Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-02-24
Friday Morning February "a, 1882.
IN UNION THERE rs STRENGTH

none Oh ltS virtue because Oh lCS dnCieHl
origin. 1t has been demonstrated in public
and private life, and whatever of success
may have attended social, religious or po-
litical organizations, it has been the most
essential ingredient. With political bodies,
its truth has been signally attested and placed
beyond doubt or dispute.
Ever since the fatal day on which the
Democratic party was shattered into frag-
ments upon the question of slavery, and the
control of the General Government passed
from its keeping there seems to have been
some insuperable barrier to the way of its
successful crystallization.
The old issues were obliterated by the
war and new ones took their place The
Democratic party arrayed itself by the side
of those which the emergency of the hour
suggested and which its leaders thought
were best calculated to inaugurate and bring
about mutual regard and reciprocity of in
terest between the once two discordant sec
tons of the country and develops wise, pru-
dent, honest and economical administration
Of the government With such platform,
commencing itself to the intelligence Of
every honest voter in the country, it has
confronted the Republican party and for
twenty years has been battling for the SUI
premacy.
1t is true that it has not been successful in
obtaining the supreme management of pub
lie affairs, but all will admit that it has &C.
complshed much of which the party and
the country can rejoice. 1t has succeeded
in recapturing every Southern State, and
freed brave and impoverished people from
horde of political pirates who were draw
ing their very lile-blood. 1t found the Re-
publican party in the undisturbed enjoy
ment of every branch of the government,
fearless Of public censure as it was careless
of the public good. BY its never-failing
spirit of aggression it has driven this self
same party from its exhaustive and ruinous
extravaganza, corruption and fraud, until it
has been compelled to assume something of
the appearance Of honesty in legislation and
executive administration.
All this has been accomplished, but the
question arises, why is it, with a party whose
leaders are regarded as honest, and the prin-
ciples of which are acknowledged as sound,
that it has not been able TO restore itself in
the unlimited confidence of the people and
assume the control of the government which
in former days it rendered conspicuous in
the eye of the world because of its strict ad-
herence to constitutional restrictions and a
proper regard for honesty and principle9
The question is one which is not hard of
solution. There are too many rival factions,
whose prejudices cannot be appeased, too
much of private interest to subserve, too
much of personal ambition to crafty. The
ardor Of patriotism has given way to selfish
considerations, the Office no longer seeks the
man, but the man the office. This state Of
feeling has been cropping out in our State
and county Democratic organizations to
such an extent as to place in jeopardy the
very existence of the party.
If We would maintain our organization in
purity and harmony and carry out the oh
jects for which 1t was instituted, private
feuds must be buried and personal consider
atoms and selfish aims must yield to thu
public good. 1t is more than probable tina
50 long as party organizations exist there
will always be rival interests-interests
amongst individuals To this there can b.
no objection, perhaps it is all the better, bu
when one of the two, or of the several in
terests, shall have become victorious ther
the others should not only gracefully yielC
but they should at once make the Interests
OF those victorious rival candidates their in
terests, and thus by united and harmonious
action keep their organization in such a con
dition us not ouiy tends to the public goot
but look d, ,utir own preservation.
The Republican press throughout th,
State have witnessed with feelings OF de
light the struggle that is now in progres
between three prominent Democratic poll
ticians in our State for the leadership, anC
are using every opportunity and bringin!
every energy TO bear in order to sow tn,
seeds of strife and discord. The opposition
press have no other object in pursuing thi
course than To weaken the harmony Of on
party by keeping alive our personal jealous
les, prejudcies and partialities, thereby hop
ing to break the union of the party and thu
get possession OF all Of the civil machiner,
of the State We have listened too mucl
and too long to the siren voice of the enemy
1t has reduced our State majority and brough
have hitherto presented an unbroken front
On every Sabbath morning the Baltimor
American teens with some new politca
sensation in relation ID the political statu
tions which are conceived in hate and bit
terness and hurled with fendish wicked
ness that finds no parallel save in that jour
nails own crimes and malicious libelngs
Annapolis is ours, and whoever may sue
coed in obtaining the supremacy in tn
party let us give to him our united sup
port, and by firm and unflinching yea
Hihiululh Oui OiSohiLutioh anu tuub pIc
serve our own integrity and principles anC
destroy or render helpless all opposition
Measures and not men should be the motv
power in the Democratic party, 1t was so il
its Infancy, it was so during the long time /
had control of the government, and until i
becomes the great cardinal feature in oul
ranks, we cannet become victorious.
The party has within itself every elemen
that is necessary for success, as it contain
every essential for wise and honest admins
tration of the government and those who fai
to give it their adherence because of persona
prejudices or the defeat of selfish considera
tons are false TO every obligation, ever,
correct appreciation of principle. 1t is onl.
by union and harmony that our party in tn
State and county can successfully maintain
itself in triumph, and it is incumbent upol
every Democrat who is worthy Of the nam
to rouse all of his energies and thus by nc