Wilmington journal., 1872-04-26
by telegraph to New York Tribune.j
Governor Palncr'S Final Declaration
Against Gra1s-ReasOns Why He De-
clined to be Candidate for Re-

NHltAGO, ~hplI IL; 1919
The following important letter from Gov.
Palmer 10 mis- ncighbCrs and friends OF
MacOupin county, to-day made public, is
i'll explanation OF his dccination to permit
his name to be used before the Republican
State Convention for denomination. 1t at
tracts great deal of attention:
To The Editor ol~thc CorlinrWe U0nocyut:
Such Of my old friends as may havo
heard the announcement you were author
lied to make, that | would not be candi-
date before the Republican state Conyen-
ton for denomination, 10 doubt felt some
curiosity to learn the reasons for my con-
duct, and L know Of no medium so proper
for giving them the information IS the
columns OF the newspaper established by
Us in 1856, when the Republican strength
i'll MacOupin county amounted TO 800 votes
out Of a voting population Of nearly 1000.
The State Convention, which has been
/ called to meet at Springfield on May -,
! will be controlled by men whose leading
object viii be TO secure the denomination
and election OF President Grant. They
will make all the nominations Of State Off
GERS subordinate to that object, and viii
have right to expect that the candidate
/ they select for Governor will symp3th;ze
III their favoritc object, and undertake the
+ canvass of the State to promote its success.
/ | do not believe President Grant should be
renominated by the Reeublican party, and
will not say SO. Nor will ] consent to can
vass the State to promote bis reelection,
unless the candidate placed III the field
against him is more Objectionable. ] sup
ported General Grant in 1S6S-wth great
cheerfulness. Then the issues which fol-
lowed the War were Of tranScendent i'm
pOrtance. 1t was then necessary to provide
complete guarantees for the liberty, equali-
ty and protection Of all; and, in comparison
with the perfect accomplishment Of these
fundamental objects Of the Government,
measures Of administrative reform were OF
! small importance, aud i'll fact, from the
state OF the public mind, were then impos-
sible. Now, the most important public
questions are such as relate TO the enforce
ment Of the laws, the administration OF the
public funds, provision for the care
of the helpless classes, the reduction Of the
burdens of taxation, the enforcement ot
official honesty and responsibility, and the
protection of the liberties of the people.
AS all who are familiar with my opinions
know, believe that all reforms and i'm
provements in the direction indicated must
begin i'll the State, and the first step coward
success must be to win back to the Govern
ment of the States the confidence and af-
tection of the people.
ministration of the Federal Government
until the people assume the government of
the State, and enforce honesty and good
government. The President and Congress
are too remote from the people to pay any
great degree of attention to their wishes
they must be impressed by the action and
example Of the State. With these views
cannot defend or justify the opinion acted
upon by General Grant when lie 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 military rule
was unlawfully killed. These lawless ant
dangerous assumptions Of authority can
not be defended or apologized for by me
while the Obligations of an oath to sup
port the Constitution and enforce the law:
Of the State rest upon nc. If the powers
claimed and acted upon by the President
in these instances exist in him, the State o.
Illinois is but dependency Of the Govern
ucnt at Washington, and the lives anC
liberties Of the people are subject TO tho
will Of the President. TO defend These
acts of the President is to concede that the
power he claimed exists. Such conces
sion by the Governor would bc q crime
: against the people of the State. Nor could
l, if 4 candidate for Governor, say to The
people that President Grant has the III
clinatiOn and ability to enforce economy
and reform in the Government, nor will
submit my Judgement on these points to ;
convention that will be dominated by hi.
appointecs aud partisaHs.
II