Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-08-21
Uailr Angus.
ADDRESS AND RESOLUTIONS
OF THE
Liberal Republican Convention.
HELD AT
Cincinnati, May 1, 2, and 3.
OFFICIAL COPY.
To the people ofhe United States: :

~ We peOpte " tHe CHtted ctdttS;
The Administration now in power has
rendered itself guilty of wanton disregard of
the laws of the land, and of usurping po Eers
not granted by the constitution it has act
ed as if the laws had 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 ths 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-
sibihty, to the detriment of the public inter
eats.
He has used the public service of the gov
ernment as q machinery of corruption and
personal influence, and has interfered with
tyranicsl arrogance in the political affairs of
states and municipalities.
| He has rewarded with influential and lu-
crative offcies men who had acquired his fa-
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 imposed upon him by the neces-
sites of the country, and culpsbly careless
of the responsibilities of his high Office.
The partissns of the administration as
suming to be the Republican party, and CON
trolling its organization, have attempted to
Justify such wrongs and palliAte such abuses,
TO the END OF maintaining partisan ascend
ancy.
They have stood 10 the way of necessary
investing and Indispensable 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
their own advantage ; they have resorted to
arbitrary measures in direct conflict with
the organic Law, instead of appealing to ths
better instincts and latent patriotism of tn,
southern people by restoring to them these
rights, the enjoy ment OF which is ihdispen
sable TO a successful ad ministration of thei
local affairs, and would tend to revive q pa
triotic and hopeful national feeling.
They have degraded themselves and The
name of their party, once Justly entitled t.
the confidence of the nAtiou,by a base syco
phancy to the dispenser Of executive powe
and patronage, unworthy of republican tree
men they have sought to silence the voic
of lust CRITICS N, and stife the moral sens
of the people, and to subjugate publ
opinion BY tyranuical party discipline.
They are striving to maintain themselve
in authority for selfish ends by az unscrupu
lous use Of power the which ughtfull
belongs to the people, and should be en-
ployed only in the service of the country.
Believing that an organization thus lie
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, and patrio
ism of the American people.