The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-02-24
ELKTON. FEBRUARY "a, 1894
SPOTS ON THE SUN.

SPOTS ON THE SUN.
In common with other Democratic
journals whose pronounced champion
ship OF every executive act OF Mr..
Cleveland, apparently disqualifies them
from passing an unbiased opinion upon
any subject involving the Presidential
prerogative, the Baltimore San in its
issue OF Monday, not only castigates
Senators German and Gibson for exer-
cising their Senatorial prerogative in
opposing distasteful executive nomi-
nation, but lays aside its usual good
manners to call Republican Senators
"hard" names.
"The two Senators from Maryland,
says the Snn, whom every Maryland
Democrat must feel grieved and morti-
fed to find trooping with the motley
crew led by Chandler, Hill, Hoar and
Lodge, in opposition to the Presidents
nominations, had the grace, al least.
not to offer any excuses for their votes.
1t would have been difficult business,
and they showed, as usual, their
greatest wisdom in keeping their
mouths Shut"
Concedlng to the San, its partizan
right as a Democratic paper to castl.
gate its own representatives as it sees
fit, we neither recognize the good taste
nor appreciate the good judgment of
SO exemplary political luminary, in
denounclng honorable Republicans
who see fit to oppose Presidential
nomination as "motley crew."
Such an appellation applied to gen.
tlemen like Senators Hoar and Lodge
of Massachusetts,, is altogether unbe-
coming in journal, whose claims to
journalistic responsibility, are based
upon boosted reputation for high
toned political discussion of public
men and public questions.
Now the San while Eliminating its
strong detectives, seems to overlook
the fact, that the Democratic party is
in majority In the United States
Senate, and that the Republican min
ority in that body, is in no sense
responsible for the defeat OF Demo
Graf, whom Mr.. Cleveland happens to
use to antagonist other Democrats IN
the qualification of his petty factional
resentment.
Mr.. Wheeler H. Peckham was
Democratic nominee, and if his Sena-
torial brethren did not want him in a
seat on the Supreme Bench, it certainly
was not obligatory on the part OF
Republican Senators, TO fly to the relief
of the President, merely to help him
punish two of their New York Senatorial
colleagues.
Now we contend, it is neither logi-
cal nor rational, upon the part of the
San to get angry and lose its head by
INDUCING offensive epithets toward
Republican Senators, because they
wisely declined to pull Mr.. Cleveland
out OF the hole, into which his superb
conceit, and magnificent plgheadedness
had led him.
He deliberately, If not defantly,
challenged the Senators from New
Yotk to test of strength in the Senate
when he nominated candidate who
was peculiarly Objectionable to Mr..
Hill and his "me too" colleague, Mr..
Murphy. 1t is not an agreeable spec
tacIe that a politician like Hill should
be able to challenge successfully
nomination tor the Supreme Bench !;
but the President foolishly gave him
the opportunity to make his opposition
effective by picking out man for the
place whose personal qualities were
open to reasonable objection aside
from the fact that he was brought for.
ward to emphasize the executive dis.
pleasure toward Senator Hill. In
attempting to measure swords with an
adversary for whom he is no match in
cunning and energy, he has accom-
plished nothing except to give him
prestige in the Senate which he does
not deserve, and to reveal his own
weakness in body OF which his party
constitutes majority.
Besides, we contend, that the most
offensive phase of this controversy
between Mr.. Cleveland and Mr.. Hill,
has been the method employed by Mr..
Cleveland to compel Senators to
comply with his will.
When the President condescended
to fight HILL with his own weapon
the use of patronage-he forfeited the
support of intelligent public opinion.
In fact, it was on this very ground
that Senator Lodge, one the SIM S
"motley crew." who although Re-
publican voted for the Hornblower
nomination, properly justified himself
in voting against Mr.. Peckham. "That
which weighed most against him with
me, says the Senator, was the manner
in which patronage appeared to be
used by the administration in the
attempt to secure votes for his confr-
nation, joined with exertion apparently
of every sort of influence of which the
head of the government was capable.
l cannot conceive of anything worse or
more demoralizing than to have con-
frmation of office secured by appoint
ments to other Offices or by threats OF
removal from Office. Against such
methods propose always to protest
-rro-dence with my con-
~ - ,l t8rSs ~ ~ u .s--ss,;