The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-08-31
GEN. M'CLERNAND's SPEECH.

| UbNs IL1hNAnD . ofEECh.
Upon taking the chair, Gen. McClernand spoke
substantially as follows:
| GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTIONAL thank
you sincerely for the signal honor you have
! conferred upon me IN thus calling upon me
to preside over your deliberations. Lookin Q
around behold men assembled here from
every part of this state; men Representing
every honorable and useful kind of society
men intent upon the welfare and happiness
of their beloved country in this the hour OF
| need.
Gentlemen, we have met here as democrats
| We have met here to take counsel with each
| other IN the interests of the country. | need
not exhort you, for You are animated by
| abundant patriotism. L need net exhort you
| to subordinate every personal feeling, pre- lu-
dice and resentment to the sccomplls hment
of the object for which we are assembled
| here. Cheers Let our inspiration and
motto be- union aud self denial every one for
the cause. Animated by this sentiment, our
work viii be well dene, and being we'll dons
| 1t will be acc pied by the great body of the
people of Illinois.
The public mind iB alarmed. The country
is deemed to be in great peril. The storm of
OWL war which lately swept over the land is
spent; but the grUund-swelI surviving 1t
still endangers the existence of our institu-
tions-tne question of constitutional liber V .
Those men who were the deepest implicated
in the late rebellion, now disclaim all respon-
slbll'y. The men who were prompt to take
mes lures ID put it down have now tarned
e. und. They have changed places with the
rebels. Our rebels have become union men
the original union men have become rebels
Cheers. Each original faction, in tie lam
guage OF President johnson, have swung
around to the oppos end Of the line. What
my friends, is the object Of this change OF DO
sition and of tactics 1t is to control the
next presidentialel ection and thereby perpet-
uate ill-got en- power. For this purpose they
would keep the states asunder. For this pur-
nose they would keep up the ag .ation Lately
.cy ~ce.yed the votes of the ties In rebel
lion, and that at the very heig of the rebel
lion. IL y received the votes of states for
the'- candidates, and they admitted Arkan.
to tine hit of the elf ctoral college, becar
they thought they could mCrs certainly se
cure their success. Now they declare that
the states shall not be ad nitted to the right of
the electoral college. Why this blowing hot
and blowing cold? IF Delaware was admit
ted then, would it not be right to admit it
now?
Ags.a, my friends, during the admiuistr:
tion OF resident Lincoln, all power W;
c',imed for him by these radicals. He was
held forth be ore the count y IS the govern
ment, not only In the south but in the north.
In the presiders ws1 merged the legislative
ana the judic ry powers. We inve ted in
eim powe rs which invaded the sanotify of the
la"iiy Eirele the Legislature and the judioia-
y, All tlsse were then claimed for him.
On on power Is now denied to his successor.-
oons1ess now at empts to take to itself all the
NV bomrn VI sae executive In itself it would
nAse merged ali the functions of the judiciary
and the legislature and the e,ecnt;v.
1t stands forth as the government. Az n "a.