The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-07-07
GEN. J. C. BLACK, ON THE
FOURTH.
AStaItIIng & Impressive Speech
Every Political Party, To-Day, is q
whiteS scpulchre.
No People Can Be Free Whose ofisers
are Controlled BY Rings.

Inc lOliOWluB bcleEiahi INV
the speech will give our readers and idea
Of il.
CHAMPAIGN, ILL.,, July 4.-The eelebra-
ton today at Urbana was one Of unusual
Importance, on account Of the Grafton oil
Gen. Black. 1t had been intimated for
several days that be would afraign the old
political parties before the bar of public
opinion, show up their treachery to the
people, and recommend a new organization
10 save the Government This fact drew
together a large concourse, who, although
a shower interviewed, listened most atten-
lively TO his address, and seemed TO ap-
prove of all he said, as will be seen by the
following synopsis of his one-hour speech.
II was startling and impressive
Gen. Black commenced by giving a brief
description of the people hundred years
ago their absolute lack of power,
authority, and vigor the Capitalization OF
powers in the hands Of their rulers, and
the need for a revolution. Then followed
description of the struggle, by the sue
cess of which the inalienable rights Of men
were secured. Next brief review Of the
various wars of the Republic, by each OF
which some great principle in politics had
been established and then u sketch of the
growth of our civil power and the splendid
results of our peaceful contests, the peace
full condition of to-day, and the faithful
manner to which each generation had per
formed its duties. The General continued ::
But let us not imagine because we no
longer hear the roll Of the drum, and read
the daily record OF death, that the work Is
done. II is but begun To each genera
ton liberty assigns its labor Our first la,
Dor is 10 renovate the public service, and
il will be found greater and graver than
subduing rebellion and battling treason,
When foes rank themselves under strang-
e. h"sz and bid open defiance, we count
the opposing issst and foretell the result
but when they wear she yarb of friends.
and stand beside US as our sorvants trust.
ed, honored, believed, then is the danger
great, the peril profound, the need for VS.
lance redOubled No people can be called
free whose public offices are at the dispo
sIuu of rings or cliques, who, by thei
raising the party cry, can set their follow
ers in array in support of any measure
however bad, and any men, however cor
rupt. Allegiance 10 the party is the source
Of ring government, and as certain % re
suit IN corruption as that men who are We
nal will seek the aid of organized powers
| do not discuss this subject in partisan
sense, as one who has accusations 10 make
for the ins, or apologies 10 tender for the
outs. Every political party in existence
to-day is whited sepulchre, full of dead
mems bones and corruption. Alike, they
furnish the allies of each scheme of plum
der, the auxiliaries for every raid on the
public treasury. Which among them is
pure? Which Of them has not furnished
leaders who are burdened with the spoil OF
the Credit Mobilier and the salary grab d?
Which of them has not furnished its thieves
that have restored their swag tn the Treas
ury. Alike they cry peccavi, and promise
reformation but their promises are empty,
while their chief offenders are Representa-
tives, Judges, Senators and even higher
In the official scale When parties are 50
controlled by rings as 10 permit thieving :,
SO weak as 10 be unable to prevent it, then
II becomeS their duty to relegate their
powers 10 tne Posrie, from whom they are
uefl'eu' 10 aDanuou '"eh organization and
b. permit their voters to join wit me-,
melted, earnest men who are deteriIh. III
"a rvs,s... aud purify There is no place
TOR the corrupt and weak in the progressive
struggle of the dag. They are hulks roll
ing ON the slow waves, moored to the dis
nal shores OF the past, unable 10 catch,
with their rotting sails, a single breath OF
that good wind that sets toward the haven
OF reform. Haunting their old flags in the
r0ttlng arr, on the rolling sea, and under
the brazen sky of a party world, they are
the hospitals for disabled party veterans
who should be self-penSioned with their
numerous followers. Let them pass away
A man whose creed is worn out, whose
ideas OF political progress are 10 stand ONLY
where his father stood, cannot aid the
country IN this age and on this great day.
Men inspired by the great Declaration NAV
proclaim their freedom from their old allie
giances, make new issues, and choose
new associations. Choose your own
leaders and servants, requiring of
them honesty and capability, Sc
selecting by these test, punIshing remorse-
lessly any departure trom the right, con
demning the bribetenderer and the bride
taker, the corrupt and unprincipled, and
you will soon be able to point 10 a purified
service and an honored country The need
for immediate action IN great. Look at
our shame in the Words Exposition at
Vienna Look to the spectacle presented
at our National Capital Urged on by
the press, forced to the task by the outcrv
OF the people,. your Congress investigates
the gigantic frauds OF the Credit MDbilier.
drawing the veil from corruption so vast
that II laid its Briarean hands upon the
Senators, the Representatives, and the
Judges. Or the scores Of guilty men
whose oftenses were made potent, but few
are punished. Unfortunate scapegoats
The hands OF the high priests of the party.
are laid upon them, and they pass into the
wilderness OF political oblivion, and then
the very Congress that was 10 unearth those
monstrous wrongs compensates itself for
ITS services in the cause of honesty by an
increase Of salary Let the Indignation of
an outraged people fall upon those who
are engaged in those and similar transac-
tiOns. Let il be heaped upon them in i'm
mortal measure. Let the character of our
American Statesmen again represent in
tegrity, aud his station command the re-
gard Of his fellow citizens.
THE other great problem you are to
solve is how to check the assumptions of
consolidated capital not by fierce attack
upon moneyed institutions, for many of
these are bene6cent in designated results,
but by giving them their true place in our
social system, that of subservience to the
good Of the people. Determine that moth
ing which is inimical TO the rights of the
people can continue To make this good,
we must reverse certain propositions
which have heretofore been considered as
fundamental errors. Time should be al
lowed to examine into each step by which
laws are created, and, If fraud be found in
the creation or the body of bill, it should
be taken ~ vitiate the whole. Good men
will not fear examination bad men should
be made to fear it.
Another error is, that any portion of
sovereignty can, by statute, be permanent
~ vested in private hands, and then pro-
tected, under the pretext of contract be-
tween a Legislature and citizens. Up |
IL