The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-08-10
WHAT ILLINOIS NEEDS.
The Williamson County Troubles.

Gov. Beveridge has submitted to an in
terview as to the Williamson county
troubles, with especial reference to his duty
in such cases. The governor, as repres.
ented by the interviewer, is of the opinion
that the censure of his course is attribut-
able to political motives. He states that
Williamson county is Democratic, and as
the county authorities have not asked the
aid Of the state, he thinks it would be un-
generous to force it upon that county. He
further states that he has not been official.
ly informed of the state of affairs in that
county, and that the authorities have not
asked any aid. He also thinks the law
abiding citizens of the county should Or
ganize for their own protection, and that
until they do so they can hardly expect
others to do so" (?) The State Journal,
which publishes the interview, also delivers
long editorial on the subject, in which the
governors views are travestied and distort-
ed, but we prefer to give his exceleney a
chance to speak for himself, as we have
done by quoting the salient points as
above.
If Gov. Beveridge really thinks that the
censure Of his inaction is attributable to
political motives, he -, of course, justified
in disregarding that censure, but this opin-
ion shows that he forgets the main fact of
the case. More than twenty persons have
been assassihated in that county and the
governor has taken no action on the sub
ject His idea OF the motives which
govern editors is a very low one if it is
really his opinion that he is censured for
naction only because he is a Republican
officer. We submit that it is altogether
more probable that the Republican editors
of the state refrain from expressing the
opinion which must arise in the mind of
every good citizen, because of the govern
or's political status than that he is CEN
sured for that reason. The governor
states that he has had no official" notice
of the troubles, and this statement shows,
in our opinion, his disposition to ignore the
whole affair. He does not expect the
murderers to send him official notice, nor
can he expect their victims to rise from
their graves and state the facts, but he
does know from public and undoubted re-
port that state of outlawry exists in that
county and has overthrow the county gov
eminent, and the Register assures him, on
the authority of the state constitution, that
1t is his duty not only to discover the means
TO stop this disgraceful state Of affairs,
but to put those means into instant opera
ton. Section 6, of article 5 of the consti-
tuition, reads: The supreme executive
power shall be vested in the governor, aoho
shall take care that the laaUs be faithfallu
executed" This section gives him the
power" to act in such cases as that in
Williamson, and makes it his duty to act,
to take care that the law be faithfully
executed"
Section ii, Of the same article, reads:
The governor shall be commander in
chief of the military and naval forces of
the state, and may call out the
same to execute the ldtos, suppress insur-
rection aud repel invasion" Finally, sec.
ton 25 directs the governor, upon taking
his office, to make oath that he will sup
port the constitution of the state" and
discharge the duties of the Office of gov
ernor." The constitution, which he has
sworn to support, sets forth the duty
which he has sworn to discharge, and it
also places in his hands the means of sup
porting the one and discharging the other
The shifts and evasions to which the gov
ernor has been drivento account for his
inaction are as disgraceful to the state as
is the affair in Williamson. It is not his
business to discuss the political complex
ion of the officers Of Williamson county,
nor Of the editors who censure him; it is
not his place to demand special appro-
priation from the legislature as the price