The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-08-31
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CoNvEN-

posing the seventh congressional district
met in convention At Ottawa on the 2Sth
INST for the purpose Of nominating a demo
such other business as might be deemed eXpe
dent.
The convention was called to order at .
O'Clock p. NJ. by Hon p. A. Armstrong, chair
man of the committee, on whose motion Lo.
renzo Leland, Esq was called to the char and
A. j. O'Connor ]. c. O'Donnell and j. $,
Scovile were appointed secretaries
On motion committee of two from each
county on credentials was apponted,as follows
John Barr and 5. Riggs Of Grundy; T.. A.
Black and p. G. Hawley of Kendall; c, Farley
and J. G. Elwood of VIII; and Geo. II. Locey
and Alex Vaughey Of La Sale.
The committee reported the following dele
gates duly elected and In attendance:
| La SolLe Coumy-J. c. Crooker, Nels Mel
son, L. II. Tower, Lorenzo Leland, V. b. Wicks,
L. W. Brewer. NJ. r. Moloney, II. w. Under
hill. r. +. MacKinlay, o. O. Wakefield, Peter
Donlevy, Geo. ii. Locey G. W. Armstrong, j.
y. Iallpucil, VI " bol'"Shui "'iiNh D"i WI,
Saml Wiley, David Beck, d. Dunn, w, r..
Milligan, Ransom Palmer Geo. r. Bedford, A.
J. O'Connor, Alex Vaughey
WILL. G. Elwood, w. II. Farley, Jas. r.
Flanders Geo. NJ. Arnold, ID. p. Hendricks,
d. G. Henderson, c. Farley, James II. Ferris,
II. H. Parkinson, DR., LcCaron, Robert Walsh,
Mansfield Young, j. f. Patrick.
EedaU-A. Welsh, Z. A. Black, John w,
Chapman, p G. Hawley.
Grundy-P, A, Armstrong, John Barr, S,
Riggs, J. :. Scoville
On motion the chair appointed a committee
of two from each county on resolutions, who
through Hon, p, A. Armstrong, chairman, re,
ported the following:
The Democracy of the 18th Congressional
District of the State of Illinois make the fol-
loving declaration of principles:
1st. We endorse and reassert the platform
and principles enumerated by the Democratic
State convention held at Springfield April II,
1873.
2d. We believe that the commercial inter
ests of the Northwest demand the speedy con
struction of ship canal connecting the chain
of lakes on the north with the Gulf of Mexico
on the south; that such canal would afford
cheap transportation for the vast fields of grain
and herds of stock frOu the Northern to the
Southern states, and for the sugar and cotton
. of the Southern to the Northern states; that
| its construction is OF national importance and
should he urged upon congress until the nee
essary Appropriation therefor shall have been
made
Sd. We charge the Republican party with
being uniriendly to the poor and the laboring
classes, and of legislating tn favor Of monopo'
lies and capital as shown by their record.
In eXemptng government bonds from taxa
ton, whilst the farmer, mechanic and laborer
are taxed upon every conceivable thing which
WINS the subject of ownership.
BY changing the terms of the contract under
which the Understanding bonds of the govern
ment were issued, from being payable "in law
| full money of the United States, as expressed in
the several acts of congress authorizing then
i issuance, making them payable in coin, there
bv legisIating millions of the peoples money
into the pockets of the bOndhoders, whilst the
monthly pttance of SIG month to the gallant
soldier for risking life and limb IN the defense
and maintenance Of the government was paid
in lawful money of the United States, then
worth by the gold standard a fraction over 81
cents on the dollar, it requiring $3.50 to pur
chase 800 in gold.
By donating millions of acres of the public
domain to build up railroad corporations and
monOpoles, but refusing to grant single acre
as bounty land to the soldier,
Bv the passage of the National Bank law
authorizing capitalists to deposit national in
debtCdncsS as the basis OF their circulating
medium-thus pocketing double interest-in
terest upon the bonds deposited and upon theil
circulation; and to cap the climax they cX
cmptcd them from taxation.
, By demonetizing silver thereby contracting
, the circulating medium and producing com
f mcrcal prostratlon, eliminating in genera
= financial panic, bankruptcy and ruin; by The
passage of the specie resumption act carrying
in its wake a suspension OF business, the clos
inc of the manufactures and machine shops
by which hundreds of thousands of our citi
2cns are left without employment and have
been turned adritt to tramp over the country
seeking work to obtain bread for the supper
> of their dear ones starving at home.
, All these things we charge against the he
e publican party as the result OF their attempt L
: favor the rich by congressional Legislation.
4th We also charge the Republican party
: with resorting to fraud, bribery, corruption
e perjury, and forgery to retain their control o
: the federal government
= 9th. We point with pride to the record o
the present Democratic house OF Representa-
Itives and their noble efforts to remedy the evil
caused by republican legislation.
They have introduced and passed bills r.
q monetizing silver-and for its extensive cCir
Y age-for making grcenbacks legal tender 10
q all debts both public and private, to repeal tn
specie resumption act, for the relief of the ga
u liant soldiers, and have reduced the appropri;
o tions by millions-all of which would hav
q been laws had the republican senate concurrcC