The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1908-10-17
WILL Mr.. CONVICTION EXPLAIN

w the %s'1 mysteries st fs'' Of lie Beyond ad
what is proper for mortal
men, but we confess that two incidents
in Mr.. Covington's candidacy for Con
gress have piqucd our curiosity be-
yond the point OF scli-control and we
are constrained To want TO know, you
know We have found Mr.. Coving-
ton the very soul oi courtesy and are
quite certain that we shall find III
response to our modest intcrrogatious.
/. In his speech OF acceptance at the
Ocean City Convention Mr. Coving
ton avcrrcd the heaven-born right 81
the Maryland Democracy to rule.
We have pondcred long and deeply
on this phrase and feel quite certain
that we have not yet sounded the
depths oi its meaning OF course. il is
barely possible that il HAS no mean
ing. II is just permissible to suggest
that il was only a bit OF pcricryld ora
tory with which MIR Covingtun was
making the we kin ring under the high
excitement al a bran-ncw Congress
siunal nomination. But We are not
warranted N taking such rude liberties
with the honorable gentleman public
utterGncc. I'm intelligent and we'll
trained public speaker was stating the
claims ui his party Ia public confidence,
and he vests those claims on that
party's heaven born right To rule >"
We fee convinced that Mr.. Coving-
ton has some warrant inr that heaven
born and We are more than anxious
to know what that warrant Is, We
might. ut course. GO with our inquiry,
to any one 81 the High Priests OF
Maryland'S Dcmocracy-to the Hon.
Joshua Frederick Cockcy Talbot. or
mayhap to Sonny" Mahon. or even
to our own halo.cncirclcd Nandvcr
But. So lar aS we know. none 81 this
priesthood has ever vcuturcd the doc
trinc 81 the heavenly origin al the
Maryland branch ui the Democratic
party. !, was reserved for Mr. Gov
ington to become the propaganda Of
this entire new article 81 faith and to
Mr., tuylngt"n We must look Tor a
satisfactory calculation VIII he give
IL Or must we wait for some such
peculiar revelation as Ina, been vouch.
Saied to MIR Covington himself con
corning the things which are born from
above
} The other incident IN MIR Coy:ng-
tons Congressional campaigning.
which has thrown u> into much con
fusion ri mental processes, is his pas
sionatc harplng on the Corrupt Prac-
tees Net The moment he can tear
h.msc awav from a rapturouS con
temptation ui his party's celestial orr
gin. that moment his eyes are fastened
on the dark places oi the earth and
purity ~ elections becomes To- him
The "ve-Nhaduwiug issue at the hour
II Is all very touching and very com
mcndablc The souls al all good men
tour Governor ircludcdl must thrill at
the sight But the mystery abidcs--
the mystery wc mean 81 the complete
conversion We are not questioning
the conversion it>ci We have no
doubt oi it--and never have had any
since Chairman Nandiver opened his
campaign contribution ledger, and
showed lust s. entered IN. BY that,
sign We knew how grimIy determined
Marvland'S Democracy would be to
eliminate the expenditure ~ money IN
political campaigns
But It is all 50 mysSiiying sud
den and sanity pleading for purcr me
thnds in political warfare. MIR Gov
ington will understand how heartily
we app aud his words and how sincere
~ we rejoice in his ncw-iound faith
But would he mind giving in his cx-
nericrcc' and letting Us know just
when the light broke DER his soul and
he found himself an altered man. II
might help in other quarters Indeed,
IL is possible that such conversions
would come into vogue. and even a
Republican here and there might hope
20 find himself better man Mr.
Covinptnn may never get To Congress,
hut he may nightly upliit tx all by
his candidac"