Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-03-12
Dailp argus.
rs..say, March 10. isI9
For the Argus.


lhAve Jast read with . great deal of
pleasure . leading article Of tho Chicago
Times.
As Q Conservative old Denoera, l hope
and pray that a majority Of the voters OF
the United States may be led 20 vote and !
act In accordance With the sensible sagges-
lions contained in that leader, to be found
in the Times Of the 7th inst. l therefore
recommend that you give il place in your
influential democratic sheet. NJ.
IL may now Do regarded as a fOregons
conclusion that tue approaching presiden-
hAl contest 10 TO be conducted on one hde |
under the banner inscribed With the name |
and peculiar governmental policies OF Gen
srAl Grant, aud on the other under tie |
leadership of the citizen who shall be nam
cd for the chef msgisuAcy by the Liberal
republicans. The democratic party, as 80
organized force under that name, will not
appear 10 the contest. This is Implied By
the conclusion above stated; it is the iudg-
meut aud advice Of the wisest and most
patriotic leaders Of that party, and the al.
mos. unanimous wiih Of the people who
make up its voting power.
Sueh being the situation, there are pre-
scented for the consideration aud determioa-
ton Of the Liberal republicans who desire
change in the administration and its poll
cies, two q6estions
LIST. Who is the republican statesman
who would best unite the various elements
Of opposition 10 General Grant and the mil
itary theory OF government?
I'd. How can such union best be e.
fscted?
The public men who have been most
conspieuously named for the Liberal repub-
lican nomination, aud upon one of whom
that nomin alton will undoubtedly fall, are
David Davis, Lyman Truubull, Ard B.
GrAtz Brown. OF these, the eminent jarisl
first named stGnGs 10 the mos. conspicuous
relation to the probable candidacy, though
the others are no lsSS able, patriotic, aud
Trustworthy. All Of them are dis
nnguished members Of the repub.
hcIn party, aud perhaps they are
equally recognized N cIlizeus repre-
Senitng the distinctive politieA Ideas OF Lib
eral republicans. Bat it is necessary TO look
beyond this single fact. Supposiog them
to be equally acceptable to Liberal republi-
cans, 1t is still necessary TO inquire as 10
their relative Secep'ability to that very MN
erous body OF citizens who have heretofors
acted in al attitude of hostility to the re
publicsn party, yet whose patriotism nov
impels them TO sink party and unite vita
the more patriotic OF their opponents in .
Jealous effort to rescue civil liberty aud con-
stituSionAl self goverumsnt from the impepd.
ing danger OF Capitalization aud virtual
monarchy. Would they equally unite the
elements Of opposition TO Gensrs Grant
aud the esntrAlizing military poliCy2
10 Is clear that they would not Mr.
Trurbull and Governor Brown have both
been conspicuous for many years a. party
men. There voad be found in the political
records Of both many things rsquiring ex
plAnation and defence. The nomination oil
either would tend to revive among class
Of citizens Who never learn aud never for
get, many unreasonable aud fAnAticAl pre-.
JUDGES. To ell liberal democrats, az to all
liberal republicans, Mr.. Trumbull (And per-
Laps Mr.. Brown would be al entirely salts.
factory candidates; but il unfortunately hap
pens that al msn calling themselves dem
oorAts are not liberal, nor even reasonable,
any more than arc Gil men calling them
selves republicans. Time sud "the uses of
Advsrsity" have undoubtedly tended, aud are
still Tending, to obliterate from the irrscon-
oilaole democratic element their unreSson-
able party prsludices; in time they will dis
appear; but ii is pretty certain thu, they are
not yet sufficiently subord,nAted to the sway
ofjudgmsnJ to enable 1t to be said thai Mr.
Trumbull's nomination for toe presidency
by the Liberal republicans would be tha,
which would best unite the elements Of CD
position 20 the military presidential can
didAse. Aud tbs same 10 relatively true oil
Gov. Brown.
With respect to Judge Davis, the like
reasons do not appear. Though always a
republican, he has never been prominent a.
politician. There is positively nothing IN
his public record that would require either
defence or explanation. Entirely Acce pISble
10 every liberal republican, the most iiibei-
Al democrat could not raise an obisctiou
against him. Ii 10 very certain that no
man has been named IN connection with
the Libegal republican candidacy who
would be 80 entirely acceptable TO citizens
calling themselves democrats as DAVID
Davis. Bssides he is already named rs the
candidate of numerous ana highly respec
table popular organization, whose favor
would probably not be easily transferred to
smother candidate.
IL is manifest, moreover, that the country
recognizes peculiar fitness 10 the candi-
dAcy Of Judge DAVIS, for a reason less
oonspieuouEly indicated in the person o
any other citizen who has been mentioned
The approaching presidential election
involves n clear defined contest between
two AntagonisIic and wholly ireconeilAbe
political ideas; between two fundamental >
conflicting systsms If governs ent bet ueen
government Of force and government Of Law.
These twp opposite principles comprehend
the Whole issue to be tried and decided by
the country. IL is the primary aud VIA
distinction between our own republican
system aud European monArchical systems
that ours is governments of law; theirs,
governments OF force. General Grant, with
his West Point ideas and BIS military poll
cies, 10 essentially . repre- tentative Of the
theory OF a government Of force David
DAVIS, presminent as . jurist, is pre-em-
nenIly an embodime,a of the theory OF q
government Of Law. He IL unquestionably
the citizen who, a. q candidate for the
presidency, would best unite all people who,
though differing upon many points OF
detail, agree upon that fundamental basis
Tue answer to the second question i.
seen to be partly involved in that which ia
thus given 10 the frat. The union OF all
the diverse elements Of opposition to the
theory Of military government can best be
attained by the nomiuAtion Of Judge Davis
BY the Liberal republicans. II is most
likely to be attained by the making of that
nomination promptly and summary.
The Liberal republican convention will
meet Gi Cincinnati less than two months
hence. Two courses Of action will be open
TO Is; one, to nominate candidates for
president aud vice president then and
there the other, to effect some sort Of
organization and appoint q nominA,ing
conversation for . Subsequent day. The
latter would be most unwiss. The former
is clearly the RICH, course for the Cincinnati
convection 20 taks.