The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-10-23
Judge eaton.

to the movement, so numerously and respect.
ably seconded by its partisan friends in vari.
Gus parts OF the county. to elect Judge Cation
as delegate to the state constitutional con-
ventlon without reference to party predilec-
tons. The Republican insinuates that it is
simply dodge to get Democrat elected to
the convention, and exhorts its partisan
friends to see to it that none but out-and-out
republicans be sent to the convention from re-
publican districts. Had the Republican had
the fairness to publish Judge Cations letter OF
acceptance, its readers might have had an OPP
portmity of seeing, from the platform he
lays down, that no fair minded republican
can object to voting for him on grounds of
mere partyism. The principles by which
Judge Cation says he will be governed ii elect
ed are certainly such rs must commend them
selves to the approval of fair minded men of
all parties.
But the Rspnb|ican knows very well that
there are reasons outside of mere questions
Of partyism why the people in two-thirds of
this county are very anxious for the election
OF Judge Cation. 1t is not only because he is
man whose vast judicial knowledge pre-
eminently fits him for such position, but be-
cause he is not bound by a pledge, as his op-
ponents on the republican ticket are, to use
their whole efforts in the constitutional con-
vention to procure such a change of the pres
cnt constitution that this county can be cut
up into ribbons to CRAFTY the greed of land
and town lot spectators in Mendoza and q
few other border villages by the creation of a
lot OF new county seats. Talk about party
fealty What will Eldridge and Hart care
In the constitutional convention about mere
party issues if they can succeed in dividing
this county? The only issue of pure par
tisan character that can come before the con.
vention is that of negro suffrage, and that
only on the assumption that the 18th amend
ment is not ratified by sufficient number of
states; and on that point Judge Cation pro-
poses, as any other honest man would. that
the people be allowed to vote on it separately.
Mere party politics, therefore, are not the
sticking point" with Mcssrs. Corwin e. Rad.
clitfe, OF the Ottawa Republican. Their ex-
hortations to their readers to g stick to the
party is sham, and means something else
They know very well why Eldridge and Hart
were nominated and why they are so earnest
ly supported on the west side of the county.
Says the Mendoza Chronicle, after writing
labored article in favor OF a division of the
county:
With earnest work, our future prospects are
good Judge Edridge and Mr.. Hart will be a
strona power in our favor in the convention
Let all parties unite and give these gentlemen
seats in that body, This is the work for to-day.
After election, there will be further work for
the friends of this movement. Remember, citi.
zens OF Mendoza, this is probably our last chance
to open the way for new county. Let not the
golden opportunity be lost.
Messrs. Corwin Il Radcliffe are from the
west end OF the county themseves-they are
also reputed to be men of wealth, and their
lands and possessions lie in the west end of
the county. 1t is true, at present they reside
in the center, but they have come here only
with carpet bags, live in rented houses, and
when they have SO played their cards that
their real estate doubles in value, they can
pick up their carpet bags and travel back.
We tell our people plainly and fairly, then,
that the question involved in the election of
delegates to the constitutional convention is
not politics, but division of the county, and
that on that question, the Ottawa RepuJLican
is owned aud controlled in the interest of the
dividcrs.
Shall La Sale county be divided Shall
she be cut up into shretls and ribbons, as
Mashall and Putnam were, shorn of her politi-
cal influence and standing, and shorn of her
fair fame abroad rs the wealthiest and heayi-
est county in the state except Cook These,
and not political issues are the questions on
which the people are now to vote. There is
not farm in the county this side of the west
crn tier of towns but will depreciate from 10
to SO per cent in value the day it is decided
that La Sale county is to be divided. We
appeal to the experience of old residents of
Marshall and Putnam counties for proof of
this. The man is an enemy to the interests
of every property holder in the county except
the little clique of spectators we have indi-
Gated who votes for Bldridge and Hart, and
should be regarded and treated as such.
"
Secretary Boutwell, holds the doctrine "that
a public debt is a public blessing" and not