New Orleans Republican., 1872-04-20
Governor Palmer, Of Illinois.
We copy this special dispatch from

We copy this special dispatch from thu
| st. Louis Democrat:
SPRINGFIELD, H., April 16.-The follow
ing letter from Governor Palmer will ap
pear in the Carlinville Democrat tomorrow
Editora Carlinville Democrat:
Such of my old friends as may have heard
the announcement you were authorized Il
make, that l would not be candidate be
fore the Republican State Convention fol
renomination, no doubt felt some curiosity
to know the reason for my conduct, and
know Of no medium so proper for giving
them the information as the columns Of the
newspaper established by us in 1856, when
the Republican strength ir Macoupin county
amounted to 500 votes out of voting popu-
lation of nearly 1000.
The State convention, which has been
called to meet at Springfield on May 90,
will be controlled by men whose leading
object will be to secure ths nomination
and election of President Grant, and they
will make all the nominations Of State of
ficers subordinate to that object, and will
have right to expect that the candidate
tor Governor they select will sympathize
in their favorite object, and undertake the
canvass of the State to promote its sue
cess.s / do not believe President Grant
should be renominated by the Republican
party, and will not say SO; nor will con-
sent to canvass the State to promote his
reelection, unless the candidate placed
in the field against him is more
objectionable; supported General
ness. Then the issues which followed the
war were of transcendant Importance. Il
was then necessary to provide complete
guarantees for the liberty, equality and pro-
lection Of all, and in comparison with the
perfect accomplishment of these funaa-
mental objects Of government measures of
administrative reform were of small i'm
pOrtance, and, in fact, from the state of the
public mind, were then impossible. Now
the most important public questions are
such as relate d tie enforcement of the
laws, the administration Of public provision
for the care of the helpless classes, the re-
duction of the burdens of taxation, the en-
forcement of official honesty and response
bility. and the prosecution of the liberties
of the people.
As ali who are familiar with nv opinions
know l believe that all reforms and i'm
provements in the direction indicated must
begin in the State, and the first step to-
ward success must be to win back to the
and affection of the people. No man need
expect reforms in the administration Of the
federal government until the people as
sumo the government of the State and en-
force honesty and good government there.
The President and Congress are too remote
from the people to pay any great degree Of
to their wishes. They must be
impressed by the action and example of the
States. With these views / can not de-
fend or Justify the opinion acted upon by
General Grant when he ordered four COM
panies of infantry into this State to act as
police, and that dictated his approval Of
The acts of General Sheridan in raising
troops by his own authority in this |
State, subjecting Chicago to mill |
.ary rule, whereby a peaeeable citizen |
IF the State was unlawfully killed. These !
awless and dangerous assumptions of au- |
.hOrity can not be defended or apologised |
or by me while the obligations Of an oath |
20 support the constitution and enforce the |
avs of the State rest upon me. If the pow
rs claimed and acted upon by the Presi-
lent in these instances exist in him, the |
State of Illinois is bur dependency of the |
government at Washington, and the lives
md liberties Of the people are subject to
he will Of the President. To defend these |
cts of the President is to concede that the
'ower he claimed exists. Such conces-
ion by the Governor would be crime
gainst the people of the State. Nor could
, if candidate for Governor, say to the I
eople that President Grant has the incli-
alton or ability to enforce economy and
eform in the government; nor will submit
az judgment on these points to a conven-
ion that will be dominated BY his ap-
ointees and partisans.
JOHN NJ. PALMER.