The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-25
GEN, ELLIOTT, THE INDEPENDENT RE
FORM CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS.

General I, II. Elliott, Of Bureau county,
for congress. Gen. Elliott is young man
of western origin and entecedents, beng
native of Bureau county, and son OF one
of the earliest settlers in the state born
of pioneer stock, reared in the school OF
the wilderness, then trained in the best
courses of study, and disciplined by the
hardship and triumph of brilliant mill
tary career, he represents strong type OF
our best manly character, His education
was completed at Michigan University, In
the spring of '6l, Just at the time when
the crisis in the affairs of the country gave
him an opportunity for active military ser
vice which he eagerly embraced, not only
from profound convictions as to the peril
of the hour, but from decided military
tastes and thirst for gallant adventure
After having failed to get into the crowd
ed ranks of three months regiment he
returned to his home, in Princeton, and re-
cruited and organized company of IT.
fantry, of which he was chosen captain,
and which was incorporated into the So
called Normal regiment, or 33rd Regi-
ment, Illinois Infantry. composed largely
of the teachers and pupils of the Normal
University, at Bloomington, and command
ed by.Col. 0. Z. Hovey.
Few regiments in this state were organ
lied under fairer auspices; few possessed
a rank and file of tougher fighting timber
or a corp of field and line officers OF more
uniform military sagacity and ability NO
troops were called upon oftener to do, dare
and endure, and none responded more
promptly and emphatically, first last and
all the time, Elliott was conspicuous at
once in a well differed regiment Intrepid
on the field, genial in the camp, physically
an athlete of boundless endurance, intel
lectually discriminating and positive, al
ways daring ardent and selfrehant, his
success in military life was foregone con
clusion to all who knew or noticed him,anc
it was a surprise to none that he steadily
advanced to the head of his regiment, by
gradual promotions serving with dlstlnc
ton in every grade, and shrinking in none
His service was in the field, and in from
with his men, not on detached service a
Headquarters or elsewhere, He was nj
tuft-hunter or placeseeker, but his was thu
zeal and sncleness of purpose of crusa
der. His military career was active, ar
duous and long. He shared in all TIM
great campaigns of the Mississippi Valley
was commended and promoted for gallant
~ was wounded and taken prisoner, wa'
breveted brigadier general, and, after near
ly four years campaigning, brought home
the battered remnant of a veteran regiment
for muster-out
Upon the threshold of his civil life he
was rendered by the people of Bureau
county the office of county treasurer tC
which he had been elected on Union tick
ct, with singular unanimity, during his abb
sence, and which Office he assumed immedl-
ately upon his muster out of service, and fill
ed with ability during the term Of two years,
He then contracted marriage with the
represented the Bureau district 50 long and
ably, and entered upon his career as far
mer and citizen Originally by faith and
practice Republican, Gen. Elliott never
relinquished his conscience to the keeping
of any political party, but has ever main
tanned habits of independent thought and
action in local and national politics, -
Though a comprehensive observer and
careful student of the affairs of the country,
and man of positive opinions and recogni-
zed prominence and influence his county,
he never aspired to Office or the politicians
rewards.
With many others, he failed in later
years to sympathize with the excuses OF
the Republican party, and recognizing the
necessity for a new departure and new era
in politics, based on new issues, and re
turn to primitive political integrity, he
enlisted cordially in the movement
which eliminated in the Cincinnati CON
vention, to which he was delegate-and
ardently supported Horace Greeley in the
last presidential campaign
In the late Judicial contest in his district
Gen, Elliot was for Craig. and, it is proba-
BILE, contributed more than any other one
, man to that gentlemans nomination in
convention.
Himself farmer, with generations of
farmers back of him, it was hardly less
than an instinct that he should indemnity
himself early as worker in the Farmers
movement. He was active in organization,
fearless and advanced in his opinions, and
has been for some time Vice President of
of the State Farmers Association, in
which character he is widely and favorably
known throughout the farming community
Of this district and state.
Gen. Elliott being neither a politician
nor professional man. has not the habit
OF public speaking, nor any of the stand
ard arts of the politician. He is simply
an educated gentleman of commanding
presence, promising talents and blameless
life, strong in his convictions, fearless in
the utteranee of his views, and untrammel
ed save by the ties which bind all true
men to purity and honor in public as well
as in private life. That he will represent
the people Of the whole district. truly, fair