The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-04-30
GOVERNOR PALMER.
s2ss s-fss"r ss"Dudiasiasg auy CGn-
2GCtken WITH 5sse Grant ESa-ky.

SrRINGFlELD, LII, april Is, 1872
: :" The (RepubIican) State
Convention which has been called TO
meet at Springfield on May 22d will be
controlled hy mon whose leading object
will he to secnre the denomination and
election Of President Grant, and they
will make all the nominations Of State
officers subordinate to that object, ami
will have a right to expect that the can.
didate for Governor they select will
sympathjze il their lavorite Object, and
undertake the canvass Of the State TO
promote its success. | do hot believe
President Grant shonld be renominated
BY The Republican party, and will not
say SO nor will | consent to canvass
the State to promote his re election un-
less the candidate placed in the field
against BIN is more Objectionable.
supported General Grant in 1868 with
great chcerfulneSs. Then the issues
which followed the war were Of transcen,
dent importance. 1t was then necessary
TO provide complete guarantees for the
liberty, equality, and protection of all,
and III comparison with the perfect ac-
mplishment Of these fundamental OBJ
jects of tie Government, measures Of
administrative reform were of small
Importance, and, in fact, from the state
Of the public mind were then impossi-
bic. Now the most important public
questions are such Us relate to the en-
Iorcement Of the laws; the administra-
ton of the public provision for the care
OF the helpless classes; the reduction Of
the burdens Of taxation; the enforce
ment of official honesty and RESPONSE
bility, ant the protection of the liber
ties Of the people As all who are IA
miliar with my opinions know, believe
that all reforms and improvements in
the direction indicated must begin in
the State, and the first step towards
success must be to win back to the gov
ernment of the States the confidence
and affection of the people. No man
need expect reforms in the administra-
tration Of the Federal Government un-
til the people assume the government of
the States and enforce honesty and good
government there The President and
Congress are too remote from the
people to pay any great degree of atten-
ton TO their wishes. They must be i'm,
pressed by the action and example OF
the States.
With these views, l can not defend
or justify the opinion acted upon by
General Grant, when he ordered -four
companies of infantry into this State to
act as police, and that dictated his ap.
proval of the acts of General Sheridan
in raising troops by his own authority
in this State, subjecting Chicago to mil
itary rule, whereby peaceable citizer
Of the State was unlawfully killed.
These lawless and dangerous assump
lions of authority can not be defended
or apoloeized for by me while the oh
legations of an oath to support the Con
stitution and enforce the laws of thi
State rest upon me. If the power!
claimed and acted upon by the Presi
dent in these instances exist in him, tn
State of Illinois is but dependency o
the government at Washington, and tn
lives and liberties of the people are sub
ject to the will of the President T,
, defend these acts of the President is t.
concede that the power he claimed ex
lists. Such concession by the Govern
or would be crime against the peepl
of the State. Nor could l, if eand
date for Governor, say to the peopl
that President Grant has the inclination
and ability to enforce economy and rc
form in the Government Nor will
submit my judgment on these points t.
| Convention that will be dominated b
| his appointees and partisans,
JOHN NJ. PALMER.