The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-10
THE Ex.GEBEL PROGRAMME

party, in your speech to the Desmoines
Hayes and Wheeler club, Of July Goth,
The first reason you assign is this:
THE Ex-REBEL PROGRAMME.
said one, "Gye up possession OF the government,
and the north will be the rebels next time This
the talk and the talk in carnest-as was the
talk OF the same men in 1851. They mean It, They
talked It over coolly and seriously; said they had
already an united south, which would be nearly
enough aud that their Democratic allies In the
north dare not deny them the little more, the few
more votes that they would need. This lie their
idea to-day-to gain by legislation, by means Of
diplomacy and trickery what they failed to
gam by means OF force. ] believe it; |
aud all their actions prove 1t. What else
do they mcang Why Is It that the state of Mis-
souri, has issued to every former owner of slaves in
that state certificate for $1,000 for every slave,
payable when the government will pay itY This
very thing, the total amount of the value Of their
cmancipated 81 ayes, IL now estimated as part of
the state debt Of Missouri used 10 think that this
was a Republican falsehood, the certificate matter
But 1t is an actual fact and these certificates, and
all certificates or showing Of losses sustained
throughout the state are being saved up careful
ly ~ money against the day when the Democracy
and the rebel element ruling It in the nation
al government, shall have attained TO power II
Missouri will do this thing and hold out this
promise to pay for all emancipated slaves why will
not all the sOuthernIall worse rebel states do itr
And will they not do itt"
The statement is as appalling asst is
specific. The l4th amendment to the con.
stitution of the United States declares that,
neither the United States nor any state
shall assume or pay any debt or obligation,
''or any claim for the loss or emancipation
"of any slave"
That the state of Missouri has violated
this provision Of the constitution, you say
you used to think was a Republican
falsehood, but it is an actual fact" This
language implies that you have examined
"a gfnf cd
of its truthfulness, so that you could conf
IDENTIFY give it currency, stamped with the
reputation you bore in the Democratic
party as man of honor.
So disturbed was l by my faith il you
on the one hand and on the other by my
regard for the welfare of our country im
perilled by such contempt for its supreme
law as you charged upon the state of Mis-
souri,, that | took immediate steps to YER
ify your first reason for leaving the Democ-
rscy, that | might point out to my party
friends In Missouri the need of the prompt
undoing of such un-Democratic defiance OF
the constitution. | accordingly enclosed
your language to Hon, Chas. Ii. Har-
din, governor of the state, and to Hon.
Il. o. Stannard, of st. Louis, ex-leuten-
ant governor, and member of the 43rd
congress; the former Democrat and the
latter a Republican, probably personally
known to you as former Iowan and citi.
zen OF Van Buren, county when you were
the Democratic sheriff and treasurer OF
that county.
From Gov. Hardin l received the fol
lowing reply:
STATE OF Missouri, /
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.,
CITY OF JEFFERSON, July ~, 1876.
John p irish, Esq, Lo,cd City, Ia.
Dear Str:-By yours Of the oath inst, you say Il
has been recently stated, 'Tnat the state Of