Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-08-12
GRANT RUPFIAEs.

siouei DIbUlct without Delng distufDeo py
Grant rufhans. Why is this? Have the
people who commit these outrages forgotten
their famous rallying cry, in ls56-"Free
Speech, Free Press and Fremont or nAs
their party fallen into the hands Oh 'nA
class of rufians who used to mob Aooltion
speakers and break up their meetings VI
| bava thev lost their manners end their tenn
usr in contsm plating the inevitable defes'
xb;cb awaits them in November Ihey
6,lv exsmplify the Legend Whom the gods
vould dsstr ~ they FIST make mad"
Atour meeting in the Court House on
Saturday evening Maj. Allan, when speak.
ing, was rudely interrupted by q drunken
rufiAn and brute, Kit Atkinson, yelling out
-"you're telling blsrs,ed lot of lies and ]
wont stand it''-"I was sent here to answer
him and I'm going to do it"-"9ou invited
me here and I'm going to be heard, and he
was only saved from arrest by the police by
being coaxed out Of the house. There was
another drunken brute and rufian--A horse
doctor named Wye, not voter here, but one
of Grants allies, Of the Brick Pomeroy sort,
who, later iu the evening, also attempted a
feeble imitation of old Kit.
The chairman Of our meeting was alto
gs.her too lenisnt with these scSlawzgs-h he
should have called on the police to remove
them from the house, aud lock ;hem up for
triAl-And the next time they disturb our
meetings that will be their fate. The people
are guaranteed the right TO PeAcAbly assemble
to consider their grievances, and they will find
some way of protecting themselves from
being insul,ed by such bAtherskites as old
! Kit and wye. Because they exhibit some
thing of the decency Of civilized men when
, they are sober and are both UNDESIRABLE
t nuisAnces when drunk, is no reason Why
they should be permitted to intrude their
msudlin gable upon a public meeting
where they we're only invited TO listen-and
we give them public notice that if they (oI
, any of their sort again perpetrAse the out
RACES they were guilty OF Saturday nigh
D they will be taken charge Of BY the police
and locked up to await trial for theil
offenseS against public peace and publi'
o decenoY.
At Gsueseo, where Maj. Allan was speak
d ing, government assessor disturbed th
IT meeting BY harrsnguing the people Abou
the door Of the house.
At Bishop Hill the GRANTEES, under ih,
lead of fellow named Albro, took posses
sioD of the Greeley meeting and the Gran
papers boosted ofthe outrage as something
: to be proud Of.
! At Cambridge missiles we're thrown at th
speakers while on the stand
=, AT Sheffield, the postmaster furnished tn
powder for gang OF rufians who hauled
: cannon up alongside the house wher
= VIM. T. Allan and Charles Durham wer
speaking and broke up the meeting.
At Andover, where Maj Allan spoke,
:. gang of Court House rowdies from oambridg
led BY Smiths, ofthe Cambridge ChroHicl,
:, and COmstoCk, the County Superintendent
during the closing scenes Of our meeting
when cheers we're given for Greeley CAV
cheers for Grant aud then attempted to tax
possession of the stand and lights. The
q said they wanted to form q Grant and Wi
20 son club Were ever impudence aud ill-maI
, usrs more fragrant? The Cambridge Cour
:, House Ring being afraid of lOosing the
= offices and their patronage, go cut to Ar
dover to intrude themselves upon a Lber'
= meeting, insult the people present, and Ir
to take possession of their lights and stan
TO form q Grant and Wilson club The
deserved to be ouffed and kicked of th
|, stand. Can't the GRANTEES of Andove
:. msnses their owu affairs Iftbey want
: Gran, club must the Cambridge CouI
House Ring go out and organize it for them
At other places similar scenes have OF
cured, which it is not necessary, for our pre-
, sns purpose, to name. as these samples suff
ciently exhibit the snImus of the Grant part,
10 Are Mr.. Grants adhereuts 40 lost 10 all sens
:, of propriety or decenoy that they think r,
., spectacle people will approve such acts
:, Liberals do not disturb them or their meet
# iugs if they attend them at all they liste
:, quietly and mako no disturbance. EAci
party mas the undoubsed right to assembl
and discuss public matters, and neither ha
r. the right to disturb the other. Each part
9 invites its opponents to attend their meet
y ings to listen quietly to whA: may be said
1 not to take any part in their meetings.
4 those who attend do not wish to listen the
q have the right to leave, but not to interrup
i or disturb the proceedings. And We yer
/, much mistake the temper of the people
o they don't find some way to protect then
selves from these insults.