The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-09-22

GENTLEMEN OF THE CoNvENTION:-T gen
Grafton of men with whom | commenced pO-
htical life has passed away. am to-day ad-
dressing the sons and successors OF those who,
more than thirty years ago, took me by the
hand and conferred upon me Offices and hon
ors. Though my early associates and friends
have passed away an empire has sprang into
being where they were pioneers. Their works
are proud monuments to their memories,
| which will endure long after all of US shall
| sleep with them In the grave. They in their
/ day enjoyed unmolested and unquestioned
| the rights that we claim and should enjoy
| without question or dispute. They are rights
guaranteed by the constitution of the United
| States to every American citizen. Among
| these are the writ of hGbeaS corpus, trial by
| jury freedom from arrest except by due pro-
/ cess OF law, the right 10 confront your ac-
cusers IN open court These rights were new
er denied to the people in this Country where
/ the courts oi justice were unObstructed, until
after the the advent into power OF the repub-
! lean party. We had Ondly hoped that,
/ when the rebellion was over, at least, the
+ ercIse of unlawful and illegal power by those
/ Ia authority would cease. ut any rate IN The
! section Of country where there meyer was any
/ shadow OF necessity Tor its exercise. This
/ hope has proved deiusion
/ Ia order fellow citizens, that we may en-
Z lNN tbo-c sltNt E4C0EAN ours. IL Is necessary
/ that we should Ignore ali minor cJnsidera-
tions close firmly up our ranks, cooperate
with all no matter what their past record may
/ have been, 10 preserve the constitution, with
/ all it's guarantees for personal liberty and the
/ Union Of these states. ii there are those
amoug Us VINO regard their uwn advancement
or their own plans rs more important than
these rights, let them leave us: they are not
/ with or necessary TO US.
In my opinion. the line # duty Is pluiu.-
Some of our friends in Illinois are anxious
that we should fully endorse President John
sons administration. TIE declaration Ct
President JJAusou. tlal the states .1.-'y Iu
rebellion are still IN the Union. L. endorsed
/ bv every democrat ia America. Tue man
Who ygues or brHeyes That The ordinance Of
secession carried u STATE out Of Jhe Union Is
/ ii seces-3HiSt and 3 rebel. no matter whether
he lives north or south; no matter whether
he calls himself Al republican or Il democrat
q wooty-head or u comprehend. TINS posi-
.i8u 0f the president We clearly and fully en-
dOrSa.
The sentiments Of the president IN favor If
the constitution, IN ms ia,e address 20 a south
erU delegation, are encouraging. Ii induces
the hope tuat tue president viii ~ longer
claim he eau Try, by military courc, any per-
sous except such belong to the naval or
| military service. lr induces 10 hope that
ne wi. DISMISS from his service Stanton aud
Holt. They were Buchanan advisers when
he advanced the notion that there was no
power to Iuhke the people OF state obgy the
laws Of ne United States. They and others
we're the active and controlling officials. under
Lincoln, VINO Ci-regucded the hQbeGS corpus
-sot ut def tnce trial BY jury when jhe courts
were IN full operation, and struck down the
Freedom OF speech and OF the press. Through
80. 4arr =
characters, whose cgodibiIity could have been
impeached by clouds Of Witnesses IN their
own vicinity they arrested and transported
to distant states, ciuZens who had committed
no offence, ana against whom 40 charges were
made, except bS taess corrupt und infamous
detectives and spies They are his own evil
adviser, VITO have induced him 20 try by
military commissions. those who were guilty
of enormous civil crimes, aud who would and
should have been legally convicted aud exc
cuted BY civil courts; and they nave had
those VINO We're not umeuGble 70 military
Jurisdiction, and were not proved guilty and
should have been acquitted, tried and execut-
ed bv "a military commission.
1t MIR. Johnson dismisses these evil advIS-
ers, and repudiates the lnOustrous aud dan
gerous doctrIue that citizen, not IN the ma
val or military service can be tried by mil
itary commission, | shall applaud the act. |
am for no mau or party that 4Isresards the
clear provisions OF the constitution IN this
particular. President Johnson's order To en-
aOie Jhe people Of Mississippi to preserve
themselves from outlaws Is wise and proper
Sherman, the greatest Of our captains. com.
pretended, with the grasp of a statesman, the
entire country lately IN rebellion f., and provi-
ded for It's control by his treaty with John
SJ0n, but the president and cabinet set this
wise aud economical arrangement aside; and
ne j. uOw doing IN detail what Sherman did
as a whole, | admire the courage of that
public mau who cyrrects his own errors.
The elements OF dscorl are ut work in the
republican party. They, party, are
gone. The gentleman of color has, at last,
dsturb ed their harmony. We, upon the 9th
er hand, are united powerful party, with
one organization everywhere, from Maine to
California; If we are patient aud wise we
must soon command the country.
A majority of the republican party are for
negro equality, for negro voting. That is
now the issue TO be presented upon that is
sue we shall cooperate with majority ut the
soldiers aud large portion of the repubii
cans. Tue republicans are divided to some
extent, upon this. We lose Ben Wood. If
New York, and it may be q few others of the
same sort. The res, of the democrats are
united against negro voting. Wear opposed
to their voting because We do not think hber-
ty or government itself safe in their hands
The great fact stands out broad, distinct and
uudeniabe, that, from the foundation of the
world. the negro race have never established
single civil government. nor of themselves
attained civilization. The negro race have
nowhere been admitted to participate in gov
ernments, that they have not precipitated
them into revolution aud anarchy This we
regard reason sufficient why We should not
daaira IN ta in nd Al