The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-06-28

government itself and made the names of
scores or its high officers and public men
our public scandal and our public shame.
The record is horrible in venality, waste
and fraud, and the party which has been
powerless to bear down and trample under
foot its corruptionists with stupendous
effrontery is pledging itself to reform of
which it has become incapable. So that
party pledged Itself to restore speice pay
ments and every year is taking us further
from speice payments. So it pledged
itself to civil service reform, and dropped
and Knocked its reformers, 1t pledged
itself to protect labor and with monstrous
custom house taxation on over 5000
articles it has Impoverished American
labor. A few score of monopolists, few
thousand of corruptionists have been
enriched, but capital in the hands of those
that earned itby industry and saved it by
frugality is everywhere distrustful and
rusts unused while honest labor goes about
the streets begging bread. We must re-
turn to the constitutional principles of
frugal expenditures and administrative
purity Of the founders of the republic
This is the most imperious necessity of the
day and this is the appeal we have to make
to our fellow citizens of every former
political utilization. This is the one su-
preme commanding issue to which all
others are interior, all others trivial.
Reforml Reforml Reform! If you
shall recognize this imperious necessity,
IT you shall insist in your platform on
the successful achievement of this ardu-
Gus work OF natlnal regeneration, if you
shall observation-disclosures strue to your
own high purpose and faithful to your
pledge, Victory in November Victory in
October! Incarnate the vital issue of re-
form in candidate and platform and the
states that have honored Douglas and
Lincoln, states that to-day honor Hen
bricks and Thurman, Hancock and Parker,
Bayard and Tilden these states with all
their vast populations will rise like all the
world and winds that followed fluttering
Orpheus will and follow you to victory.
AUGUST BELMONT.
of New York, arose and said he had in
his hand q resolution for which he claimed
the indulgence of the convention. The
campaign upon which we are about to en-
ter is OF the most vital Importance. The
question is whether we shall set aside the
corrupt administration which is leading
the country to ruin or give to our country
industry and prosperity; whether the iron
heel of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. shall be put
down or whether the Democratic party
may once more hold the reins of govern
ment and restore the country to prosperi
ty. The Republican leaders, schemine
and unscrupulous, have by their speeches
in congress, by the teachings OF IA partisan
press, and by the platforms of their stats
| no ~ 20 H.
attention of the American people from
their misdeeds, and endeavor to SOW the
, seeds of discord between the north and
, south, This centennial year Of nationa
rejoicing and hallowed memories of the
past admonish us to draw closer together
in bonds of fraternity and union, The
politicians of the Republican party, ben
only upon their own selfish ends, attemI
to stir up the worst passions in human ma
ture, and, not satisfied with the misery Of
the day, are willing to bequeath to oul
children IN inheritance of suspicion anC
prejudice. They have played this same
nefarious game before, and encouraged by
the timorous policy of our leaders in for
mer conventions they hope to achiev,
another victory through our fears, whicl
J made us resort to eXpediencies and injudi
cious nominations outside Of the Democrat
ic party. Experience has shown us tn
fallacy Of such a policy. For every Re
3 publican vote we gained we lost many NOR
8 of the votes OF our own people. Let tn
/ lessons of the past serve as warnings q
0 this juncture This is struggle betwee
Democracy, representing union, progress
and prosperity, and Republidanlsm, rel
reseDting sectional strife, religious intolel
ance and continuance of financial an
y industrial prostration. In such a conte:
. victory must be ours if we adopt stron
: and unequivocal platform on all the card
. nal questions which agitate the peopl
|, and place upon it q national Democr;
: whose private character and public recor
!. will infuse that enthusiasm and that conf
dence into our ranks which alone can il
sure success.
. Mr. Belmont concluded by offe
y ing the following resolutions, an
~ moved that they be referred to the con
o mittee on resolutions:
The resolutions appeal to the honor an
manhood Of the American people to begi
this second century of American Ind,
pendence by extinguishing forever II
n smouldering ashes Of distrust and animos
ty between the two great sections of oil
r country. We denounce the calculating IN
i lignity with which the leaders of the L
: publican party have loved to keep aliy
through eleven years of peace the wor
), passions Of civil war. The machiavelia
r. motto of the Republican party has bee
# and is: divide the people" We denount
q the Republican party as u party of fall
- pretenses to assume the character of a M
q tional party and at the same time to ext
n only by sectional differences. 1t is fall,
% pretence to assume the name of Unic
Z party and at the same time be an obstac
q to national unity. 1t is false pretence
n assume the name of a liberal party and |
the same time appeal to the religious pr
J.. JUDGES Of the people. It's false pretenst
e to assume the title of progressive part
0 and at the same time turn the people bac
: from peace in the future to war in the pas
4 Mr. Williams, OF Indiana, moved that I'll
convention adjourn until tomorrow at |
a. u. Cries 'tenl ten! W Mr.. Williams st;
: ted that he had information that the con
mittee On resolutions would be ready to r.
= port at ii O'clock, but not before that hou
and therefore insisted On his original M
= ton.
The motion was carried and the col
!. vention adjourned until tomorrow NOR
!. ing at IL O'Clock
!. A MASS MEETING.
s Loud calls we're made for
VOORHEES,"
who spoke in substance as follows My fe
Z. in,u c;t;1npc of th;c I m, o-a,