwhelming. The march of
Freedom is onward and inevitable.
i whether heralded BY The kindly agen-
i cies Of peace or the iron hand Of war;
and this truth cannot be too soon or too
earnestly pondered BY the believers "a
the coronation OF wealth as our king.
The state OF our parties furnishes q
still better illustration. No man can
name any well-de6ned question on
which they are divided. Their para
disc is power, and it furnishes the sole
basis and inspiration Of their contention.
i To sav that this state Of affairs is 10 be
prolonged indefinitely is to surrender
| The country TO It's foes, and to join the
army Of evil prophets whose couusels
We totally abjure. II Is true that par
ties, like individuals, sometimes outiIve
their usefulness. The parties which
ruled the country quarter Of q century
ago kept up their strife years after the
| issues which originally divided them