Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-01-13
! q = q.
Political Situation of Mis-
souri, and the Union.
Address Of the Missouri Deme-
cratic State Central
Committee.
TEMPERATE REVIEW OF tue MIS-
SOURI, CANVASS OF 1870.
What the Passive Policy Ac-
complished.
A Eook at the Condition Of the
Nation.
TEMPERATE REVIEW OF TUE mis-
SOURI, CANVASS OF 1870.
A Eook at the Condition Of the
Nation.
THE MISSOURI REMEDY RECOMMENDED
RooNt oT ran DEMOCRATIC STATE !
GENITAL COMMITTEE.


CENTRAL CoNHI,rEE.
Or. Louis, JAN. 5, 1874.
To the Democracy OF Missouri.
The occasion seems opportune for your
central committee 70 rsvisw, in ths light OF
accomplished facts, the course pursued BY
them ia the political campaign Of 1870.
When 10 the early pArI Of that yeAr this
committee resolved, after careful reflection
and consultation with many eminent Dem
ocrAts Of undouoted attachment to Demo
cratic principles, ard uoquessioned pA'rio.
tism, 10 Aostain from the conies, for state
Offices then about 90 begin, !hey assumed =
responsibility not clearly AuthIrlzsd oY the
terms Of the trust which you had contded
to their hands; bat they did not take the
step without Jhe high warrant OF the approx.
ing aoclamAtion OF nearly the entire body OF
the Democratic masses. Nothing bat this
oil bat unanimous approval could take the
place Of the decision Of 9 state convention,
and Justify your committee ia the unusnA.
course purSusi. Bat thu discussion of the
proposition proved Iha, the Democrats
masses Of MisIouri hAi insuuctvely dis
covered the very method vhich con msnded
itself 10 the attention Of vour comJI;,tee. aud
were poiaiing TO 10 - the only swift and
psscsful course Of delIverAnce OF our people
from the letters Of . proscriptive and part
isAn rule that was esiranging them from
their political rights aud duties, and
threatening TO exunguish the spirit OF pop
ulAr liberty. The adoption Of the method
was instantly followed b. the effects which
had been looked for Scarcely had the
committee formally and in unqussiioned
good faith, proclaimed that the Democratic
party would make no nominations for gov
ernor and the other state Offices, bat would
leave the contest for those high positions
entirely TO the Republicans, than n disssn
sion among our opponents, ill then COO
Quoted with little spirit and marked With nc
significance, began to expand into the ire
concilable quarrel which produced tn,
Liberal Republican schism Of September
1870 At Jefferson City, and iuAuguratsd tn,
subsequent instructive and memorable can
vAss. Almost at the outset Of this con,es
II assumed i,s inevitable aspects. Tn,
Liberal Republicans took the position of th
absent Democracy on tho questions of n,
campaign. and fought the battle against tn
proscrip'ivs policy that had afflicted
the state, if not with NOR
ooarAgs aud zeal, 81 least with
happier success than the manAoled DsmoC
raoy had been aole to 6ght II ia prsVIou
contests. Although at FIRST It involved onl
one important, but local question, Il cam,
20 embrace the national questions Of tariff
civil service reform, and ihs right of presi
DENTAL interference 10 tue state elections
and not only did toe Liberal Republican
assert the Democrats doctrines on thss
subjects, bat they became the jealous an
effective opponents OF the disfrauohisemen
which their own party had imposed on tt
peOple-casuug aside party obligation
aud allegiance, aud boldly deiyinR the ven
geancs of the national executive, 10 effsC
the restoration Of free government to To
state, and ~ invest one.tnIrd Of the numbe
ofqualiisd voters OF NJ s,ouri With that 50
cred right Of suffrage Of which. for 6v
years, they had beeu unjusily deprived
Democrats could not aud did no, renal
indifferent to such = Struggle. Thsir waive
OF righg 20 contest tho stats Offices did nc
impair their coherenoy nor lessen their d.
vouou 10 time.houofed principles. The
had made . sacrifice Of party pride an
claims for tho purpose Of eifectng grs'
and patriotic purpose delivprance
prescribed fsllow.cigizsns from q harsh di
ability and Ihey felt no annoyance 10 sac
ing that the effort ofths Liberal Rspubl
cans TO effect that same objsci promised
be more successful than the past efforts
their own party had been. They found &c
that this sacrifice was not without oompsr
sAlion, for, in aos aining from the coutes
they became the arbitsrs Of II. Their re-
srvation Of the power 10 contest the ele
tious for members Of congress and the le,
islaiure, and the local oifcsr,, secured IN
oompac,usss Of thsir organization again
all dispsrsing influence aud the mArke
differences OF spirit between the conteudin
parties and the executive interference
favor OF the regular ticket showed the
how 90 use their reserved power in II
cause Of tree principles aud constitution
government. They gave the benefit OF the
large vote 20 the liberal minority, and 81
cured the election Of its state ticket by
decisive majority Of more than forty thou
and votes.
The result Of the election was little le
than = revelation os the state Royernmeu
number Of our fellow citizens, various
estimated nj City TO n hundred thousan
who had been Invested OF their suffrage
we're rs.enfranohissd; a system Of reRis,r
ton thu, had been the prolific cause
fraud, favoritism. oppression and Grim
was abolished; counties that had been d.
prived Of representation, or had been mi
represented in the Legislature BY psrsol
not chosen by thsir people, we're re-admi
tel TO their constitutional right; major
Of democrats and liberal republicans Ws
chosen By the Legislature; a large unajo
Of the counties Of the state we're transfer,
from the ooutrol OF the proscrplive par
TO the hands Of democratic and liberal r
publican local officers; and the party TIL
had governed the state for years with a ri
or Of sns unsKampled in its history, wi
suddenly Sborn Of nearly all les power.
The state government which was chose
with the assistance Of democratic votes HI
fulfilled all the reasonable expectations G
which those votes we're cast, II has give
US Just and economical administration
the affairs Of the common wealth, which hI
recognized its Indebtedness to the slemel
that elected 1t by calling into the publ
services full proportion OF patriotic dem
Gratis whose high character did not eXem
them from virtual ostracism during the "a
Of the proscriptivs party; demanded 9th
qualifications for public duties aud homo
than the simple one Of demc7s,rative IL
atty; and changed a society. disordered al
DISC die,sd BY the ptiuful aud comp also
agencies devised TO maintain the power Of
minority, into Q healthy body polite. !
posing oontsntsdly in the consciousness
selEgovsrn msnI. When we contrast I
present state OF things With the wanton a
wicked waste Of the lands and funds II
we're the pairinonv OF oar common schoo
tbs grsa, frsul. that NAKED 'hs sale Of :
railroads; tbs nav nsr, of tbs militia A.
the settlement Of var a-ro11t' with the {.
eral Rovsrumsnt; and the excitement q
confederation that attended the rigorous e
forosmsni Of the tsst oath, under previo