The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-03-17
LETTER FROM COL. J. B DANFoRTH, JR.
TO THE NEW YORK WORLD.

Here is letter which we have received
from Q distinguished Western Democrat,
that may show our friends in the Assembly
what responsibilities now rest In their hands,
and how their course is watched with In.
terest iu every part Of the country IL Ed.
WORLD
To the Editor of The World:
SIR: Much interest is felt outside the
State of New York in regard to the course
OF your Legislature upon the new charter
for your city, and the action OF the Demo
cratic Assent smen will be closely scrutin
lied. As q Democratic editor of nearly
twenty five years experience mostly in the
Vest, have reason to know that, after the
result of your last fall election WAS known,
high hopes were everywhere entertain d by
Democrats that the odious and undemocratic
commissions foisted upon the people of your
city by Radical rule would be wiped out,
and that the Democratic principle of self
government would be promptly and unani
mously recognized and restored to the PEG
pls OF the metropolis. For years the Demo
cracy OF the nation has groaned under the
ooium OF bad government In your city, and
everywhere we have had to bear the sueers
OF our opponents IN regard to rings and
ufsiohs IA -NSn SltN, III Iuut
cIary, its councils, and its police Unless
thorough means are taken by the Democrats
of your Legislature to fully restore to the
people complete control of their their own
local affairs, the State cannot b, retained
by the Democracy, and we OF the country
having still TO share in the odium OF bad
government in the metropolis, may we'll
despair of seeing the country restored to the
party of the Constitution. Let the princI-
lie OF local self government be fully &C
knowledged by every Democratic member of
your Legislature, and carried out to it's
logical conclusions, and the hands OF Dem
ocrats everywhe will be strengthened in
the great work Of redeeming the whole
country from Radical misrule.
Those persons who think this contest to
be local quarrel between rival rings bu,
poorly understand the question. They can
not have given it the consideration its great
importance demands. II is no local quarrel
1t is a contest tor great, a fundamental
Democratic prlnci ple-the right of the
people to manage and control their own
affairs. The population, the wealth,
the business interests, and the
influence of New York City are greater than
the average of the Ststes-grester com bined
than those OF any State. The influence of
New York upon the morals, the business,
the politics of the country at large is greater
than that of any Ssate. Shall it be said then
that the people outside of New York City,
or New York State, have no interest in the
contest? They have an interest in the re
suit, and very considerable one too. No,
this is no local quarrel. 1t is a contest of
the people against corrupt rings OF trading
politicians-against men who, making poll
tics trade, eat up the taxes of the people !;
bring disorder and disrepute upon local
politics; betray the great trust coutded to
their care, aud call down dishonor and dis
respect upon the party at large. The Dem
ocratic party of the Union ask to be relieved
from carrying this load of odium any further.
In the coming struggle for constitutional
rights and constitutional government, they
ask to be relieved from carrying any unnes.
sary weight. They ask for such per
lection Of government, such high honor
such stricsness of intergy in New York
City as shall reflect credit, not disgrace, up
on the party OF the Union Let the Demo
cratic Assem- blymen at Albany begin to re-
slIze the position they occupy before the
country. Let them not disappoint the ex-
pectatons, not only of their i'm mediate con
stituents, but of their friends throughout the
country. Let them SEE 10 II, tlal the
w-oags Of the people are righted now. Let
them turn over TO the people the entire man
agement OF their own local affairs with every
succeeding election, and they will earn the
applause of the party of the constitution
Throughout, the land. Let them fail to do
this and they will receive, as they will then
deserve, the ceusure Of all Democrats
throughout the country. The course of the
World meets the approval Of all right
thinking Democrats in the country, and the
principles it contends for must be sustained
at Albany if we would hope to place the
country again upon the platform of the Con
stitution. A WESTERN EDITOR.