The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-09-21

to a territory like that; We
have a government which enters into the |
daily life and domestic virtues Of all its cih' |
zens. And yet,in each recurring four years,
questions OF administration Of that great
governmental power, questions OF the very |
form, character, and essence Of the govern |
ment are decided by submission to the pee
pie. One of these periods have now come
one Of those meetings in which that decision
has 20 be made is held here to-day. You
have invited me 10 take part in that great
discussion. come TO do II, so far a. my
humble ability will permit. | come to ar,
raign before you, today, that great BODY oil
nv fellow citizens who call themselves the
republican party. come 10 srra'gn them
before themselves, and TO appeal from their
party policy, from their party preJuulces,
from their party pride, TO their own souno
judgement, aud their own patriotic asplra'
lions. am not forgetting that these repub.
licans are all our own fellow, countrymenIand
MANY of them our personal friends. am
not today impugnng their patriotism, or
questioning their sincerity, or doubling their
motives. am willing 70 believe that in the
exercise Of their political duties, they use the
Same sincerity, the same integrity, the same
patriotiun that | claim for myself attack
no mans motives deal with no man char.
acter deal with them as members OF Po'
Hlical organization, and deal with the meas.
urey OF tina, PORTUGAL organization AZ paris OF
a great governmental policy.
THE history OF PARTIES
in this country is peculiar. The democratic
| party, a. YOU know, was formed in the ad'
nipistratiou Of the elder Adams. It was
formed as a living protest against the infrac'
tions of the constitution which was contem'
Mated at the time. 1t was founded on the
! coua,stulon: it was founded with its princl.
ples 1t was imbued with it, ideas; it believed
| In the strict construction Of the powers which
were guaranteed 10 the federal government
il believed in those grants as they were un'
derstood at the time Of its formation. AND
the democratic party has maintained its prin'
ciples, It's organization, and almost us very
name since the hour OF its creation Other
parties have sprung upi factions nave sepa'
rated themselves from the democratic party,
and have given to other parties q temporary
nscendency they have sometimes obtained
the possession Of the powers of the govern
| ment But when the winds came, and the
rains descended, and the tempest beat upon
them, then those parties have dissolved they
have fallen, they have wasted away, and the
members have formed new organizations, OF
new principles, and with new names. And
| amidst 1t ALL the democratic party has beer
like the tabled giant Of old, who, every TINT
be was thrown, sprang up with renewed Wig
or from the touch of his mother earth
Cheers.
The republican party, on the other hand
fellow.citizens, is not Of long duration. J
was founded in lsjG, upon the ruins OF tn
old wing party. Not all the members Of tina
organization went into in. Those who wer
imbued with the spirit of Webster and Clay
those who we're willing to follow the lead o
Fillmore and of Winthrop, and--if may b,
permitted to say it, here in your own pres
ence--of your own honored fellow.citizer
Stuart: those who we're imbued with tn
principles of these men, refused to 60 int
the new organization. But all VIII
were sectional, oil who wer
rangtical, all who hated the constitution, a
who hated the uniou all who were dissat
fed, went into the republican organization
and they carried with them many dissatlsfa
democrats. need not tell you that the il
a. fancy of this party was marked BY Il
bloody troubles in Kansas, and by the inv
sion Of Virginia by John Brown. 18th
e is So" need not tell you that its adye
D to power in 1860 was marked by the d
4 slructicn of the harmony which up to tn
o time had existed among the people; that
# was marked by an attempt at dissolution
st the ties which bound our states togethe
lie that it was marked by the sorrows and N
cries Of the greatest civil war Of which h
Ie Iican party and democratic party-to-d
stand where they stood in the beRinnin
carrying out to their logical conclusions Il
D, principles upon which they were founded.
d The democratic party is the friend, the st
b want, the defender, the protector, tue revel
ry Of the constitution Of the United States.
u Cheers and "Amen to that The repu
n llcan party is the enemy, and seeks to ovt
x throw the constitution. THAT is So n
$, cheers.
~ THE tET Ar WHIST