The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-09-20
A MEAN TRICK.

Gently met at Elkton and distinguished
itself by casting 1858 fruitless ballots,
was equally successful in eNtnguishlns
itself on Wednesday last by piece of
political trickery as stupendous as was
the record of its predecessors ballots.
The story of this latest fraud can be
briefly told.
Three Dem ocrats of prominence IN
the Second Congressional District of
Mar, land, for the third time in one
season, contested the honor of a NOM
| nation for Congress-Messrs. Talbot,
of Baltimore county; Shaw, of Car
roll, and Hopkins, of Hartford, while
Mr.. Constable, OF Cecil, with a small
but we'll trained body-guard of faithful
servitors at his heels, lodged behind
the sturdier congressional timber, hop
ing the political lightning might per
chance strike him.
The Convention, as in duty bound,
contained Just twenty delegates; gen
tlemen chosen from the body of the
Democracy of the District, not per-
haps so much for the qualification OF
intelligence and judgment in selecting
= suitahle nominee as for downright
obstinate devotion to the interests of
the men whose personal claims they
were to present and urge.
The ball opened at Towson on
Wednesday at noon with the same Old
chronic roll: six for Talbot, five for
Shaw, four for Constable, and five tor
Hopkins. This was four times repeated,
and at the outset the prospect for the
REPETITION of the Elkton folly seemed
imminent. On the fifth ballot, how
ever, Hartford and Carroll exchanged
compliments and voted for Shaw, vary
ing the monotony of the ballots, but
to all appearances postponins any &C
tual result.
But matters took sudden and a
sharp turn.
On the sixth ballot Baltimore county
scattered the compliment of her votes,
her favorite Talbot receiving four OF
her six votes, while Hopkins and Con-
stable each pooled one. Carroll was
called, but Carroll was cautious. She
asked to be passed for the moment, be
cause she looked jealousy to Hartford
whose alphabetic letter closed the roll.
Cecil again cried for Constable, OF
course, and Hartford cast her five once
more for Hopkins, making SIX votes in
all, when Carroll, responding to Har-
ford's echo, threw five more for and
nominated Hopkins, osc' 0H
Then began the deviltry
Shriver, the chairman of the Con-
vention, was equal to the emergency.
Pledged to choke Hopkins off or any
other man whose strength jeorardized
the success of his favorite Shaw, he
resorted TO the gag of parliamentary
law and refused to announce the vote.
The house rang with the shouts of Hop
kins's friends, elated by his success.
But Shriver was master alike of the sit
uation and of Hopkins.
Time was to him and his conspira-
tors against the peace of his party the
desideratum-time in which to undo
what had been SO unexpectedly, but SO
regularly, done-the nomination of
Hopkins.
Around the solitary Baltimore county
voter who had the temerity to vote his
choice, the bosses and whippers-in
clustered. The echoes of their bully
ing and their brides were drowned by
the ecstatic shouts of the victorious
friends of Hopkins.
But their glory was short Lived.
Pulled, prodded, and probcd, the
shivering Baltimore bourbon recanted
his faith in the right of individual
Judgment, and in the fire of the wrath
of the angry sons of Hartford, ciaHscd
his 70h'-aflly a nomination.
With his disappearance from the roll
of Hopkins's voters, in turn disap-
peared Mr.. Hopkins's majority Of
one.
With Hopkins squelched, the Con-
vention took a recess for dinner and
for drinks.
But calamity juice" ne'er so
adroitly mixed, failed to cool the
wrathful tongues of Harford's belittled
and befooled delegates, while Van Bib
ber's blanched cheek told the story of
his indignation at the outrage that had
been done.
Fairly, squarely, and honestly NOM
mated, the coveted honor had been
wrenched by trickery and bribery from
the man who deserved it.
In the face of a majority Of the Con-
vention, which every honest man in
that body well knew had been given
Mr.. Hopkins, the partizan chairman
delayed the announcement of the vote
to give the color of legality to an act
which robbed Hartford of the nomina-
ton to which she was in justice and Of
right entitled.
1t was in every sense mean polit-
cal trick As its beneficiary, DR.. Shaw
wears a dubious honor.
MIR. BLAENE'S TRADUCERS.
For years past the Democratic