The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-10-27

that for that cause my political action has OF
late years diverged from that OF many OF my
early associates.
That cause of difference is now removed
By the result of the war, slavery is entirely
eradicAted in this country. The result is ac
guessed in by all sections.
Sagacious persons were convinced that this
must be the necessary result of the triumph
of the government, and hence many of the
patriotic friends of the country regarded all
agitation of the slavery question during the
war as not only unnecessary, but detrimental
TO the country's best interests. That war is
now happily and gloriously closed, with u
Union preserved undivided, and human slav-
cry terminated. Glorious and happy as these
results are, they would be purchased dearly
if, in addition TO the blood and treasure ex-
pended, the ancient principles OF the found.
ers of the government should be overthrown.
i have seen with anxiety the rapid tendency
to Capitalization the loose construction of
the federal constitution SO as to swallow UP
all the powers OF the states the little regard
paid to the only fundamental principles upon
which civil liberty can securely rest a finan-
cial system tending TO food the country with
paper money the establishment of the tariff
upon principles widely variant from revenue;
departure from the ancient maxim Of the
party equal and exact Justice to all in the
exercise of the taxing power" by which
large masses OF property are exempted from
their equal proportion of the public burden /;
but more than all, n claim set up by large
party in the country of power in congress to
exclude the southern states from representa-
ton in the federal Legislature, and the right
of local self government, until the elective
franchise is settled according to their views
| This claim l regard as equally unfounded
and almost as misohievous as the claim of
e. e., .
The view of President Johnson 4 as under
stand). that the ordinance of secession was
null and void, aud that consequently no state
| admitted to- is or ever was out of the Union,
| is sound and constitutional. That view car
| ried to it's legitimate consequences, clears
| away every difficulty. 1t confers the right
| of local self government upon each state, sub.
| ordinate only to the constitution of the Uni
| ted States, and of representatives in congress
! No department of the government has any
more power to deny such rights, when con
| additionally exercised, TO the states of the
south than to New York. The democratic 1,
| the only party that iiHitediy and boldly drer!
a concurrence iH this UielC. lT Is AT PRES
ENr THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF TIL
| HOUR Political movements in various quar-
! ter indicate that TINS doctrine will he fercely
assaulted in the next congress. Upon thi'
there is no ambiguity in the platform oh tn,
convention. Uniting upon this. and symps
thizing in the financial and commercial views
| of Wright, Benton, and their patriotic asso
ciates, in the respect for the constitution a
rights of the states and citizens, established
by the sages who founded the government
the democratic party has mission not seconC
in Importance to the country, to the contest,
long since waged with the federal party. In
these principles, all educated in the democrat
! ic school must concur. Sound, conservative
men. whatever their antecedents, cannot fai
TO see that the government must, IN insure
prosperity and preserve liberty, be guided by
/ this chart.
! Entertaining these views, cheerfully ac
/ cept the nomination. You are at liberty tC
make any use you choose OF this letter.
should not have written it (my position or
the ticket being judicial) but for the rumors
of decension above referred TO, on account Of
supposed differ ences of political opinions be
| tween myself and the convention. Had diff
terences upon any national living issue exist
ed, | should have promptly withdrawn my
name from the ticket.
Yours, truly,
MARTIN GROVER.