The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-08-04


a serious duty. Our government has beer
perverted from its original intent. He haC
come 70 arralgn before that assemblaEe th'
vast body OF citizens known as the republi
can party. he came to arraign them before
themselves. He would not impugn their
| motives, or doubt their sincerity or patriot
ism. He would not deal with them in their
personal character, but as members Of q
great party. He arraigned the republican
party before the country for high crimes
against the constitution and the Union, and
| against the liberties of the citizens. That
party had had charge Of public Affairs for
seven years, aud. during that time, II had
done all in its power to destroy the govern
ment and bankrupt the people. Democracy
was founded on the constitution, and had
maintained, from the time Of John Adams
to this, It's character, It's organization, and
almost the same name The democratic
party, like Atlas Of OLD, when thrown to
Mother Earth, spraHg up again with renewed
strength and vigor The republican party
was not an old party. 1t sprang into exis
tence in 1856, from the old whig party. The
infancy of that party was marked
by the troubles in Kansas and the insur
rcction Of John Brown. lt1 accession to
power, in 1860, was signalized by a disrup.
ton Of the ties which bound this union to
gether, and the greatest civil war that ever
existed. That war came to an end. We
we're told then that we should have union
and peace. Gen.Shermans terms would have
made it SO but the president and the party
that elected him we're dissatisfied with Gen.
Sherman terms, and proposed others, which
were adopted by the south. Congress then
in turn, disapprOyed Of these, and proposed
others and the radicals, meanwhile, having
got possession Of congress, discovered that
these terms, in their turn, were not stringent
enough, and proposed another plan,-thc
present reconstruction act. Seven states
have been admitted to congress under cOnst
tutions they hate and institutions they abhor
These constitutions are based upon, aud car
ry out, the idea that the native born white
population should be dsfranchised, and pow.
er intrusted to the carpetbaggers Of the
south. To-day, in addition 10 this, three
states Mississippi, Virginia, and Texas
are forbidden 10 vote for president; and pre-.
Stunning to vote is au indctable offence. The
declarations Of the republican party have
kept pace, though at long distance, with
their acts. Equality Of the states was the
Fundamental idea of our constitution.
Cheers Without It, there can be no Tn.
ion and no confederation. If congress has
power to regulate the question Of suffrage in
South Carolina, IL has power in Indiana. If
1t has the power where did it get III Read
the constitution Of the United States. Did
they find it there? No; it was an admitted
fact that they did not derive this power from
the constitution. The republican party was
imbued with spirit Of revolutionary fanati.
cism. Cheers. In that spirit, il held It's
existence. 1t might seem to pause, but II
never stopped; if its leaders faltered,
their places we're filled by other men. The
republican party could not stop upon the
acts It had done, unconstitutional as they
had proven themselves to be; but, If it
should attain these, would demand more
power What lay at the bottom Of this rev.
dictionary spirit? 1t was fear of the ven.
geance OF the peOpe,-a dread Of the wrath
to come. Cheers lie knew it would be
said that he was wrong in all this. Their
ablest senator. however had undertaken the
task and he sand that when the rebellion
ended the southern states were without gov.
ernment aud without constitution, which
it was the duty Of congress to provide. He
Mr.. Pendleton) denied both propositions
They had still q constitutions operative, not
abolished. The amendments OF the const.
tuition were submitted to them. The state
Of Virginia was asked 10 consent TO the
formation of the state Of West Virginia
Surprising the government had ceased to
exist, had congress the power to create new
ones? He did not find that power ia the
constitution. He denied that the people Of
the south were in hostile attitude at the
close of the war; but, even if they had
been So what wisdom was there in aIienat.
ing them still further2 These gentlemen.
going about to seek an element for the form.
alton of new government, determined to
ignore the intelligence of southern society.
and base It upon negroes aud carpet bag.
gers. But they could not do it; the fOunda.
ton was too narrow. He could remind |
them that England had her Ireland and |
that lesson should not be lost upon Us. |
Those southern men were our brethren, a |
brave and hlgh-spirited people, Of our own |
blood. They had erred, it was true; but |
who had not? 4 father could conciliate his |
NHllh a INSDhI'l NNuIH GOntlIl |
ate his wife churches conciiate their er. |
ring members. Should we not now Concih |
ate our errinE brethrcn2 Such, at Least,
was the doctrine Of the democratic party. |
1t was doctrine of peace and the decar-
ations Of the party il relation to this sub.
ject were wise and beneicent Cheers
He repeated that the republican party
had bankruptcd the people In three years
before the LIST Of July 1868, they had col.
lected more tnan 81 ,400,000,0O0 from the
people, or nearly oue.tenth Of the value of
every kind Of property in the United States.
In 1868, the amount Of taxes collected for
the year WAS $500, 000, 000,-or 100000.
GOO more than was collected in the same
period from the people of Great Britain,
and Sl9O,O00,OO0 more than was collected
by the people of France. The public debt
amounted to $4,000, 900, O00,-a large por
ton being composed of what were known
as go bonds, payable in 20 years but re.
decmab'e at any time after five years.
lheSe were payable in legal tender notes of
the United States. He maintained that
these bonds kept on deposit as security shall
be taken up, and the interest stopped. lie
voted against the legaLtender act but now
he was IN favor of sticking to it until we
got out Of it all the advantages we could.
The republicans now propose to fund the t
public debt. They ask the people to give
up the right to redeem these bonds and h
stop the interest. Perpetuating the debt a
simply meant making the rich richer and
the poor poorer 1t meant low wages and
'canty employment, and to put the neck of
The laborer under the heel Of the capitalist.
This was the law they proposed to put upon
be country. He urged them to see to il -
hat the verdict they should give on the %
Tuesday Of October should be against this
ysten. In 1886, Indiana's 10000 majority 4
urncd the scale in favor Of James BS. A
hauau; and if, on the night of the election,
hey rejoiced their hearts with the inteIT.
.nnra that the Hon Thn,nn. 4 1IL..1