The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13
THE INDEPENDENT STATE CONVENTION,

AhAA' A-sDisE EN- O-SN Oh n - CON VENI tUNs
From the full reports in the Chicago pa
pers, covering ten or dozen Of closely print.
ed columns, we make up u brief synopsis Of
the independent or New Party State Conven-
ton which met at Springfield on Wednesday.
The convention was called to order at 10
O'Clock by W. c Flagg, President of the
State Farmers Association, who proposed
the Hon JAS. NJ Allen, Of Henry county. as
chairman. Mi Allen was duly elected and
on taking the chair made Il short sDeccb G.
{. Shuler, OF Stephenson, and Thos Wolf Of
Ford, were nominated and elected Secretaries
Committees on credentials and resolutions
were appointed, upon which the convention
adjourned to O'Clock p NJ.
On re-assemhling at l O'Clock, the COM
mitee on credentials presented list of dele.
gates present. numbering 259 and represent
ing Is of the 100 counties in the state.
a motion was adopted that al! resolutions
relating to platform be referred to the COM
mitec on resolutions and that their report.
before presentation for adoption, be printed
Ex-Governor Palmer now entering the hall,
was loudly called for, and entertained the
convention with a short speech, in which he
spoke mainly of the dangers to be apprenend-
ed from the railroad monopollsts, who had
already defied our local courts, and earnestly
eXhorted the convention to be tlrm and decid.
ed in It's assertion OF purpose to maintain
the rights of the states.
A resolution, Offered by Mr.. Shacklcford,
was adopted eulogising Gov. Taylor, of Wis
consin, "for the manly and noble stand he
has taken in protecting the people of his state
from the oppression of corporations" and
"hopirg i'll two years time to have govern
or of this state who VIII with equal vigor as.
sert and maintain the sovereignty of the PEG.
pie over the railroads and other corporations
that have detied the laws and insulted and
robbed the people"
Mr. Hessing, Of Chicago, beng in the hall,
was next called upon for speech, but refus.
ed further than to say that he could take no
active part in the movement until he saw
what sort of a platform was adopted He
heartily sympathised with the farmers IL
their uprising against the corruptions of the
government, but if they were sincere in their
professions Of honesty, they must come down
to the honest doctrine of specie payment.
He also wanted TO know what the convention
had to say about legislating people into mo
rality, and sending women into the streets to
put straight jackets upon the people! CThree
cheers for the women with great vigor) He
L. -, kn ~; nd Irip ,haf
he pleased
The convention was about to proceed to
nominate candidates for state officers, when
Mr.. Turner, chairman of the committee on
resolutions, announced his readiness to make
a report, prcfacing 1t with the remark that
the committee had found q vast quantity OF
resolutions before them, more than they could
read in day, but, without wasting time, had
concluded to present TO the convention the
Decatur platform, with few merely verbal
changes
A motion having been made for its imme-
date adoption, Mr.. Rowatt, of Macoupin,
offered as an amendment an additional reso-
luton, as follows:
Rss0Ired, That we are uncompromlslngly
opposed to any further expansion OF lrredeem-
able paper currency, and demand return to
u uniform standard of values.
This was promptly laid on the table.
Other attempts to amend were made, byse.
curing an expression in favor Of initiation,
against sumptuary laws, against the contract
system, &c, but all were either tabled or vot.
ed down, aud the resolutions as reported were
adopted, as follows:
THE PLATFORM.
We, the farmers, merchants, loboring men
and other citizens OF Illinois, in delegate con-
vention assembled, deeming it needful for the
interests of this state and nation that lnde.
pendent political action be taken by and IN
behalf of the producing, industrial, and other
business classes, and in opposition to the cor.
porate monoplles that are influencing ana
even controlling our legislatures, courts, and
executives, and taxing end expressing our
citizens, appealing to the great fundamental
principles of American liberty, and lnvltlng
the favorable judgment of our countrymen,
do hereby
Res0lre' That the preservation of our ma
tlonal life imperatlvely demands that every
American voter should attend with care all
primary nominations and elections so as 10
insure the election of competent and henes'
men to all offices in the government OF inc
people. That the recent record OF the poiiu-
cal parties of this country is such as to 1or-
felt the confidence and respect OF the people,
and that we are, therefore, absolved from all
allegiance to them, and will act no longer
with them.
Resolred, That we insist upon severe 1e'
trenchment, reform and economy IN all ofan-
ches of our public affairs, and Deileve lLal
from the people might be reduced at least
one.half, withou, impairing the efficiency OF
any branch of the public service, state or NJ
tionai. .,..
Resolred, That we demand the Immediate
reform of abuses in the civil service urough
which the patronage of the government is ulS'
pensed as a reward for partisan service rain
er than with regard to the puolic necessity.
Resolred, That we are IN favor Oh llllpr9vins
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