The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1872-12-14
,srlNprNe our FHE STATES.

STAMPING our THE STATES.
When any people become indifferent to
their right to manage their own local affairs
they are in danger of losing their own lib
critics. Little by little they suffer their
rights to be encroached upon until only a
bloody revolution can recover their lost iber-
ties. From the beginning of our govern
ment TO the present hour it has been the
sacred mission Of the Democratic party to
jealousy guard local self government and
prevent the entertainments Of unconshtu-
tional Federal power over the States.
Eternal vigilance is the price Of liberty
has been their rallying cry. and on every
occasion, in war or in peace, they have
warned the people not 20 yield up their
liberties into the hands Of any central or
military power The people of this State
have not forgotten how pusillanimously
the mayor Of Chicago yielded his own au-
thority to the rule of military satrap, or
how calamity Gov. Palmer struggled for
and regained the control of affairs in his
own State. Events are now Transporting in
the South which show that the people there
are not 70 be permitted to elect their own
officers unless they elect the men the Grant
ring want elected.
Not quite a year ago the country was
first startled by the exploits Of the custom
house ring in New Orleans. The control
OF party conventions by force, the employ
ment Of the United States troops and
Gatling guns as features Of party discipline,
and the kidnapping aud imprisonment of
members OF the State Legislature on board
OF United States revenue cutters, as
means Of influencing legislation, were
novel achievements on the part of the New
Orleans custom house.
An attempt was made by the people of
Louisiana in the late campaign 10 rescue
the State from the custom house control
under which it had been shamefully plum
dered and misgoverned Democrats, Lib
erals and supporters of Grant united ON
fusion ticket bearing the names Of some Of
the most honored citizens The custom
house put up another ticket headed by
Kellogg, L. 5. Senator. A very heavy
vote was polled and there was no allega-
ton Of fraud until it was known that the
official returns indicated the defeat Of Rel
logg. Then It was proposed TO derive au-
thority from the enforcement act 10 amend
the official returns and thus deprive the
people Of their right to manage their own
affairs and elect their own officers. The
lawful Governor Warmoth has been
torcibly prevented from performing the
duties Of his office, simply because he and
the lawful government of the State we're
not friendly to the Kellogg carpet baggers
and negro, Pinchbeck, held in his place
by Judge Durells Federal courts and
Grants Federal bayonets.
Then look at Arkansas. There i'm
mense mass meetings of the people, Re
publicans and Democrats, proclaim that
the late Minstrel" triumph has been
won BY violating with brazen openness and
insolence both the State and Federal laws
that the registration was fraudulent in the
hrst place and was arbitrarily abridged
afterwards that the partisan election Off
GERS refused thousands Of lawful votes all
over the State, and then faIsfed or de-
stroyed adverse returns, that after fifty
thousand lawful voters were thus unlaw-
fully DISTINGUISHED, Brooks, the Liberal
candidate for Governor had still MAORI.
~ and that his opponent has been counted
In by the grossest official perjury. But as
the oomplanants in this case are not of the
Radical party there is no United States
attorney judge or marshal to take any
steps whatever in their behalf. On the
contrary, instead of overthrowing the
State government which has thus cheated
the people the power of the United States
appears on the scene only as a menace To
those who propose to hold State conven.
ton in Little Rock for the purpose of in
augurating measures for legal redress.
30 in Alabama the United States mar |
shals are used to give the organization of |
the Legislature 70 the Radical party by ar
resting Opposition members on their way |
10 the State capital And when, after this
resort fails, the legislature meets and Or
ganizes with lawful quorum and is recop-
nlzed by the Governor and legislators for
time as such, fortified by all the require
ments of law, his successor can, with i'm
punity, ignore it and proceed to govern the
State through a mob assembled without
certificates of election, in a United States
courtroom, and under the protection of
United States officers.
1t does seem strange that there is no
Judge Durell to count the votes of the
fifty thousand people who are DISTINGUISHED
by the loyal officials Of Arkansas, and no
Judge Durell 10 assist the recognized leg
stature Of Alabama in putting down the
attempts of Gov. Lewis to legislate through
a mob which possesses neither certificates
OF election nor q quorum.
1t Is thus that the right of the people to
manage their own affairs slips from their
control They will not be likely to regain
tneu lost rights except on the battlefield
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