The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-04
Badly Postsd-.-or Wants to Create
HardsF ceilings.


A letter from Cambridge, published in
the Peoria Democrat, In abiding to the
feeling in relation to the nomination of
county officers in Henry, says:
In the Democratic ranks the main question will
be, who VIII accept the empty honor, except for
representative in the legislature. At the last cleo
ton Rock Island county, which is in the same leg
1siative district with Henry county, rather played
roots on our folks, by voting solid for their can
didate. and Henry county will probably embrace
an opportunity to resent 1t.
The author of the above is either badly
posted, or else he is anxious to create i'll
feeling between the Democrats of Rock
Island and Henry counties The facts are
that nobody of intelligence in either county
supposed that we could elect two repre-
sentatives; they knew it would be an i'm
possibility, unless the Democrats had
majority on the aggregate vote Of both
counties. And. knowing that Grenell and
Human could not both be elected, it was
very natural that the friends of each
should do some Pumping of three votes
for their favorite, in order to place him
ahead. The same thing was done by the
Republicans. Mr.. Grenel ran over 200
behind Human in Henry, which showed
that somebody in that county played roots
on our folks!" And the fact that Mr.. Hin
man received nearly 1000 votes in this
county shows the falsity of the statement
that Rock Island county voted
solid for their candidate"
There was another considerations Hen
ry had had the member for tee two
years previous, in the person of Hon.
Charles Durham, and could have had it
again-was offered it again, if Mr.. Dun
ham would accept it. But he declined to
be candidate, and the convention unwise-
| ly decided to nominate two candidates. 1t
should not have nominated but one candi-
date-and, after Mr.. Durham refused to
be considered candidate for the nomina
ton, the candidate should have been found
in our county.
THE ARGUS, before election, showed
that the only possible way for US to elect
both our candidates was by every man
voting straight. Ii votes for each candidate,
and urged everybody to do so, There was
a hope, at one time, that the disaffection
against MIR. Browning would throw him sc
far behind Fox that both of our candidates
would be elected. But the disaffectior
was partly healed, and then Browning's
friends in this county dropped Fox anG
pumped three votes each for Browning.
| 1t was impossible to hold Mr.. Grenelp.
friends to the straight ticket; and he also
got good many Republican votes In bis
own town, where Gen. Elliott received 81
and Mr. Etter y, Mr.. Grenell received %;
votes! Nearly every Democrat in that town
and a considerable number of Republicans
pumped 3 votes for Grenell. 1t could no
be prevented.
| The result was exactly what it ought t
have been-t gave Rock Island count!
the member, and, as Henry county ha'
previously had the member. no injustic
was DONE We are now even Henry ha.
had the member once, and Rock ISLAM
once-aud neither has any claim over tn
other for next fall And if only on
candidate is to be nominated next fal
let it be the abest man in the district
. without reference to his location. That i
one great advantage Of minority repre-
sentation-we can nominate man for hi
brains, his intellect, his cultivation, hi
character, and his ability to make his mar
7 on the legislation of the state-as Nj
Durham did when he represented the d
trict. lie acquired state reputation an
f reflected honor upon his district.