The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-11-03

township, prior to the caucus, to the effect
that McFarlane was Roman Catholic,
and that the ardent supporters Of Sturgeon
made themselves very busy in circulating
it. From whom we're they likely to obtain
it2 Sturgeon may not have positively
so stated, but how other could it origin
ate, else from an intimation2 Now, what
will our Catholic fellow citizens conclude,
it they find man trying to iniure his
fellow in one section of the county because
he is reported to be Catholic, and in an
other endeavoring to blight the prospects
of a lady because she is not2 will you be
made cats.paws of, to rake chestnuts from
among the ashes2 When we consider the
two stories together and the circumstances
attending each, we cannot Their than con-
clude that both originated with one and
the same person; whom? If Mr.. Stur-
geon chuckled over his success in
the FIRST, we can assure him the
second will prove bitter in its fruit.
We submit if it is not lower than mortals
should descend when they seek to attain
their ends by working upon the prejudices
of the people, and the man, IL will not call
him man, wrong all honest men) the
person who will condescend to this-for
him there are no means, however vile, of
which he will not make use to accomplish
his ends. But it certainly shocked even
the friends Of Sturgeon to read 10 THE
ARGUS of the 9th inst, to the effectSthat
he was 10 saloon and making free use of
language the most obscene, vutgdr,
blasphemOuS; had any school boy been so
base as to use the same. he would be
scourged severely, and deservedly too; all
| the worse. because these remarks were in
regard to a certain lady of unimpeachable
character. In the name OF all that's
sacred, is this a nominee of the republican
party; thank fortune it is not, it is only the
nominee Of the Union; is this the charac.
ter and occupation of one who seeks
longer to decide upon the qualification of
those who instruct the youth of our and
need not give the substance of Mr.. SIS.
remarks gentlemen, we all know them
perhaps the ears of our wives may have
| been shocked by mere intimation of
them. Surgeons plan of electioneering
| is too we'll known in this city to need
repetition here. Is he a frequenter of
saloons answer the question; if go, why
answer the question. Is he 10 the habit of
playing cards for whisky, as intimated in
the last issue2 answer the question. Has
he conducted himself in an honorable
manner? answer the question. We would
answer these interrogatories were 1t not
| for the fact that every voter 10 this city
can do so for himself; and, gentlemen, you
will answer next Tuesday. Ii is
only that he has wife and
family that we restrain our pen,
else would we draw the curtain,
and portray his career in this city
10 detail, and too, would we give truthful
account of his electioneeung tours under
cover of darkness in the city of Moline.
Where now is Mr.. Haverstick, that valiant
knight of the pen who once thought no
man to be so acceptable as the Union
candidate2 We admire his sagacity, for
be at once saw he had put his foot in it,
quickly he dropped his pen and, like the
Arab, silently stole away. The weak
attempts of the Union on behalf of its
candidates deserves no further comments;
its silly prattle in regard to the authorship
of these letters, need no mention. Let
Sturgeon remember that he has been
watched by ARGUS" eyes, and that If by
any saloon manipulation, by chance he
should succeed in securing an election by
even very small majority, the end is not
| yet; we Will openly call MIN 10 account
and give to the public facts which would
ere this have been revealed had he had
the conscience and manhood to avail him
self of the opportunity we gave him to
ascertain the identity of '.JIniuS," but be
dare not have accepted it; there is a skel
eton in the closet and no one knows this
better than Sturgeon.
This is the last time we shall address
our fellow citizens before the election
occurs. The question of next Tuesday is
not the success of party; it is whether
the ring" and its candidates, saloon ma
liquidation and base intrigue shall triumph
over public virtue. Such we have be
lieved the contest from the first, and WI
appeal to every pure-minded citizen t
fearlessly perform that highest privilege o
every American citizen, untrammeled b.
? party ties. and unfettered by prejudice,
limits