The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-04-22
THE DEMOCRACY.
A Protest Against Radical Pref
legacy and UsurpatioR.
ADDRESS OF the CONGRESSIONAL
DELEGATION TO TIE AMEEI-
Can. PEOPLE.
The Country Rapidly Drifting to
military Capitalization.
HOW CONGRESSIONAL LEG
ISLATION Is PROSTITU-
TED FOR PARTISAN
PURPOSES.
Cancellation vs.. PFOScripti0R---A
Timely Warning.

address
To the People OF the Uaited States
Our presence aad orheIAI duties ct Wash
ington have enabled us 70 become fully &C
quaInted with the actions and designs OF
those who control the radical party, aud VT
feel called on 10 utter few words OF warn
ing against the alarming strides they have
made toward the Capitalization of power ~
the hands of congress and the executive.
The time and attention Of the radical lead
ers have been almost wholly directed to de-
vIsing such Legislation as wall, 10 their view,
BEST preserve their Ascendancy, and no
regard for the wise restraints imposed D.
the constitution has checked their reckless
and desperate career. The president Of the
United States has been formally announced
as a candidate for re election The deciAr
alton Of his selfish supporters have been
echoed by q subsidized press and the dis
cipline of the party has already made adhe-
sion to his personal fortunes tue supreme
test Of political feAlty. The partisan legis
lAuon 10 which we refer wSs decreed and
shaped in secret caucus, where the eXtrem-
est counsels always dominated, ana was
adopted BY subservient majority. if not
with the intent, certainly with the effect, 70
place IN the hands Cf the pregideul the pow
or to command his own denomination and
TO employ the navy, army and militia at his
sole discretion AS II means Of So bserxlng his
personal ambition.
When the sad experience OF the Last two
years, SO disappointing 10 the hopes sno
generous confidence otthe country, Is consid-
cred 10 con nection with the violent utter al Gee
and rash purposes OF those who control the
presidents policy, II rs not surprising that
the grSvsst approximations for the future
peace OF the nation should be entertained
At q time when labor is depressed and every
material interest Is hGmpered by oppressive
taxation, public offices have been multiply
ing beyond ali precedent to serve as Iustru-
ments 10 the preparation of their power
PartisAnship is the only test applied to she
distribution OF thIS vast patronage. Hon
esty, fitness, and moral worth are openly
discarded in favor OF trucking submission
aud dlshonorsble CON pIIance hence, enor-
nous deiAlcAtious and widespread corrup-
ton have followed a. q natural CONSEQUENCE
OF this peruicious system. BE- the otheial
report Of the secretary of the treasury, II
appears that after the deductions of ali prop
er credits, many millions Of dollars remain
due from the e1-collectors of internal rev
enue, and no proper diligence has ever been
used to collect them. Reforms in the rev
eaue, which all experience demonstrates to
be necessary to the frugal administration OF
the government as we'll as a measure OF re.
lief 10 al oveEburdened people, have been
persistently postponed or wIliully elected
Congress now RdJOurns without having ever
attempted TO reduce taxation, or to repea
the glaring imposiuOns By which industry
I'D AID
IS overlooking, and an excess of $50, 200, OOU
revenue IS admitted, aud yet, instead OF
some measure of present relief. barren
aud delusIve resolution is passed By the
senate TO consider the tariff aud excise sys-
TENS hereafter, as If the history of broke Il
pledges and pretended remedies furnished
any better assurances for future Legislation
than experience has done In the past. The
shipbullding and carrying trade, one,
sources of nationai pride and prosperity
now languIsh under the crushing load o
taXAtion and nearly evey other business il
tsrest is struggling without profit TO main
tain itself Our Agriculturists while pAyinI
heavy tax on eli they consume, either I,
the government or the monopolists, ind III
prices for their own products so reduce,
that honest labor is denied it's Just reward
elimination. Nearly zoe, 900 900 acres o
public lands, which should have been re
served for the benefit of the people, hav
been voted away to giant corporations, neg
lectiDg our soldiers and enriching a hsnafu
of greedy spectators and lobbyists who ar
thereby enabled to exercise q most DANCE
Gus and oorrupting influence over state an
federal Legislation. If the career of thes
conspirAtors be not checked, the downfall @
free government is inevitable, and with
the elevation of a military dictator ON tn
ruins Of the ,epubhc.
| nder the pretence of passing laws 4
enforce the Fourteenth amendment and 10
other purposes, congress has conferred III,
most dsspotic powers upon the executive
and provided an official machinery by whicl
the Liberties of the people are meuaced ant
the sacred rights o! local self government il
the states ignored, if not tyrHnnically over
thrown. Modelled By the solutions laws 81
odious in history, they are at variance will
ell the sanctihed theories OF our institutions
and the construction given by these radieA
interpreters 20 the Fourteenth amendmen
is, TO use the language of an eminent sene
etor, MIR. Trum bull OF Illinois, IAN ami
hilaiOr Of the states" Under the las
enforcement BILL the executive may IN hi
discretion thrust aside the government o
any state suspend the write of habeas cor
pus arrest its governor; imprison or dis
perse its Legislature silence its judges, anC
trample down lite people. Under the armed
heel Of his troops, nothing is left 10 the cit
liens or state which can any longer be calleC
right all is changed into mere sufrance
Our hopes for redress are In the calm
good sense OF the sober, second thought o
the American people. We call upon them
TO be true to themselves and TO their past
and, dlsregardlng party name and minoi
differences, TO insist upon q decent equal!
cation OF power the restriction of fedora
authority within it's Just and proper limits
leaving to the states that control of their
domestic affairs which is essential to thei
happiness aud Tranquil lity and good govern
meni. Everything that malicious ingenuity
could suggest has been done to irritate the
people Of the middle and southern states
Gross and exaggerated charges of disorder
Had violence have been originated in the
mischlsvous minds OF the political manager,
in the senate and house Of repre- .eutatives.
10 winch the executive has, we regret to say
lent his aid, and TINS helped to inaAme th.
popular feeling. In all this course of hos.
tile Legislation and harsh resentment. no
word Of cancellation, OF kind encouragemen,
or fraternsl fellowship has ever been spokep
by the president or By conpressto the people
of ths southern states. They have been
addressed only in tho language of proscrip.
tion.
We earnestly entreat our fellow.oitizens
In all parts Of the union to spare no eifor,
10 m"int~in peace and order to carefully
prosecs enc rights Of tve-y citizen &c
p,d w KINDLY re'Ations among all men
violation of the rights Of .anv nor,;on ~ -,
p''P'e secured under the constitution by AN,