The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-05-06
Change of Position.

memory lot many FepuDncaus 10 oah I"
mind the time when their party occupied
constitutional ground and swept from
power the arrogant democratic party OF
1854, with the same old Jefersonian doc
trine Of 'the supremacy of the civil over
the military power" that is now decimat-
ing their party. The democratic party OF
that day, for the same purpose, violated
the identical principle Of American liberty
that the republican party has done in the
south. The action of the democratic
party of that day made Kansas "solidly"
republican, just as the republicans have
made the south ''solidly" democratic. 1t
may perhaps sound familiar to some OF our
old republicans if we quote from their
platform of that day, just to show them to
what they subscribed and for what sound
principles they commended. Referring to
what the democratic party had done for
certain people of the United States and
territories the national republican platform
declared that
Their territory has been invaded by an
armed force-spurious and pretended
legislators, judicial and executive officers
have been set over them, by whose usurped
authority, sustained by the military power
of the government, tyrannical and uncons'
titutiOual laws have been enacted and en-
torced-the rights of the people to keep
and bear arms have been infringed-test
oaths of an extraordinary and entangllDg
houa haap i'm pO0aH a a condition
of exercising the right of suffrage and
holding office; and the right of an accused
person to a speedy and public trial by an
impartial jury has been denied.
Fighting for a reform Of these violations
of justice, and asserting that the civil
power should supercede the military is
what carried the republican party into
power. Teus of thousands Of the men who
subscribed to the platform and purposes
Of the republican party of that day are
now acting with the democratic party.
How strangely have these two parties
changed positions The same love Of JUS
tice, equality and right that placed the
republican party in power 10 1860, elected
Samuel j. Tilden in 1876. Those who have
come upon the political stage since, within
the past 90 years, will not recognize re-
publican party principles in the above ex-
tract,--to such it will sound strangely
democratic. As the democrats were fight
ing in Il losing fight from 1858 to 1860, so
tho republicans were fighting in losing
fight from 1872 70 1876. By 81 fraud SO
stuperdous ~ 10 almost puraliz the
American people, they retained their. hold
upon the executive branch OF the govern
mcnt, aud@Are now conteudlng for tie
power to repeat, perhaps, in some Other
way, this fraud. There is, however, nj
question but that the popular majority
will be so great against them that they vii
not dare to attempt itagain. Whomsoeve
the people elect in 1880 will be the chic
executive 10 fact Whether Hayes shall
sign or veto the political bills that tn
democrats in congress and out of congress
and the thousands Of old republicans insis
shall be submitted to him
demanding free elections and impsrti;
juries," it matters not; no trickery OF a
INSCRIPTIONS and dishonest minority ca
again cheat the majority out of the fruit
OF their victory. The issue is squared
before the country, and, veto or no vet,
it cannot be changed. The people kno
the intention of the republican party an
demand that the federal army shall not b
used at elections; that federal supervisor
shall not, By revising registration and al
resting voters without process for polite;
purposes and failing them till after eleC
ton, defeat the will of the majority
they also demand that test oaths shall n
longer debar intelligent citizens who ar
allowed to hold Office, from the jury-bO2
These demands will to day he formulate
in bill, as we hope, in such way as
be proof against fair and honorable crit
csm, and when it may be presented I
the fraudulent president, il will matte
very little what the party managers direC
him to do. IF he forces the democrats
go before the people with the issue, III
republican party will be responsible fC
the agitation. That last vestige of-war, til
bloody shirt has ceased to fire the norther
heart, it no longer alarms capital or stag
mates business-its burial day has CON
aud the republican managers have detel
mined that Hayes shall be buried alon
with it; fear OF an exposure Of his direC
and personal connection with the greG
fraud Of 1876 will make him do their bic
ding; and as the democratic leaders
1854 to 60 made republican success poss
BILE SO these republican managers, some {
them the same men who were in the deu
Ccratic party at its defeat, are maxim
democratic success certain in 1880.