The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-10-13
An Inside View of the Work
ings Of the Republican
Party
IN ROCK ISLAND 90,
Showing How the Primaries and Coun-
ty Convention was Packed in the
Interests Of
REPUBLICAN COUNTY CANDIDATES
Another Letter from "Junius."

Out SmOl part OF the DaSe LrlCkery Dy
which the late contest for republican NOM
nations was characterized. For the pres
ent we wish to examine the present system
OF politics and ascertain, If possible, to
what extent a man is In honor bound to
support the nominees of his party. For
illustration, let us imagine political CON-
muuity to exist in which each individual
has a common interest. Let us imagine
parties to exist and these parties organized
with the avowed intention of putting into
execution certain measures salutary to the
general welfare we will coucede every
man TO be endowed with high sense of
justice, and as belonging to this or that
party, not because his personal friends,
relatives or fore-fathers may have been
identified with it, but from firm and in-
telgent convection that the ends to be
attained, can be best attained, through the
means and measures advocated by the
party with which he has Unidentified him
self by choice Now, let us presume the
time to draw near when men are to be
chosen for the purpose Of putting into ex
ecution the chosen measures OF either
party; the primaries transpire; and per-
haps being remote or inconvenient, but
minority attend the interest Of the few
and many are IDENTICAL all have the same
interest at heart and the chosen delegates
90 into convention, instructed or unin-
structed, with just and full appreciation
of the obligations resting upon them. The
general convention ensues; the delegates
meet aud consult together; is il expedient
TO nominate Mr.. A2 The question of ex-
pediency never arises, Is b an available
man? will he run" better and secure
more votes than Il. The question Of availa-
bility Is below their consideration; they
seek for a man whom they know to pos
sess the requisite ability, and, moreover,
worthy their every confidence, and noml-
late ID.
So tar a man is under every obligation
to support ID aud abide by the action OF
the convention. He knows the nominee
to be fairly chosen by those who were
themselves chosen by the people; he also
entertains his views as the result OF his
own conscientious convictions; he believes
them TO be right; they are not the growth
of a day but have been deliberately form
ed aud are as much part Of his being as
his hand or foot is part OF bis body; he has
every reason 10 believe that the principles
he espouses will be most faithfully carried
out-and being under these convictions,
to abandon the nominee OF his own party,
would be virtually to abandon his
own principles, and place himself
in opposition to his own sense
of right. Would he relinguish hi:
principles because he knew his party tt
be in the minority? his own sense of right
greatly out-weighs the empty honor OF
being on the winning side. He
esteems his independence aud rejOlces IL
the possession of conscience free from
every restraint. Underlsuch fanciful con
ditOns (it shames our manhood to admit
that they exist only in the domain o
fancv) a man could not in any sense bt
justified in abandoning the nominee of hi:
party; nay, in the event of his so doing
though not amenable to human laws, ht
would become a criminal before that Beinl
who called him into existence and holds
him responsible for the performance o
every absolute duty. But when we turf
from the ideal aud come to consider tn
real facts rs we find them, the case is wide
~ different, and our conclusions must nee
essarily be of another hue.
We believe the great majority of voter
to be we'll meaning men. We know man!
in this county TO be men of sterling integ-
rity. We know them 20 be highly appre
clated 10 the communities where they re
side, and are convinced that they woulC
not stOOp 90, nor couDtenance dshOnO
knowingly. And yet they have an abiding
though misplaced confidence in the iDteg
rity and fairness of their fellows, knowing
nothing of the inward wickednes
and corruption Of their party man
ipulatOrs, believing that nomination
do, as they should, give back pop
lar opinion. They support their part,
IL. IL, -
political ship with devotion worthy of
better cause We believe it to be tru
principle that parties should be organizes
for the promotion of the public welfare
that they should be public servants, in
strumenta in forwarding the general in
terests of society, and that whenever the
usurp the mastery over, and attempt t
lash into compliance with their dictates
those who have called them into, and upol
whom they depend for their existence, tha
they then become the tools of factions only
which are alike dangerous to society an
inlmical to all that is to be priced in a CON
munity. When ever such state of affair
occurs, then we mold it to be the bounde
duty OF every honest citizen to rebuk
these factions by hurting from position
of trust and profit those mIscreants VIII
ton OF party" anything, everything, to re
tain the seats they have dishonored, tn
trust they have abused and the grasp the
have obtained upon the persons of thei
constituents. We do not advise the form
alton of new parties which are general
short-lived. The remedy lies in this
man, obnoxious to the people is success
tul in manipulating primaries, and throug
clique or faction secures q nomination
then let the honest intelligent citizen VIII
loves the purity of his party and seeks
restore and perpetuate its usefulness, Il
such, and many there are, cast their Vot
and use their influence against such nom
nees, and for any man for whom they ma
vote without doing violence to their judI
ment, then, and only then, will the lash
IN the hands of the true masters, and poll
ical demagogues dread its scourge Tn
we conceive to be the only means B
which party purity can be maintained
When factions pass through few ordeal
when rebuked and discountenancet
then will they recognize the stern fact thi
the real power is in the hands of a Writ
Gus people; political trickery will dsal
pear, ring politicians, well knowing TIL
the people will discountenanee their bas
intrigue, II they do not entirely disappe;
from the political arena, and they will COW,
before the righteous indignation the
know to be treasured up against them.
Let US examine the moduS ODerand
Let US see how the politics in our oV
county are manipulated. Politics were
pet study for the Roman youth and it is
equally tit aud proper, if not more so, tn
the American vouth snould ha thorou0h