Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-08-19
gailp argus.
ADDRESS AND RESOLUTIONS
OF THE
LIBERAL Republican Convention.
HELD AT
Cincinnati. May 1, 2, and 3.
OFFICIAL COPY.
Q the people ofhe United States:-

To the people Of the United States
The Administration now 10 power has |
rendered itself guilty of wanton disregard of
the laws of the land, and of usurping pc gers
not granted by the constitution it has act (
ed az if the laws bad binding force only for /
these who are governed, and not for those
who govern. 1t has thus struck blow at
the fundamental principles of constitutional
government and the liberties of the citizen.
The President Of the United States has
openly used the powers and opportunities of
his high Office for the promotion of person
al ends.
He has kept VIGOROUSLY corrupt and
unworthy men in places of power and respon-
sibility, to the detriment of the public inter
ests.
He has used the public service of the gov
ernment as a machinery of corruption and
personal influence, and has intertered with
tyrsnicsl arrogance in the political affairs of
states and municipalities.
He has rewarded with influential and lu
crAtive offcies men who had acquired his ia
vor by valuable presents, thus stimulating
| the decentralization of our political life by his
conspicuous example.
| He has shown himself deplorably unequal
to the task posed upon him by the neces-
sites of the country, and culpably careless
of the responsibilities of his high Office.
The partisans of the Administration as
summing to be the Republican party, and con-
trolling its organization, have attempted to
Justify such wrongs and palliate such abuses,
10 the enc OF maintaining partisan ascend
sncy.
They have stood ia the way of necessary
Investigations and indispe nsible reforms,
pretending that no serious fault could be
found with the present administration of
public affairs, thus seeking to blind the eyes
of the people.
They have kept alive the passions and re-
sentiments of the late war, to use them for
theif own advantage 4; they have resorted to
arbitrary measures in direct conflict with
the organic law, instead Of appealing to the
better instincts and latent patriotism of the
southern people by restoring TO them these
rights, the enjoy ment OF which is indlspen
sable to a successful ad miniStrauon OF thelI
local affairs, and would tend to revive pa
triolic and hopeful national feeling.
They hive degraded themselves and the
name of their party, once justly entitled Il
the confidence Of the nation, by base syco-
phaucy to the dispenser of executive powe
ard patronage, unworthy Of republican free.
men they have sought to silence the voice
of Just criticism, and stihs the moral sens
of the people, and to autjugate publ
opinion BY tyrannioal party discipline.
They are striving TO maintain themselve
: iu authority for selfish ends by an unsorupu
lous use of power the which rghtfull
belongs to the people, and should be EN-
= ployed only in the service of the country.
Believing that an organization thus ie
and controlled can no longer be OF service
the bests interests of the republic, We hav
resolved to make an independent appeal I
the sober Judgment, conscience, aud Ps'rio
lam of the American people.