The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-10-20

70 TAX aDOut pO5SiOle cOntingencle6, and
perceives in the far distance dim posi-
bility Of his being candidate. Now.
what means this? Was Sturgeon disap-
pointed? Did he hope to bring himself
out for judge by showing Adams to the
front, then getting him out Of the way by
some political iuglery: did he hope to step
into his shoes? or did he think the people
would consider that man who knew how
to select judge was better qualified to be
a judge. and would therefore prefer him to
Was the ring. to Surgeons
great surprise, too we'll pleased with
Adams2 Did Sturgeon then consider that
if he failed in the judgeship he had better
hold on to the superintendency? These
questions are pertinent and need no
magician to invoke them.
Now comes the dissolution. True, we
cannot pry into mans thoughts, neither
can we see into mountain; but, if we
see steam issuing from a mountain side,
we at once consider it an evidence Of In
ternal heat. We can reason from cause |
to effect, and, with equal facility, trace |
from effect to cause; we cannot affirm that |
either of the parties under discussion said |
or thought this or did that; we can pursue
logical course of inquiry, lead US where
it may, and the conclusion at which we
arrive we are justified in maintaining until
we are convinced of our error; we know
that human actions are generally prompted
| by motives; and to endeavor to ascertain
the motives which may have prompted
any certain action is as legitimate sub
ject of inquiry as to establish any law by
an inductive process of reasoning.
l. k.,k hnvD
ever we are left to form our own opinion
concerning any transaction, we can2ot be
denied the right to pursue our own method,
and though the number of hypothesis
upon which we might base any action
may be almost infinite, we shall, in the
present case, confne ourselves to that
which may seem most likely, and en-
deavor to ascertain how far the same
may be justifable.
There is a general and widespread
opinion that the dissolution of the late firm
now under discussion was only a matter of
political expediency, and if there is suf
ficient to warrant this belief the people
may well visit with indignation such
chicanery; but if this is not the fact, if it
had no political import, then is due the
public from either member OF the late firm
positive statement to that effect over his
own signature, that neither may be COM
PEELED TO eat the bitter fruit OF an unwar-
ranted conclusion, Now, the firm existed;
the shingle swung at the door; 1t read
Sturgeon & Adams" Did Sturgeon,
concealing his disappointment, say to
Adams, See here. Lucien, you're going
to be judge2" Did Adams reply, land
you're going to be superintendent" and
did they then conclude that it would not
seem well if both came from the same
Office and mutually agree to dissolve the
6rm7 Did these magnates set about to
, divide the official spoil? Did they con-
slider the official trusts of Rock Island
county at their disposal? Did they trample
upon every right of the people? If so,
who and where was Lepidus? By what
right could either conclude that they were
TO be anything officially? Is not this a
{ prerogative of the people? Upon what
, hypothesis might such an action be based?
that both were going to be nominated;
nominated by whom? Presumably, by
the people. Were the people aware of it?
! Not in the least. Who was antony
f and Octdvius. What follows? Ii our
) hypothesis be correct, they nominated
themselves, and the convention was only a
ratification meeting. 1t the dlssolu lon
was mutual because they were going to be
! nominated, it is the most positive proof
, that both lad an abiding faith in aud were
: connected with ring, the mandates Ot
q which they believed TO be as lntalii5le as
, the laws OF the Medes and Persians IN
4 changeable. Upon this superstition we
r have two politicians cOmplacently set
= ting about TO make themselves ready to be
. nominated. and il correct 10 Que view, IN
4 which there seems to be more truth than
# poetry, we see how well they aud then
/. friends manipulated the wires and the
# delegates of the people. Many of them
i. no doubt, honest and honorable, confirmed
( what had been done by the ring months
II previous. But suppose Adams knew
,e nothing of what We suppose to have beeI
IS Surgeons ambition for the judgeship
At suppose that he had no desire to dissolve
N the firm, and that Sturgeon said to him
" IF you are going to be judge you'll hav'
IS TO get out of this, for Im going to holC
10 on to my Office, and the people won't accep
l. two from the same COOP" This hypoth
r esis, also appears reasonable, for Sturgeon
0. could not say positively that be would b.
{. a candidate until, we believe, day or tw
N after the dissolution took place. Blu
,e granting that Mr.. Adams had no knowl
of edge of the coming dissolution until W
@. presume him to be informed of it by hi
,e partner, yet at that self-same moment b
t. would become party to the scheme, ant
by conceding 10 the demand, he became a
TO ceusurable as though he had been part
RS alb iRitiO
8 Now, could we, by any process of reas
" oDing, arrive at the conclusion that thi
" transaction had no political significance
lie we would gladly do so; but the further W
1t penetrate, the more are we convinced
er that it was a well-laid scheme, perhap
Of dictated by the supreme magnates o
s. the ring, by which both were to remove
Of supposed Objectionable feature and receiv
he a nomination, and the fact that until ate
ic the dissolution, Sturgeon, seemingly, di
u not appear to know for what office h
N would be candidate or whether he Woul
I'd be candidate at all, confirms us in on
at belief. We might reason upon many othe
N hypothesis but our conclusion would b
IN equally if not more so, as damaging a
IL any of the foregoing. All in all, it seem
to TO US to be but part Of. in this case, tn
We Ili-timed and unguarded operation of
or ring. which as truly bespeaks its iden;it
as the setting sun heTalds approachin
ID night We believe it to be but the Out
III groupings of long existing conspiracy o
r the part OF certain chronic politicians VIII
Or dub themselves republicans, and seek t.
D and to a certain extent do, control tn
on republican party, actuated by the mos
s, selfish motives.
y. We eau give the names of those prom
On nent in these transactions, as we'll as ii
or part played by each, and, though, perhaE