The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-10-07
Democratic State Convention,


The Illinois democratic state convention
whith met at Springfield on Wednesday was
attended by full delegt atoms from two thirds
OF the counties in the state and tH repres.
entations from all the counties except half
dozen. OF course the matter of nominating
candidate for congressman for the state at
large would not in itself have called out such
an attendance, but the interest conferred in the
construction of such platform as should
place the democracy Of Illinois In that front
position which they have ever occupied in
the democratic column with reference to those
advancing ideas which nave always marked
the democracy rs a party of progress. And
We are more than grained to find that the
platform adopted is FULLY up to the require
ments of the times. There is no blinking,
hesitation or do"ube dealing on any point
The convention unresrrvedly pledges the de-
m racy to abide and stand by the constitutional
amendments as facts accomplished, and while
they abide by these they also insist on the
rigid observance of every other portion of the
constitution. On the tariff question the plain,
simple and honest doctrine of free trade is
announced, without any OF those dishonest
equiyocations so common in republican plat
forms about "incidental protection" There
is another feature in the resolutions which
shows marked difference between democratic
"style" and that Of the republicans. This
of ion az Lr., 4
sharply The frauds ofits own party friends
the Tammany leaders in New York CITY, and
demands their expulsion from the trusts to
which they have proved so faithess but we
look ID vain in the resolutions of the Illinois
OF any other republican convention for Il sim
liar denuncation OF the republican carpet-bag
thieves In the southern STAGES, whose stea.ngs
have been millions where those of the Tam.
many thieves have been thousands On all
other questions, such as finance, internal tax
alton, banks, currency, and the interests of
the workingmcn, the resolutions are equally
clear and to the point, and in admirable con-
trast to the ambiguous and shuffling resolu-
tions of the late radical state convention. We
Shall publish the platform in full in our next.
MIR. Goodcll, whose nomination for congress-.
man at large we had heretofore urged, and
whom the democracy of This county favored.
having, before the convention met, peremp-
torily withdrawn his name, tue convention did
the next best thing by unanimously nom.
mating the Hon. s. s. Hays, of Cook county,
as the democratic standard bearer in the
present contest. The nomination was most
worthily bestowed Mr. Hays is one of the
ablest men IN the state,-a man of heightened
moral bearing and liberal, enlightened pro.
gressive democrat In congress, he would at
once be at the head of the. delegation from his
swn state, and would soon be recognised as
leader by the democracy of the nation. Since
the days Of Douglas and Breesc, We have had
no representative in the national legislature
more able than S. S. Hays.
The convention was presided over by the
Hon. o. c. Skinner, Of Quincy, and was thor.
oushly harmonious in all its proceedings.