The Cecil Whig., 1881-05-28
Shockley's Letter.

N Ed;tDl. al Tie CecU Ue,ao,yai.
Eou will remember that Lord Boiling
broke's attacks upon the Christian rcl gion
were first published after his death. His
LDrdship shrank from publication during
his life: but left, for that purpose, Il legacy
to Il Scotchman by the name OF Mallet.
Upon which the great and good DIR. Samuel
johnson remarked, that Bolingbroke was "A
Scuundrcl and Il Coward-a Scouudrel be
cause he charged Il blunderbuSs against
Ciety, and Il coward because he had not the
courage to lire it himself, bur left half a
crown TO 4 beggarly Scotchman to draw the
trigger.
This incident is recalled by the recent at
tack upon Col. Miller and Mr. Constable in
The Democrat, to which is appeHdsd the name
OF \. p. Shockley.
Ii the persons who wrote the letter had
signed it, the proceeding would have been
OF Il more manly character; and though
ShOckley would have lost his half crown,
his patrons would have made an exhibition
of themselves more reputable, or, to speak
accurately. less lisreputable and Indecent.
Mr.. Editor, it has been long suspected that
the scurrious malignity uttered by Shock
ley was not original with him, but the re-
suit of much and careful instruction at the
hands of certain Elllton politicians. For
wears he has been hiSSed on every gentle
man who had the misfortune of differing
with, or who refused TO come under the
domination Of, his masters. But ut the
same time il must lie confessed that Shack
ley had i natural aptitude for such instruc-
ton; and I tongue which could beat its
master lin what lie says WAS n party con
tcSt,) notwithstanding Il party ma ority of
seventy or eighty i'll IL vote OF three hum
drrd and twenty five, is no common organ.
These, however. were verbal ISLANDERS: and
il was reserved for this late exhibition to
demonstrate that these men would write
and publish their scurrility over his ire
sponsibe signature.
The disguise Of aft king the name oi this
illiterate tellnw 10 their production will tie
ceive nobody. | could give you list of
their names, and of their several motives,
but il is unnecessary. 1t is ssuficient, with
out descending into particulars, to say, gen
orally, that ii was Il strange association to
unite in :. P0ijttcdi lettrr--blacK spirits and
white, red spirits and gray,--aud affords
another illustration that l!snsy makes
strange bed fellows. Was Atocsicy's yuung
ambition ninped by the election trosts of
10" Why should the recollection hat Mr..
Constable successfully lahOred for Mr.. Croth-
ers forever rankle in Shockley'& heart" These
We're not grievances of ShockleH'S: and
" Sot his these groanS.
These Sighs that issue, and these tears that
iiOw.''
Thus, Mr.. Editor, do these men, with
party on their lips, uncousciously reveal in
their letter the bond which unites them;
and thus do they multiply the proofs, al
ready efficiently accumulated. of that an
hdilored alliance which well nigh made ship
wreck of our party in the campaign of -.
Mr.. Editor, | said in my first letter that
there was no respectable man in Elkton
who would say, nreF Ills GtcH signature, that
the Eiktun Iililitt election was Il PARTY con
test To that challenge have seen no reply.
| take it, therefore, rs confessed.
In that letter also made certain charges,
which, ef co"rSe, have been denied, but
which the letters hereto appended will sub
stantiate.
In regard to tie charges made against
Col Miller and Mr.. Constable, and pulport-
ing to come from Shocllley, they can, for
obvious reasons, receive no notice which
would involve Il bandyins Of epithets with
a person like Shockley
And now, Mr.. Editor, | shall dismiss the
dirt, the ignorance and the taSchood of this
fellow; but with infinitely more disgust |
dismiss the c"wardly malice of his prompt
erS. llEMuCRhT.