The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-26
cIARKsoN N. POTTER ON THE SITUATION.
Letter to Samuel J. Tildsn,

SIR You are the chairman of the Dem
ocratic state committee. You are tre'
and faithful Democrat Of long and dis rin
guished standing. A Democrat upon d p,nn
ciple and conviction, trained in the sei,oo
of Jackson and Wright 1t is peconihs
therefore. that this open letter intelueT
for all Democrats should IN lof" NC aA'
dressed to you. oa formod ~
nrevent the extension OF slavery. In the
aourse of its administration of public at
fairs a great war sprung up, which involv-
ed the Union and entirety OF these states.
That war resulted not only in preventing
such further extension, but also in the
complete abolition of slavery itself and has
been followed by such changes IN the fun-
damental law as to render slavery lmpos-
sible and to forbid all political distinctions
by reason of race or color, and to make
the Union and entirety of these states as
indissoluble as it can be made by human
action. The mission of the Republican
party is therefore absolutely ended.
Beyond this its defective administration,
its maintenance Of an irredeemable curren-
CIV and of a system of bounties, subsidies
and protection, with the consequent ex-
travagance, injustice and corruption which
have resulted united to the reaction Incl
dent to a period Of general business dis
trust and depression, have convinced a
large body of voters heretofore in sympa-
thy with the party that the days OF its
usefulness are over They are now, there
fore. inouiring where they shall go These
inquiries embrace not only men who sym
pathized, more or less with the old Fed
eralists, but also men who were originally
Democrats, but who were induced by their
opposition to slavery, or by their idea OF
the measures necessary to maintain the
Union to unite with the Republican party
but who, now that those eXlgencies have
passed. are, in their desire to preserve lin
tied government, and in their Apprehension
of Capitalization and arbitrary government
at heart Democrats, according to the tru
meaning Of that term in our politics.
In the great slavery contest the Demo
Gratis were constrained by the compromise
of the constitution to side upon some is
sues with the south. Not, however, be
cause they were for slavery, but becaus
they were for the constitution. None til
less, this drew into co operation with tn
Democratic party some whose Democrac
consisted only in the fact that it did sid
with the south. So, later, in their desr
to protect individual rights and liberty, til
Democratic party found Itself arraye
against the suspension Of the inbeaS C0I
pus and military arrests in the loyal state.
against the issue of legal tender notes an
system of internal revenue depender
upon spies and informers, And this NJ
because it was III favor OF secession, bl
because it was in favor Of the rights
persons not because it was not in earnest
preserve the integrity Of the whole count
but because it sought to preserve 1t undo
limited and localized and liberal instea
Of under centralized and despotic go
eminent. Nevertheless, many good me
then became misled as to the purpose
the Democratic party, and have come to loo
uponit as a mere party OF reaction; to rcgal
it As governed by hostility to the negrt
not desire for local government; &
ready to destroy the Union instead of see
ing through the rights OF states to pr
serve those Limitations Of government G
sential to personal liberty. 1t is true Il
Democracy have formally declared thu
have no such purpose. They have eve
supported a lifelong opponent to csta
hsh the sincerity Of that declaration Ne
ertheIess men still ask What then,
your purpose ?' Should Democrats MOI
therefore, now put forward such practi
cal, definite and precise issues as to II
move all color for these misjudgmeuts?
1t is very easy for political convcntio
OF either party to resolve in favor Of econ
omy, retrenchment and reform, purifci
ton, pacifcation or the like These al
results we all agree in wishing But /
what measures are they to be effected
Surely not by the perpetuation Of the ruI
of the Republican party and the contiuD
ance of Capitalization and extravaganza
But neither, on the other hand, by rca
ton, by the revival Of issues ia respect I
slavery, suffrage, or those powers of tn
general government which nave been fna
ly decided. Nor yet again by any mer
general declaration, true enough, bu
wanting that precision and application +,
quislte to satisfy the class ! speak of.
The late Democratic convention in III
nols declared tor rigid restriction Of Il
governments, both state and national,
the legitimate domain Of political pow,
by excluding thereirom all executive at
legislative lutcrmcddiiug with the afa
OF society, where by monopolies are tostere
privileged classes aggrandiZcd and inliy
dual freedom unnecessarily and oppre
slvely restrained" This declaration e>
majority of the people, But vet the que,
ton recurs how and by what measure
these government are thus to be restricted
The great, the especial evil of the tim
Is corruption in legislation 1t is prepos
ferrous to call a Republican government ;
good government when its legislation is fol
sale and yet it has been notorious, not il
south Carolina alone, but in New Yorl
ana pennsylvania, that laws were for sale
that private measures could only be passe,
upon sufficient payment. Year by yea
the statute book swells with private an,
local laws, with laws granting one set q
men privileges, immunities or munnpOli,
at the expense Of the whole, whether i
he 10y the opening Oft street, the con.truc
ton OF boulevard the franchise of ;
street railway. authority to take usury on
other monopoly, until the lobby has be.
come as notorious a il is powerful and
men seek places Iii the legislature for
plumber, not for public good. C1rrgrtion
IN legislation, like corruption at the toun.
tam head, will be followed hy c5rruption
IN the executive departments. nav even
sometimes by corruption in the judiciary
itself until in the whole body politi, the
rights OF men instead Of being iuyiolate
become Tor sale, which take 10 he a CON
dIton OF whatever the form
OF the goverDueut-uearly the worst Dos.
sibla.
Moved by such evils. uou cry cut f.r
reform. And they prau1se I, eif,rt # l.,
electiug only good men to ol5rs In.
such reforms have always proved. and S.
long as the inducements iur l.rrunti,n ar,