The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-11-21
OH 9ailg Argas,
The Bummer's Canvass


Simon Cameron. it seems. has Joined
the noble army of bummers, who are urg-
ing Grant for the republican nomination in
1880. 1t would be strange, indeed, if this
veteran hummer whom the late lamented
Lincoln invited to leave bis cabinet, was
not IN favor of third term for the man
who is Llncoln's opposite In all the quail
| ties Which make an honest and capable
chief magistrate. Cameron indorses
Grant as naturally as a duck takes to
water. The ex president represents the
principles and practices which have made
the ex-senator notorious, and birds of a
feather flock together And the flock
in this case promises to be large and
lively one. Cameron is in no danger OF
being lonesome. He will have with him
the Belknaps. the Babcocks the Robesons,
the McDonalds. the McKees, and the
whole crowd of big and little rogues whose
performances make up the history of
Grants administration, He will have with
him the carpet-bag tribe, the returning
board tribe, and all the other tribes that
feed upon corruption and rascality in high
aud low places, He will have with him,
as sort of sanctifying clement, good
Bishop Haven, Rev, DR.. Newman and the
rest OF those leaders of the church mill
tant who see in Grant the heaven-se-
lected instrument for the salvation Of our
beloved country The venerable Penn
sylvania statesman can look round him and
see host OF familiar faces; the concen
trated rottenness of the party in which he
has SO long been burning, shining and
strong light
Boosted by the bummers, Grant may be
considered as already in the field for the
presidential race. Blaine and Conkling
had best lay their plans carefelly if they
would not have them ridden over and rid
den down by "the man on horseback. "
That man is coming home short
ly; coming home crowned with the
laurels of the great European circus;
coming home With more gold boxes and
municipal addresses than all the presi-
dents put together have received; coming
home odorous with the perfumes of royalty
and aristocracy, and radiant with the re.
Ihected glories Of half dozen thrones
coming home attended by his military his
torian, Brig. Gen. Bsdeau, A. D. c., ir
suite" and choice assortment OF repub
lioan funkies to sound his praises and
ichampion his cause. Against this comb
nation Of hrst-class eiectioneering materia
the gentleman from Maine and the gentle
man from New York must struggle fol-
the first prize in the national convention
, lottery. Conkling must prepare for thu
Hottest fights Of impassioncd rhetoric thu
galleries can stand, and Blaine get ready
! to wave persistently as much Of ''tht
bloody shirt" as the rude hand of Haye
has spared, Both of them will need all o
the political thunder they can possibl,
muster to compete successfully with thu
: hero whom every ringster and rascal de
: lights to honor, and is proud to work for
1t will hardly do for them to bring up til,
hero's presidential record against hin., fo
as they approved and defended that reeart
from beginning to end, it would be ''th
pots calling the kettle black Nc. the,
must invent some other system of strateg
to outfank the diplomatist who wanted I,
annex Domingo without the consent of til
D0mlnicans; the phiianthrGpist who threw
open The prison doors to let the whiske-
martyrs go free; the public servant VIII
never refused gift or forgot the giver
the scholar who compfimented Waite
Scott on his achievements as historian
the critic who prefers Bouccauit to Shak
speare. The bummers are booming al
along the line, and unless Blaine ant
IUonkting bestir themselves right vigorous
tly, they will be hereafter, as they have
, been heretofore, mere hobs on the tail O
! the bummers' kite.