The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-06-09
The 99ailg Arsns,
The Anti Catholic Movem ent--Its Next
Step Forward.


Step Forward.
We learn. through communication
from MIR. Luther I. Abbott, assistant
secretary of the American Alliance, that
the National lExecutive Committee of
that body will in few days issue an
address calling National Convention to be
held in Philadelphia about the middle of
July. The purpose of this convention is to
nominate candidates for president and
vice-president.
The American Alliance is an association
of various secret orders, councils, or socie-
ties. united upon two principles. They con-
tend that the elective franchise should be
confined to native-born American citizens:
and that the power Of the Catholic Church
should be restrained, and its influence liz
politics and public affairs broken.
WHAT course will the convention take
which assemblies in Philadelphia to repre-
sent these principles and promote their
realization in the election of Novem5 Der :?
Win it nominate independent candidates
! of its own? Will it adont and nominate
the candidates of the Republican party ?
Will it nominate the candidates OF the
Democratic party?
The last question hardly requires an an
swer The candidates of the Democratic
party will not be taken UP by the Ameri-
can Alliance, and those candidates would
reject its nomination if it were offered,
because their own principles and platform
are utterly opposed to the principles aud
platform of the Alliance.
The alternatives between which the Al
lance must choose are, then, restricted to
the nomination of candidates of its own,
and to the endorsement and adoption of
the Republican candidates. Against the
first of these two courses the reasons are
strong If it dominates independent can
didates in opposition to the nominations
OF the Republican party, there is a very
largo proportion of its members whom ii
will be unable to bring up to their support,
because the Republican attachment Of
those members and their unwillingness to
act against their party will be stronger
than their attachment to the principles
and purposes of the American Alliance.
Besides, the Alliance cannot get men OF
Influence and prestige to stand as their in'
dependent candidates, because such men
will likewise be unwilling to take up any
position 10 opposition to he Republican
party. Thus the idea of making lndepen
the reason that the returns Of the election
would exhibit the Alliance as much weak.
er than it really is, and would. in fact make
its whole movement seem contemplate
through the small number of its votes.
The National Convention Of the Alliance
will, therefore, adopt and endorse the can
) didates nc minated at Cincinnati and tbs
effort will be made TO give these candidates
the benefit of this know-nothi0g support
without imposing upon them the damage
Of appearing primarIy as Native American
ard anti Catholic candidates.
What, then, will be the effect of bringing
the anti-Catho!ic movement, with its score
orga nizations, directly into the election al
rover subsidiary to the Republican
party? Will the Republicans gain or lost
by it? Will they get any considerable
mass Of votes by this means which they
would not get otherwise? VIII any Dem
: ocrats 60 over to them? Will any number
of citizens who have determined to vote
against the Republican party on accoun
oflts corruption, change their minds ant
determine to vote for it on account of it
anti Catholic and nativistic features
These questions can only be decisively an
swered when the votes are counted but tn
answers which men will make beforehan,
in their own minds will have very much t
do in deciding whether the uext presiden
will be Grant Republican or Reforr
Democrat-N :. San.