, 1862-06-20
CnTETRV US. CITY.

At the late election it was curious to OBJ !
serve the effect Of humbug on the city and
country respectively, While the former
swallowed the bait, the latter were not to
be caugAt by specious clap-trap. Old
Liberty and Economy" started the cry
Of Stumptail," and his secession organ,
the Times, took it up and 1ung the changes
on it. Said they, "If you want 400
cents On the dollar vote for the new
constitution # you want to be paid
"gola and silver FOR your work or goods,
"Tote for the new constitution. II you
"want two dollars q day and roast beef,
"yote for the new constitution By voting
*for it, all bank issues will be expelled
"from the State, and nothing but coin will
"circulate in Illinois. All the stump-tal
"bankers are going against the new con-
"stitution. They have spent s4oo, 900 to
"defeat it. Every man opposing it is hired
"by the stump-tan bankers. Tell them to,
"pay you back thirty-fye cents on the dol
"lar that you lost on their stump-tail, before
"asking you to vote against the new con-
<tstitution.''
Such vas the argument with which the
laboring class was piled. Old Liberty
and Economy" started the cry, aud pack
Of one hundred little shysters with the
secession print at their head, echoed those
catch words,
The simple minded and ignorant were
stuffed full Of this absurd trash. It was
carefully concealed from them that
the bank question was separate
proposition, and that any man could vote
for the exclusion Of banks aud yet vote
against the new constitution, Thousands
who would have voted in the negative OF
the constitution, cast their ballots for tht
sHindlc in order to punish stumptail, q
they toolish1y believed they were doing.
In city like Chicago, fully one-half o
the voting population are common laborinl
men who have little time or disposition II
read and investigate. They catch up thei
impressions from the most blatant and big
gest- mouth knave that addresses them. TIL
demagogue that can spring upon then
some specious, captivating humbug is sur
TO get their votes. # the falsehood b
started too long before the day Of election
it is generally exposed By conversation
with more intelligent persons; but whel
t1otted out on the eve of the election, th
mob invariably follow it, like a herd G
buffalo that follow disguised Indian oye
aprecipice, never stopping to look or II
heet until the mischief is done. This
the history Of all American cities whe1
oay"laborers constitute majority Of tt
voters.
IN the main and essential question b
fore the people For or against the pr
posed Constitution, Chicago would ha7
cast an Overwhelming majority in Il
negative. The Judgment and instincts
The masses would have led them to oppo
it. Four-fflhs Of the Intelligent, reading a,
:reaecting citizens who went to the pol
voted against the constitution. Tn
could not be deceived and swind1ed IS
the real question by the noisy b7aw1ing
John Wentw orth and his secession org
On the other hand, full Iour-fifths OF !
unlcttered, and ignorant class swallow
the "Etump tail'' bait as greedily 81 yop
robins take down Torms, and voted
the sEindle
It was different in the country. Th
the people read and reflect, and are
carried awsy by sudden panics and I