Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-08-29
I4s1.f ~
:DailD Argus.
ADDRESS AND RESOLUTIONS
OF THE
Liberal Republican Convention.
HELD AT
Cincinnati, May 4, 2, and 3.
loFFICIAL COPY
TO the psopze ofhs United States

To the people Of the United States
The ADMINISTRATION now in power has
rendered itself guilty of wauton disregard OF
the laws of the land, and of usurping po Eers
not granted by the constitution it has act
ed az il 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 the liberties OF the citizen.
The President Of the United States has
opeuly 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 ofpower and respon-
sibility, to the detriment of the public inter
ests
He has used the public service of the gov
ernment as a machinery OF corruption and
personal influence, and has intertered with
tyrsnical arrogance in the political affairs OF
states and municipalities.
He has rewarded with influential and lu'
crative oticies men who had acquired hia IA
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 culpably careless
of the responsibilities Of his high othce.
The psrtisans 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,
70 the END Of maintaining partisan ascend
ancy.
They have stood 10 the way of necessary
Investigations and indispensable reforms
pretending that no serious fault could be
found with the present administration o.
public affairs, thus seeking to blind The eye'
of the people.
They have kept alive the passions and re
.antmerts of the late war, to use them TO
thei. own advantage; they have resorted e
arbitrary measures in direct conflict will
the organic law, instead OF appealing to tn
better instincts and latent patriotism of tn
southern people BY restoring to them thes
rights, the enjoyment OF which IS lndlspen
sable to a successful administration OF thei
local affairs, and would tend to revive pa
triotic and hopeful national feeling.
They hive degraded themselves and th
name Of their party, once justly entitled
the confidence Of the nation, by base syco
,, pbancy TO the dispenser Of executive powe
and patronage, unworthy of republican tree
men they have sought to silence the vOie
of lust CRITICS On, and stihs the moral sens
: of the people, and to subjugste publ
opinion by tyraunical party discipline.
They are striving to maintain themselv'
in authority for selfish ends by an unsornp
lous use Of power the which rig htful
belongs to the people, and should be eE
- ployed only in the service of the country.
Believing that an organization thus i
and controlled can no longer be Of service
the bests interesss of the rspublic, We ha
resolved to make an Independent appeal
the sober Judgment, conscience, and patri'
ism of the American people.