The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-10-23
INDEPENDENT REFORM
MEETING In ROCK
ISLAND,
Addresses by Gen. Elliott, Col, All Perry, W. G
Flagg, K. H. Hinman and r. M. Grenen.

anu enthusiastic audience ao th0 Nooi
., House last evening 1.-THE ODD, for the pun
pose of discussing the political issues
the day. The composition of the audienc
, verified the fact that old political partie
are breaking up,as the assembly was mad
up of Republicans, Democrats, Liberal
and non.partisan citizens, all of whom
seemed equally interested and pleased witt
the remarks of the speakers.
Major H. c. Connolly presided, and a
once introduced Gen, Elliott, who, though
not a practiced speaker, and though suffer
ing from an affection of the throat, wen
straight and earnestly at the record of thu
Republican party. He first briefly review
ing the rise and fall of political parties vi
to the present time, stating that, with thu
accomplishment of their primary idea, cor
ruption and disentegration followed; that
the Republican party, with universal lib
ertv as its germ, had become the grandes
marty ever known, but no sooner had it,
urinary ideas been worked out and accom-
plished than corrupt men assumed its lead
ership and changed every feature of it, both
as to principles and men. He asked his
old Republican associates to look it in the
face and discover, if they could, one trace
of its former greatest and truth. Instead
of the men who were with it at its begin
ming they now saw their old antagonists
Horace Greelev Charles Sumner, and Sal
mon p. Chase had passed away
Carl Schurz, he who spoke the
American language purer than any
living man tie great orator OF the
nation, Judge Trumbull the eminent
statesman, Geo W. Julian, whom he
euogized as an old.time abolitionist, were
all alienated and their places at the head OF
the Republican party taken by such men
as Oliver p. Morton, the most corrupt and
unprincipled demagogue of the country
BENJAMIN +. Butler, representing the cor
ruptlon OF politics; John A. Logan, the
bloodhound of the Fugitive Slave Law
and Simon Cameron, of Pennsylvania, the
author of much of the iniquity and cor
ruption Of the Administration that, un-
der the leadership of these men the He-
publican party, instead of being as Pres
ident Lincoln once said: the government
of the people, by the people, and for the
people" had become government of the
people, by the few, for the few; had
iegislated for monopolies and ring tc
make the people poorer; to take away
their rights and liberties, and make a ia
vored few rich He then paid glowing
tribute to patriotic people who had join
ed, both Republicans and Democrats, in a
common cause to preserve the Union
that it was not the Republican party alone
that saved the country, but the whole PEG.
pie He gave little attention to the Re
publican committees in Indiana and in this
district, as well, who were doing the
Southern outrage business for Fpoltical
capital. (Ihis made the Chairman
Cong. Committee, who was pres,
ent, and who is trying his hand at it,
look cheap indeed, so effectually was he
showed up He stated that, if these out
RACES actually existed his hand would be
raised against them, and while they were
not true, but false, as shown by Matt Car
pcnter and by .incontrovertible proof from
other sources, his hand would be the first
to be extended IN sympathy to an outraged
and misgoverned people.
! Gen Elliott then gave history of the
organization of the Farmers party and
the causes that brought about its necessity
together with its present accomplishment
| including its operations concerning rail
roads.
He then discussed the tariff, tahin!
ground against protection discussed a
| ho ba
classes; the result as affecting our rela
tons with Canada, which brought him tC
the subject of the St. Lawrence canals anC
the great question OF transportation
Gen Elhott's views on this subject were
given at some length in The DAILY ARGUS
of the Goth and THE WEEKLY of this
week, and therefore we omit them here
He however, held the Republican party
strictly to account for tavoring railroads
and desiring to still further continue
in tie railroad business by build
ing double track steel railroad
from nowhere to everywhere with doub
side tracks running to every other place,
and that, for himself, he was opposed 4
placing this raSt app0|htjre potcer an TN
hands Of 0ay administrations lie believ
ed the greatest need of the whole country
and one which the general gOvernmen
should assist in, was an all ,cater com
n,unication from tie Mississippi to the SeC
jOGrd by the most economical and pracG
cal route, which in his opinion was the St
Lawrence canals. the Lakes and the Rock
Island and lIennepin canal.
Ga the currency question Gen. Elliott
spoke unquaifedly in favor of honest
money, and while he had no grand solu-
ton Of the vexed currency question he
thought there had already been too much
legislation on the subject-so much that
no business man knew what TO do. He ia.
vored steady steps towards the resump-
| ton of specie payment and an honest pay
Ement of the national debt. The speaker
closed with few remarks to laboring men
all of whom were, with him, interested in a
cOmmGn cause.
During the hour occupied by Gen Elliott
he received the closest attention aad tre-
quent applause. The speech made him
many friends.
The chairman introduced Mr.. Flagg, who
spoke for half an hour explaining the
views OF the farmers aud showing that
theirs is a common cause. that there was a
great inequality in the representation of.
the different classes in congress, AMI con-
sequent injustice in legislation. He re-
viewed the whole situation in very able
and learned manner which showed high
ly cultured mind, well posted in political
economy. We regret that space will not
permit us to give Mr.. Flagg's remarks in
full.
Col. \. VI. Perry, candidate for STATE
senator, followed, speaking in his charac-
teriStic manner. well pleasing to the audi |
ence. He poked some very wholesome
truths before his Republican friends.
some of which. referring to the late action
Of the Republicans in this county, seemed