The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-12-12

TINE new YORK ELECTORAL
COLLEGE.
Formal Meeting in Albany.
Hcratio Seymour Chosen President Of
the College.
His Address ON the Issues and Perils
of the Hour.
(Concluded)

(Concluded)
There is a darker phase of the last
election. The administration sent out a
cabinet of6ceri to take charge of the can
vass on behalf Of the Republican party
His very position at the head Of its man
aging committee made forced loan upon
nearly 100000 official dependents. 1t
proclaimed to them in louder tone than
words. You must work. You must
vote.
YOU MUST PAY
to aid the election Of candidate who de-
clares himself in favor Of civil-servlce Re-
forml" 1t told them that if, believing
and acting upon this assurance, they fol-
lowed their own convictions and voted for
his opponent they could be punished by
the loss of their positions, They were
forced in thousands Of cases to submit to
extortion with smiling faces, but with
heavy hearts.
pa LIKE INTIMIDATION
had been used in a southern tate,it would
have been seized upon by the. admins
tration as a reason for declaring martial
law. for arresting ADD imprisouing every
SubDtCNCu CllALCu. IL IL uuc " luC DCct
class Of leaders and journals of the Re
publican party to sly that they protested
against this indecency. But such acts
did not stop with mere improprietIes.
They ripened into violation of the spirit
of the law. In its resolutions, journals,
and in its speeches, that party has declar-
ed the detestation Of such abuses and its
purposes to Reform them. At the last
sc ~ ,aIaiS n orfpno
ishable with Imprisonment and depriva-
ton Of Office, to
LEVY ASSESSMENTS
upon iohiceholders for political purposes,
1t limited the punishment to one class of
officials, because, under the constitution,
those holding their position by the APP
pointment of the president and senate
could not constitutionally be removed from
their Offices by such; an enactment But
it is higher moral ofense in higher OH
Gals, punishable by the more impressive
process of impeachment, Here no tech
nical difficulties can hinder the punish.
ment of this crime against political morals
or public welfare. No one doubts or de-
MES that such assessments were made with
the knowledge and consent of the com.
L4AhASCs EAaNlNJ Va AAAo OACbSS AS
made more gross by the fact that at the
last session of congress, when it was pro-
posed to reduce the pay of officials, iu
order to relieve the industry Of the coun.
try from the burden of taxation, it was
resisted by the Republicans upon the
ground that this could not be done with
out injury to the public service. Yet we
see a national Republican committee re.
ducing their pay by assessments
FOR PARTISAN PURPOSES.
and diverting the money paid to them
from the public treasury, to. enable them
to serve the people faithfully; and thus
as declared by the solemn action of con
gress. disabling them from doing theil
duty to the republic, About these facts
there is no dispute The public mind is
agitated by conflicting statements with re
gard to the conduct of the Republican can
vassing officers in the remote southern
states. Do not the acts Of the heads of tn,
organization, done under our own eyes, throw
light upon those disputed points? If moral
were violated at the fountain head IN the
north, were they respected by men 0
worse than doubtful character at tn
south? Those men, by their call upon tn
administration for its armed forces, pro
claimed to the world their dependence up
on its power, and their
sERvITUDE TO ITS WISHES.
The head of the Republican committe
held the double position of a cabine
minister. advising and directing the actio
Of government, and at the same tim
managing the machinery Of party! Thu
at an excitingS election the government G
the union openly allied itself with party
gave it a power Of coercion over its officials
In violation Of the spirit Of the laws agsins
INTIMIDATION AND BRIBERY.
It did just what it charges against tn
people Of the south. What lessons of lay
and morals and of duty did such exampl
teach these dependent officials in Louisi
aua? These questions must press them
selves upon the minds and consciences Q
every honest man. Until We ponder we
upon what we know Of the canvass at th
north, We cannot judge wisely with regar,
to its character at the south. Were me
Of bad reputation, acting under the in
huences Of interest and passion, temple
TO violate duty and morals Of the exampl
Of committee headed by cabine officer
II we can conscientiously say the coDduc
Of the committee was right, we can the
60 on and investigate the conduct of tn
officials at the south. II we see that j
was wrong, we need look no farther
If By any trick or fraud the candidat
Of the minority is placed in the pres
Dental chair against the wishes Of th
people, every man who has thus bee
forced to pay for his election will have
right to say to his administration, ''Yo
demanded our money TO place you
power. We demand the positions "
bought Of the accredited head of you
organization" The great point of civi
service reform is to
AVOID THIS CORRUPTION
and to make the tenure'of Office Deepen
upon capacity. We do not believe the r,
publican party hasSin mere mockery
constantly asserted its advocacy of civi
service reform. We cannot think that il
writers and speakers, and those who hay
been employed in developing this system
been shameless preteDders, only seekiH
office or applause. The evil of this tran
action will fall upon the American peopl
but the shame will be that of the r.
publican party if they do not now Wind
cate their earnestness when thus challenge
by acts so notorious.
The member OF congress who objecte
to the rcdnctinn of salaries upon Il
ground that the empl0ye needed all
enable him tr ii his duty, and who W
stand by,a 'lieu shd conserving witness
reduction for psrty purposes, condemn
himself as a cor upt and a dishonorab
member OF the national legislature.
NJ .. II IL