The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-04-20

clsre and say that at this assembling we have
suficient occasion TO, and do, congratulate the
whole country upon the present improved state
oY public sentiment throughout the length and
held within the Iastl2 months, all demonstrat-
ing that the people of the whole land are arous
ing 70 b proper appreciation of the Importance of
the questions now submitted to them, and the
necessity of settling them in harmony and in ae-
cordanee with the principles upon which our
government was founded, and has, until within q
few years,so successfully rePosed-
Resolped, That, as ever, we are infexibiy OPP
posed to all measures, the tendency of which is
to lead to a consolidation of all power in the
hand, of the agents Of the federal government
believing, Is we do, that the happiness of the
whole people and preservation and centnuation
of our Union as a republic, and its free institu-
TONS depend upon maintaining inviolate the
great principles Of the equal sovereignty and
equality of each and ell the States subordinate 10
the exercise of the just and clearly granted pow
ers of the federal government, in all their just
rights and constitutional privileges Is integral
members ofthe federal Union.
Resoloed, That, from this declaration, it neces-
ssrily results that we are now, have been, and
will be unalterably opposed to all the various
measures Of the two last congresses which, under
the name of reconstruction measures, and other
speeous and deceptive titles, seek in effect to
tend and perpetuate the power and domination of
the present ruling party, ~ force and fraud over
this Union, and thereby maintain their present
iniquitous supremacy. and, under the guise of
military protectorates they have accomplished in
time of profound peace, what their principles
have ever tended to, and which the armed hosts
of rebellion failed to accemplish,-the dismember
meut of the federal Union aud the sabversion Of
our established system Of popular government
Resolued, That we regard the Union, to-day,
as unbroken as it confessed TO be, by every
department Of the federal government, after the
~ NM III Ill *
against it for more than four years and now.
" hen peace he once again visited the land, we
imperatively demand that all the rights, privi-
leges and obligations of the federal constitution
be reinstated in their full force and eff
feet.
Reso!red, That the right of suffrage shall be
limited to the white in this conatry and,
while We unhesitstingly declare this shall be the
law in our state, We fully recognize the right Of
the people in each and every stste,to determine
this question for themselves free from any outside
interference from any power whatever.
Resolved That the intended and designed
political effect of the so-oslled reconstruction
measures of the present and last congress is to
deliver over the political control of the southern
states to the lately emancipsted negroes resident
therein, and then, by their aid, and by the utter
prostraton of the white men, citizens thereof, to
retain the lease of power the ruling party have
so long held, and which they have 50 fagrsntly
abused, all of which we will resist, as freemen,
by every means Whlcn Is gwen Us py the constl-
tuition of the country.
Resoleed, That, in the management of the f.
nances Of the country, and in the various meas
ures proposed, and those already enacted into
laws by the party in power, they have shown
their utter opacity and untness TO control the
legislation of great country,-in the first place,
by arranging the taxes and burdens OF the gov
ernment that they fall alone upon the labor and
industry of the country, and by exempting the
accumulated wealth from taxation, they thus cast
upon the toll of the country what should be borne
by each and every person in proportion to his
accommodations, in accordance with the fundamen-
al law; and, secondly, by their prohigate expend
itures and criminal waste of the money of the
people, in support of the schemes of partisan ag
grandizemen..
Resoired, That the present debt of the ooun-
try, contracted in pursuance Of law, We are IN
favor of disohsrging TO the uttermost farthing;
that the national honor, financially, in our
hands, will remain unsullied it has
been in all other respects; that the present debt
contracted in paper issued by the federal
government, and which was declared TO be lawful
money by the legislative authority of the country,
and which, while accepted by the government for
the larger part of its assessments, and paid out
to its soldiers and other defenders, should be-
by its terms il is, receivable in satisfaction by
those holding the pledged faith Of the govern
ment, in all cases except wherein different stan
dard of value has been stipulated for.
Resolved, That the vast bulk of the indebted
ness of the government known as are lawfully
payable in legal-tender notes of the government,
and should be paid, as the said obligations are
within the power of the government 10 retire
and discharge; that where the faith of the gov
eminent is pledged to pay in gold, We viii so full
fl the obligation. and beyond this viii not 60.
Resoiued, That the present system of national
banks can and should be abolished at once, and
the notes of the said institutions retired, and
their place supplied by interest bearing notes
of the government, thus saving annually 20 the
people twenty IN iilions of dollars.
ResoIped, That all the wealth of the country,
whether invested in government securities
otherwise, should sustain its full and fair share
of taxation.
Rcsotred, That the present enormous and ex-
trava expenditures Of the government should
be checked, and reduction be made in every de-
partment of the same; and particularly should
thsbe done in the charges sustained for the army
and navy; while in the administration OF the
present system of internal revenue, a reform is
loudly called forand which, in our jud gment, can
only be effected by expeing from place the pres
ent horde Of thieves and plunderers who, for
years have rioted and fattened upon the substance
of the people, and who, under the preteDce of
collecting revenue for the government, have only
succeeded in euriching themselves at the expense
of the people
Resotred, That the present tariff system is an
unjust and unequal tax levied on the consumers
of the country, and which falls with peculiar
pie of the west; and while ostensibiy designed
to bring revenue into the treasury, yet in many
instances the government is in no respect bene-
fted thereby, and merely serves the purpose of
enhancing the profits of the manufacturers of q
small section Of the Union.
Resoiped, Thst are opposed TO all such
protective and sectional egislation. and demand
that trade shall be left perfectly Free subject only
to the imperative necessities of the government
Resoired, That by the present system the west
is despoiled 20 enrich the msnufsctursrs of
another section while in the present forced polit-
ical subjugstion of the south, industry there is
paralyEed, and thereby one Of the great markets
for our produce is wholly destroyed. 8
Resoircd, That the present attempted impeaeh-
ment of the President of the United States cxhib-
its to the Grid the malignity of the reproseR-
tatives of party, part of whom were repudisted
by their constituents at the last expression OF
then. views and who, to secure a partizan adj
vantage, would destroy, if in their power, . 90
ordinate branch Of the government eN
Resolred, That the nation is deeply indebted
to the soldiers and sailors who CALAMITY defend
ed IL in the hate war of the rebellion, and that the
memory of those who persisted IN the eonniot
should and viii be held in grateful rememerance,
and their widow and children should be tenderiy
ON red for by the nation; that those who returned
and are in our midst we congratulate, and tender
them the assurance of our honor and regard, ana
trust that they viii aid us in perpetuating the
liberties and the constitution OF the country they
periled their hves to save
Resolved, That, recognizing the doctrine that
allegiance is alienable, our national government
should protect American citizens abroad, W hether