The evening Argus., 1868-08-19
rARMrR vAN Epps ON TIE srUMR.

nor, who speaks with Mr.. O'Brien, an
from all accounts s making very favora
bic impression upon the people Will
making no pretensions as q speaker, MI
Van Epps talks plain hard common senss
and deals with the topics Of the day in sue
q way as to give no cause Of otiense to any
We copy below, brief synopsis Of on
Of his speeches
spEECR OF THE HON. ". II. VAN fPrs, cASDI
DATE FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, DELIV
Erred AT MACoNB, ILL, AUG. 9, 1868.
MR. PRrsIpEyT AND FELLOW CITIZENS -
1t gives me great pleasure to meet with tn,
people of McDonough and surrounding
counties at this time, for the reason that
feel quite at home here, having spent some
years Of my life in an adjoining county
The great questions and issues Of the day,
pertaining to finance, reconstruction, with
the invaluable right of suffrage, will not, ia
nv few brief remarks, be dwelt upon &c
any extent. ! shall leave them for more
able minds, who are emnently yersed in
the political issues of the day, and who will
set them forth in their true light TO your un'
derstanding and approval, | have no doubt
Yet there are other great leading principles
not to be lost sight Of by an agricultural
community. The toiling millions who spend
their laborious hours in the workshops and
in the fields Of this great prairie state are,
by unequal and unjust legislation, made to
pay tribute to the bondholding and purse
proud manufacturing interests Of our east.
ern states, through an oppressive protective
tariff; and it is mora particularly TO this
enormous tax that ] would call your atten.
ton at this time.
There is no country under the broad
heavens better prepared than this for free
aud unrestricted trade and commerce, and
where labor and the products of labor
would be better rewarded to let every man
buy 10 the market that suits him best, and
sell wherever his judgment may lead him.
| am now speaking for myself as the thing
looks to me. \ tariff 50 adjusted light
and equal covering more largely the luxu
rics than the neccssaries of life; expressly
for revenue not prohibitory in its workings
would be calculated to revive commerce,
open up the resources of our whole country,
and so stimulate the carrying trade that new
markets and new avenues would be sought
out that the furled canvass of unOccupied
shipping Of this great nation should again
be spread to the breeze and whitcn our in.
land seas and the broad ocean. The dor.
mant energies Of ten Of the great states and
sovereignties Of this union should be en-.
couraged by wise legislation, and stimulated
by the hand Of labor and capital, to unlock
their untold resources. Those states, now
under servile and oppressive rule, would, by
the kindly aid Of wise and democratic ad
in my humble opinion, again
bud and blossom as the rose. The same
tropical products Of that vast region are so
nterwoyen into our seeming and real ne
,essities, that TO dispense with their use is
suicidal to our prosperity as a people, and
impossible. That being so, then how, my
friends, democrats or republicans, are we to
encourage and bring about this desirable
change in public affairs? Must we not
awaken the better nature Of man by adopt
ing a line Of policy in keeping with the con.
repulsive to the free Ameri
can citizen; and not, by acts of dctatorial,
oppressive, congressional Legislation, eXer-
cised over these 100000 of people,-free.
born white race, rule them az with rod
of iron, allowing them no voice in the pub.
lie administration Of the laws, and taxing
them heavily without representation All !
gentlemen, their lives have not fallen to
hem in pleasant places. This unnatural
rule and tyranny-to use no harsher words
ARE pure and unadulterated dcspotism. 1t
IS for you and me, republicans and demo
,rats, to look the facts squarely in the face,
md see if these things are not so. Let us
lold out the olive branch, the harbinger Of
'eace,-yes, real peace,-and by our acts,
" our legislation, rather, by our acts of
.brogation,-say kindly to these people,
The war is ended peace is restored and
low, brothers, here is the right hand of fel.
owship. You are bone of my bone, flesh
# my flesh. Come, legislate for yourselves.
send along your legal representatives to
white mans congress, as is your right and
privilege to do Let us once more lay the
Oundations of our prosperity broad and
eep let this vast region of ten productive
tates be brought into active and profitable
se let the interchange of vast commodi,
les 20 on our rivers and harbOrs be i'm
roved; our meats, machinery, and cereals
eek southern market their natural outlet;
nd the bone and sinew and muscle of this
asst population be again, and at once, intro.
uced to acceptable, honorable, and profts.
lie industry; and, believe me, gentlemen,
nch q reaction would occur in our land
nat, with just laws and as little legislation
5 possible, our public burdens would be
ghtened, even under enormous and unnec.
ssary taxation free trade and commerce,
lways the incentives to industry and pros.
erity when in active use, would again re
i've and the great metropolis of the prai
e west would put on additional strides.
,ailroads would multiply, and, by their in.
rease, regulate the carrying trade satisfac |
,rily. The Illinois and Michigan canal |
Ould break through the iRtTvening bd1ri. |
$, tapping the Fdtbcr Of Waters at Rock |
'Iaad, drawing trade and tribute from eight
states, and prospectively as many |
ore in the early future. Our noble rivers,
Ie Illinois and Mississippi, would be rap.
ly improved and distractions to com.
erce would be overcome as by magic.
nd why? With such people, and with
ch prospects before the great, irrepressi.
e American nation of states, governed by
lie general impulse, such things as obstruc.
1ns or hindranCes to commerce would not
ng be known. Let US, therefore, wisely
stermine for ourselves the great measures
Nv before the American people let US see
it that our best men are called to respon.
BILE positions, and that change in public
fairs is had by dispacing the corrupt party
wv in power. Nothing short of that can,
my humble opinion, restore our distracted
untrY to quiet, peace, and prosperity.
You will now allow me, my friends and
to digress from the usual 20.
ical topics of the day; and am certain
u will believe me when say to you that
'Itics, as such, and as often managed, are
cidedly distasteful to me. am not pol.
clan, in the common acceptstion of the
rm. The tilling of the soil is more congo
al to me, and possibly better adapted to
e development of my humble abilities.
,era homavpr Otbar IN,