The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-09-05

As u COlaborer in the cause OF Constltu
tional government, take the liberty to ed.
dress you in its sacred interests. Eighty
one years ago, on the seventeenth day Of
the present month, "the people of the Uni.
ted States, in order to form a more perfect
union, establish justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common defense,
promote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty to themselves and to
their "posteri.y," did "ordain and estab'
lsh' the constitution of government for the
United States of America, which was put
into operation on the ,ourth day Of March,
A. ID. 1889.
Heroes and sages, true men and great
who had passed the ordeal of q wasting and
protracted revolution, were the immediate
architects Of this benign and memorable in.
strumenL Washington, the father Of his
country, speaking for himself and the rest
of its authors, expressed the hope that it
would "promote the lasting welfare of the
country so dear to US ALL" Other of his
compstriots exclaimed in transport, that its
adoption would be COMMUNICATED BY CRATE.
tul and admiring posterity with thanksglv'
ing and bon.hres for ages afterwards.
Under this constitution our country flour
shed and prospercd, until the advent of the
radical party to power, in q degree unex.
Rmpled in the history of nations. Vast ter
ritories were acquired and carved into a
multitude of states which swell the Union to
ocean bounds. America became the gran
airy of the word our commerce whitened
every sea and spread to every land the me-
L. ia
were pushed to q marvellous degree Of de.
velopment; honest toll, however humble,
| was encouraged and respected kindly feel
iugs were cultivated among kindred peo-
pie, as the surest pledge of domestic peace
and prosperity. In short, such was our
progress that we became q wonder-sign TO
the admiring world.
But within the last decade, and since the
advent of that party to power, a disastrous
and fearful change has been wrought i'll the
condition Of the country. War has ravaged
our fair and fruitful land; hate and revenge
| rankIe in the hearts of brothers ponder
Gus public debt brushes and grinds the en-
ergles and hopes Of the people; insatiate
taxation eats out their substance and drives
them 10 despair; corruption revels unabash.
| ed IN high places population disSipates
| the public treasure; extravaganza rapidly
| hurries the government and the people into
a common bankruptcy; the constitution is
ruthessy trampled under foot as "cove.
nant with hell and league with death !
states are dissolved and merged into ex.
tended military districts, ruled over by Sd
traps and pro.consuls; the ballot-box is be.
leaguered by bayonets, and elections are or
dered aud their results officially proclaimed
by military mRrtuets the president is per,
secuted and sought to be removed to make
place for partisRA in the interest Of revo-
luton the supreme court is decimated and
menaced as means of coercing its submis-
sion. In fact everything is rapidly tending
to the Capitalization Of absolute and uniim'
tied power in the congress, who have adop-
ted Gen. Grant as their candidate for the
presidency and clothed him with the pow
ers Of dictator at.'
Such, democrats and fellow-eitizens, is the
fearful and deplorable pass to which We
have been brought. What, now, shall be
done to retrieve this ruin and avoid this
death2 Besides energy, and courage and
labor, let us devote the kindlier emotions
and affections, our hearts, as patriots and
| christians, for our deliverance. Let Us, for
this purpose, on the 18th day of the present