The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-06-12
Democratic Meeting M Spring field.

Democratic Meeting nf Springfield.
At large meeting of the Democracy held at
Springfield on the 9Th INST. at the time the "Grear
Convention was coming cF the following Ad-
dress was read to the meeting. As the Wings
will not favor the people with al Address, we hope
they will read this.
SPRINGFIELD, June 5, 1910.
The undersigned, IN pursuance of the
duties imposed on them, by a numerous
meeting of the Democratic party, casually
attending, and called together at the seat
of the State Government, in consequence
of the unparalleled efforts OF the Wing
Convention, now about % dispense, at the
same place, proceed to address ;heir Dem
ocratic fellow-citizens, of the various parts
of the State, and to beg their earnest at
tention to a candid exposition of facts and
circumstances, which have recently tran
spired during the sitting of said convention.
Never in the political annals of the
country, has there been, tits believed, since
the memorable days of the famed reign
of terror, so notorious under the Presiden-
cy of the elder Adams, such extraordinary
spectacles, as are now being exhibited in
the United States. The Federal party
having for forty years been unable to re-
store themselves, the political power which
they lost in the great, and to then disas-
trous battle of 1900, have now resorted to
one of the most desperate efforts, of which
any political party is capable. Its course
is marked not only by its extraordinary
disregard of common respect for the moral
habits, and Offices of life, but the people
are treated as though they were the dupes
ofpassion, of vain and ostentatious shows,
and fit subjects of artifce and deception.
The usual appliances of despotic Gov
ernments, so frequently resortod to by the
despotc head, to amuse and turn the peo-
pie from reflection, and enquiry into the
sources and causes of their oppression and
misery, have been furnished at this time
with no sparing hand, and in proportion
to the extent Of the 'cat object sought to
be obtained the possession and control OF
the Government have the means been
employed without limitation or measure.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars have
been already, and still continue to be ex-
pended on such exhibitions, and parades,
a., avn ,,1,,,lo .ol - ,ttroo, Tho eoncac on1xy.
lavish expenditures are made in furnishing
gaudy banners, with specious devices cal
culated TO allure the eye, and produce false
impressions, being false banners, intended
for deception. Martial music and the roar
of cannon, reverberato through the atmos-
phere, and then the multitude satiaed
with stimulants, and fed with costly food,
are excited to actions, which in their cool
err moments they themselves would readily
condemn.
1t may be gravely asked, at whose ex-
pense have all these means been obtained
and furnished!
If from secret sources, then is there
danger indeed, in the very fact of that Sc
crecy, that some hidden and mysterious
power is secretly and actively at work, to
sap the very foundation of the Republic.
On the other hand, assuming their sup
plies and means to have been drawn from
the pockets of known individuals; then il
is manifest that this prodigality, prolnsion,
and waste, is but lily to be sustained by
those, whose moral and social duties adj
monsh them, against all such useless eX-
penditures of means, which should be
scrupulously applied to the support OF
their families.
There is another fact connected with
this wasteful proiusion which certainly
stamps, with strong marks OF inconcisten-
cy and want of candor, the declarations OF
those who affirm, that the depression and
arrangement of the business pursuits OF
life, are great and unparalleled, and that
the means of obtaining subsistence are so
greatly abridged, as to subject the larger
masses of community to dcprivations here
tofore unknown. This lavish expenditure
of money for such objects, as we have
seen, conradicts the assertion, and shows
its utter fallacy. Unless indeed many are
disposed to spend their last shilling for
the objects, and in the efforts of this des-
peratc struggle.