The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-12-02

says n,,.,sa oen elliott
for Congress, him to nr e he
and Sprngr e., emro,afFe-piaced him before the people
did no. contraction pledge and got him beaten
81 popuss. nsn sp sna stood ,Us where the
necstur and Spnngheid platforms placed Die, "a, rs
rmrobsbiy would have been elected; : MrSmi In
IN ADVANCE, that the course Of TIE ARsUs would
probably effect Gen Elhotts defeat haa tne maj
sgers Of TIE ARGUS been willing TO let tne p1op re
AZ "A thew plesse, q different result mlghl nav
been brought about.
/. THE ARGUS neither nominated nor
assisted in nominating Gen. Elliott. one
Of the editors of THE ARGUS was ap-
pointed a delegate to the Princeton con-
gressional convention, Happening to be
in our county convention at the time, re-
nortiug its proceedings, he respectfully de-
clined the appointment and said that no
one connected with THE ARGUS would &C.
cent an appointment as delegate to any con-
yention-nor did any one, If any one con-
nected with THE ARGUS attended any con-
yention it was only as reporter.
THE ARGUS republished all that papers
friendly to the Independent Reform cause
said of any probable candidate, but it new
er expressed any opinion as to who should
be uominated--it left that entirely to the
people. -,
Q THE ARGUS did not cause Gen. FL
lott to repudiate the Decatur and Spring
field platform" nor did he repudiate
them. The currency plank in the Deca-
tur and Springfield platforms is as fol
lows:
DECATUR AND SPRINGFIELD PLANK.
Resolped. That we favor the repeal OF our Nation
al banking law, and believe that the government
should supply legal tender currency directly from
the treasury interchangeable for government oonas
bearing the lowest possible rate Of Interest,
GEN. ELL1orT's CURRENCY PLANK.
believe that our currency should be let alon e
as much az possible. but would have the resolve
to resume specie payment firmly fixed In the mine
erately and with ample notice, doing justice to oil
and injury to none.
There is no conflict whatever between
these two planks The first is not an in
fation' plank, or a reputation plank
The last is not in conflict with the first
is only supplemented to it. In all of Ger
Elliotts speeches he defined its meanin
to be, that the government should. throug
an economical and wise administration
the finances. cause the greenback to a.
preciate until it became on apar with goi
The Age is either stupid or dishone
when it charges that Gen, Elliott eth
repudiated the one or sought by the 9TH
70 produce a conflict Approving Il
Decatur and Springfield plank, he soug
to carry it out to Its only logical conclusi'
an ultimate resumption of specie pa
ment, If the Age and the Independcl
Reform party are opposed to that rest
they might as well abandon their orga
za,ion first as last.
8, There is no doubt that MIR. Smt
Mr.. Barney, Mr. Bryant and others
their ring, were opposed to Gen. Elliott.
Bryant played the dishonorabe role
pretending to favor the Independent X
form party as long as there was hol
that he might be the candidate-and rep
dating the party when he failed to secu
the nomination. He has killed himself
dead, politically, that he will newer
heard of again.
Barney is kind of insignificant sneal
who pretended to favor the Farmers Moy
ment merely to keep it from hurting II
Republican party. He is Of no consequent
anyway.
Smith was always jealous Of Elliott, an
wanted the nomination himself. He ",
present at the convention, and he viii
pered to one Of the delegates from tn
county after few ballots had taken place
''Vote for the great orator of Kewanee"
meaning himself He got no votes, b.
the remark showed where he stood.
Gen. Elliott did not seek the nomiu
ton. Whenever spoken to on the subje
he invariably answered that he was not
candidate for the nomination. No act
his can be pointed to where he did anythiI
to attract attention to himself as a cand
date. But he was precisely the kind Of
man the farmers had been clamoring for,
apractical, working, intelligent farmer
Republican an tecedents, and identi6e
heart and soul, with the Independent r
form cause. He had been soldier, al
his record was brilliant, untarnished on
and his private character was without I
proach. There was absolutely no reast
why the farmers throughout this distri
should not, as one man, have rallied entt
siastically to his support. And yet su
false friends as Bryant, Barney, Smith
Co., Influenced the farmers of Bures
Henry. and Lee to go back on him. "
Had the farmers of those counties be
true to him he would have been electe
Bureau farmers could easily have Civ
him thousand majority, and should ha
done SO. Henry and Lee ought to ha
been made nearly even. Putnam ga
him a majority. And Rock Island,
stead Of her usual thousand majority,
fually oo,o,allol oo,,.s