The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-06-12
Democratic Meeting nj Springfield.

Democratic Meeting nj springfield.
AT large meeting of the Democracy held at
Convention" was coming cE the following Ad-
dress was read to the meeting. As the Wings
will not favor the people with an Address, we hope
they will read this.
SPRINGFIELD, June 5, 1910.
The undersigned, IN pursuance of the
duties imposed on them, by 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 to dispense, at the
same place. proceed to address their Dem
ocratic ow-citizens, of the various parts
of the State, and to beg their earnest at
tention to candid exposition of facts and
circumstances, which have recently tram
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 them disas-
trous battle of 1900, have now resorted to
one of the most desperate efforts, of which
any political party is capable. It's 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
of passion, of vain and ostentatious shows,
and fit subjects of artifce and deception.
The usual appliances of despotic Gov
ernmcnts, so frequently resorted to by the
despotic head, to amtrse 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 (thc possessic 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,
as are calculated to attractthe senses only;
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 theroar
of cannon, revcrberatc through the atmos-
phere, and then the multitude satated
with stimulants, and fed with costly food,
are excited to actions, which in their cool
er moments they themselves wouldreadily
condemn.
1t may be gravcly 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, tt
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 i
is manifest that this prodigality, profusion
and waste, is but lily to be sustained by
those, whose moral and social duties adj
monish them, against all such useless eX
penditures of means, which should be
scrupulously applied to the support o
their families.
There is another fact connected viii
this wasteful prolusion which certainly
stamps, with strong marks of inconcisten
cy and want of candor. the declarations o
those who affirm, that the depression ant
arrangement of the business pursuits o
life, are great and unparalleled, and tina
the means of obtaining subsistence are Sc
greatly abridged, as TO subject the large
masses of community 10 deprivations here
toiore unknown. This lavish expenditure
of money for such objects, as we have
seen, contradicts the assertion, and shows
It's utter fallacy, Unless indeed many are
disposed to spend their last shilling fol
the objects. and in the efforts of this des
lpcratc struggle.