The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-07-08
SPEECH OF EX-G0V.. JOHN
MsPALMER, AT SPRING.
FIELD, ILL., ON THE
FOURTH.
The Dangers Of the Hour are
not the Fault of the Struc-
ture of our Government,
THEY ARE THE FAULT OF
THE PEOPLE IN NEG
LECTING THEIR
DUTIES.
THE OWNERSHIP OF RAILROADS SHOULD
BE SEPARATED FROM THE BUsI-
NESS OF TRANSPORTATION

SpRINdFIELD, Ill, July 4.-The glorious
Fourth has passed off very quietly here
Neither crimes, fires, or accidents are re
ported up to late hour tonight. Almost
all the stores, and all the banks and public
Offices were closed Very few fireworks,
comparatively, we're used. The great at
traction here was the farmers picnic on
the county fair grounds. About 5000
persons we're present, mostly from this
county, and the attendance also included
persons from nearly every county in Cen
tral Illinois. Hon. JAS. X. Perkins was
the presiding officer, and after dinner in
picnic style, he introduced ex-Gov. John
NJ Palmer, who spoke as follows:
Ex-aov. PALMER S ADDRESS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
Ny occupation affords me but little
time 10 devote 10 the subjects that are
usually supposed TO be appropriate TO the
conmemmoration ofthe day OF the nation 5
birth. Ninety seven years have passed
since the representatives OF the American
people pronounced their formal separation
from the British empire, and the great act
has taken its place in history. Its circum
starces are known to every citizen, and the
names and the memory of the actors are
cherished in all civilized lands. Tradition
informs us that our fathers rebelled against
the claim Of the British government of a
rigE. to tax them Without their consent
but that falls far short OF doing full justice
TO the motives that controlled them Tax
alton without representation was but one
of the forms in which the pretensions of
absolute power were presented but their
resistance was to the whole theory upon
which the authority Of the British govern
ment was based 1t was asserted by Eng
fish writer's and maintained by the minis
tiers of the crown and their followers in
Parliament, that the colonies were mere
dependencies perpetually subject to British
rule that their rights and liberties were
held by them, subject to the authority of
an onlnipotent legislature and the rebellion
was against thiS theory of government, and
these views of the rights OF the inhabitants
OF the colonies more than against obnov-
ious laws. The correctness OF this state
ment will be yindieated by observing thar
the formal declaration Of the separation of
the colonies from the mother country Is
preceded by distinct and precise assertion
OF the rights Of man, which antagonizet
the foundation doctrines of all the govern
ments of Europe, for il not only declared
that all men are created equal but tina
they are endowed by their Creator witt
the unalienable right 10 life and liberty ant
the pursuit of happiness They did no
50 much protest against violations of theil
rights and liberties as Englishmen, but a.
men, and they challenged all the forms o.
prescriptive rule when they asserted tina
whenever any form of government be
comes destructive of the ends for which
alone governments can be rightfully inst
tuted, IL is the right of the people 10 abol
lsh II and institute new government, lay
ing the foundation on such principles, anC
organizing its powers in such forms as {,
them may seem most likely TO effect theii
safety and happiness.
And 1t is upon the ground of the decar.
alton OF these principles, and the courage
with which they maintained and applied
them, that their claims not only 10 om
gratitude, but to that of all men, depend
They were apostles of human rights. and
spoke, not for a nation or race. but for
lmen in all lands In fact. considered
py itsef the Declaration of independence
had but little i-.aueuce in determining The
actual relations OF the~..,lanios 20 -,
Britain. They had long befSs. -, e go,
arms against the authority of the o. VI
aud oreanized armies, and formed a GOV,
eminent. They were, before that time a
nation, struggling to maintain separat,
existence, and after the fourth day Of July
lao, they were nothing more.
The contest between mother countryanc
the colonies was like that between the diff
terent sections OF the American union
which has but just ended--a conflict of on
posing principles and ideas, and like oul
own clvll war, It was inevitable, and mer,
formal declarations neither originated MOI
decided the questions at issue between tn,
contending parties.
But | repeat that the claims of the grea
statesmen and patriots who composed IN,
Congress of the United States of America
70 our gratitude, and 10 that of all man
kind, are founded upon their distinct an,
sublime declaration of the liberty and
equality of all men. They did not while
denying the divine right Of the king OF
Great Britain 10 rule over them, which
had been the theory of British statesme,,
take refuge in the amiable folly which WI,
once maintained, shat there was originally
compact between the people and their
kings that the sovereign should respect
the rights and liberties OF his subjects and
that they, in RETURN should loyally obey
hun but renOuneing and abiuring all GOV
eminent but such as originated in the will
of the governed, they asserted the security
OF the rights OF the people 10 be the ONLY
legitimate object Of government. and the
consent of the governed the limit of the
duration OF any governmental forms. and
made the people the protectors of their
own rights and the defenders Of their own
liberties Aud il was to the influence Of
these principles that, when the contest with
treat Britain was over it became the
duty OF the patriots who had maintained
the liberties OF the continent against every
assertion OF British power To form gov.
eminent for the United States Of America
by the grace Of God free and independent
that the king gave place to the president
and the house OF lords to the representa-
hves OF the states, and popular repre-
sentative assembly took the place in our
system which is in England, filled by the
imperfectly constituted body, the house of
commons, and which also secured for the
people OF the whole Union the careful
guards Of their liberties, which are made
part OF the federal constitution aud of the
constitutions Of all the States.
Our obligation to those who have been
no excessively and affectionately called
the fathers Of our liberties, are, upon these
grounds beyond all attempts at expressing
them, and our duty now is TO maintain our
inheritance Of freedom and free institu-
tons unimpaiged, and transmit IL 10 our
descendants, strengthened by the lessons
Of patriotic example.
And, ladies aud gentlemen, .notwith-
standing some of our conservative country
men deplore the fact that the free people
of this State have exhibited a disyos;,;,,,' D.,
do something more today than to indulge
in harmless oratory aud to be joyful in
view Of the return Of the nations holiday,
than this for a calm review OF our ideas Of
government, and to compare them with
the immortal pattern 80 wildly presented
by the reading OF the declaration of Amer.
ican Independence, We know, from the