The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-09-01
The M nOis Convention.

The Illinois convention marks a new era
in politics. 1t must be set down as the 6rst
assemblage of any party, during the present
canvass, in which the delegates met with an
honest determination to speak out frankly
their real opinions on the issues before the
country. Whatever other fault the body
had, there was that supreme virtue of sin
cerity of purpose to recommend it. The
men who gathered at Springfield did not get
together to devise any cunning form of
words to conceal their actual designs and
wishes. They adopted no cont radictory
resolutions; such as have been considered
They made no such dubious declarations as
the financial resolution of the Ohio de-
mocracy, the Interpretation of which is
beyond the ingenuity of man. They did not
cast upon the politics of the times shower
of words like wintry snow flakes, hiding
every issue under mass of Eerbiage, like
the republicans of Michigan. They adopted
a clear, definite set of principles, set forth in
language intended to reveal, not hide, the
sentiments of the men who made use of it.
The nature of the platform being such, it
was, of course. natural that SEINE stormy
discussion should have preceded its adop-
ton. There is infinite satisfaction
in this fact that the friends and en-
emies of it in the convention fought
their fight out obsti nately, instead of COM
promising in the committee rooms to save
appearance S. The sort of sham unanimity
which is obtained by such compromises is
Ill A<,
follows honest debate over differences, and
the Illinois democracy will lind it SO event
ually. The opposition party in that State
has now its well defined principles estab-
lished and those that wish to see the triumph
of them should hasten to cast in their lot
with the men who have gone home from
Springfield with the consciousness of a work
well done, while all who endorse opposite
opinions, will receive ready welcome in the
tents of the administration.
The platform was substantially that con-
tanned in the call of July %, discussed here
tofore in the Sentinel. The only contest in |
the convention rose over the first resolution. 1
which was submitted in different forms to |
he majority and minority Of the committee, |
md the controversy is worth some atten-
ion. It illustrates, above all tbipgs, the
7alue of bold. aggressive policy. The de-
:ided stand taken for specie payment, in the
all. precluded the proposal Of any wild in
Iation theories, and the nearest approach to
nything of that kind was q Substitute for
he FIRST part of the majority report, which,
n another state, would have been considered
s hard money resolution. On the choice
etween these schemes of policy the debate
prang up, and was pretty holly
arried on. The majority asked in I
heir report, along with other good things:
The restoration of gold and silver as the 9
3sis OF the currency OF the country; the I
,eedy resumption of specie payments. aud
Re payment of all national Indebtedness in I
lie money recognized by the civilized world. >
The minority submitted instead, the fol-
wing:
The restoration of gold and silver as the basis
the currency, ard resumption OF specie pay u
ents at the earliest moment practicable, n
lthout any injury 10 the business
Id commercial Interests OF the country. 81
ne of the differences between these two u
aIements Of the subject matter is CT