The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-31

and true, and which shall by its plainness
carry proof of the sincerity with which il
is presented.
As the finances Of the country is a sub.
iect of deep interest, let it speak out frank
iv for an early return to specie payment
for the honest discharge of the public deb
in coin. and denouncc the specious but de.
lusiye idea of the discharge of any portion
Of the obligations of the government in ir
redcemable promises.
The people of the United States are en-.
gagged in a contest with the great corpora.
tons that have monopolized the carrying
trade, and, through the appropriate agen.
cies Of the State governments, are attempt.
ing to compel them to submit to rules
of reason and justice, while the corpora
tions have attempted to escape to the jur-
isdiction of the United States. Weary of
the restrictions imposed upon them by
public law and charters granted by the
States, they ask the Intervention of Con
gress and of the Federal courts. If Con-
gress can be induced, under the specious
pretext of aiding in the construction of
trunk lines, to engage in the creation of
railroad corporations, at no distant day
State charters will be abandoned for or
ganization under Federal laws, and the
whole subject of railroad control will pass
beyond the authority of the States.
A platform should reassert the authOrl-
ty of the States to regulate their " at
fairs, and the authority Of Congress- to in
terfere in their internal affairs should be
denied.
Taxation is at once the necessity and
h,,r1ap ~p# n.,slt,aJ .o,unpnp,antE lava
ton can only be justified when imposed
for public necessities. The people OF the
United States will no longer submit to
burdens imposed upon them for the sake
of what is called protection"
Itis hardly consistent with what | sup
pose to be the proper limits Of this com
munication that / should go further, but |
cannot forbear saying that the nearly 800
900 colored voters In the Southern States,
and the more than equal number of white
voters in the same States, are jealous and
distrustful of each other; each looks to
the central government for support against
the other. for which support they are ready
to pay any price that may be demanded of
them by the party III power, and neither
have confidence in the Of position. The
colored voters doubt the inclination, and
the whites have no confidence in the abiii-
ity of those opposed h the Republican
party to do themselves justice or protect
them, and, as a consequence, the whole
South is at the feet Of the administration.
1t is now demanded, not only by "A Just
regard for the welfare Of the South, but
by considerations that deeply affect the
perpetuity of free institutions everywhere,
that the different races in the late slave
States should be harmonized and be taught
to look to themselves, and to the influence
OF Just laws and their impartial admins
~tration, for protection, and for the promo
ton Of their happiness,
Is to be hoped hat the opposition, by its
candor and justice, will be able to win the
confidence Of all classes in the South, and
by dat means remove what Gems to be
one of the most serious dangers that
threaten the country.
Very truly yours, Nc,
john VI. PALMER.