The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-10-06

minority. by q f0ul fraud, DackeQ Dy
money and by che regular army. this par !
ty got possession of power in 1870 against
the popular will. M confessed By the chief
beneficiary Of that iniquify the day after
the election.
The power thus UNANIMOUSLY acquired has
been openly used to intimidate. to bribe.
and to buy off those elements of opposition
that could be reached in no other way.
Casting aside even the mantle Of cheap
hypocrisy with which they have hitherto
sought 10 cover their corruption, members
of the Fraudulent ADMINISTRATION, the
whole force of of6ceholders, and all the
influences that the immense governmental
patronage can In any way reach, are now
enlisted in desperate effort to elect the
corrupt candidate whose casting vote 10
the Electoral Commission put Hayes in
tbe9White House. 8 ,s5o..
: They know well that large majority of
ahe people of the United States. North
as well as South. are opposed to the
rotten rule of the Republican party, to its
prodigality, to its plundering practices, and
to its defiance of all constitutional re-
straiBts wheu a political object is to be
served. How. then. do they propose to
overcome this admitted majority2
Tho answer to that question is TO be
found in the recent action of a powerful
combination of men in New York Phiia6ei-
-phia, Boston, and other large cities, some
of whose fortunes have been made by dis
graceful favoritism at Washington.
We find no fault with those who choose
carrying on Presidential campaign. AS
this has become costly busl
ness to both sides, and the cost
lis increased where third party engages
lin the business, To bear this outlay and
to plant seed in doubtful states. the Re-
publican managers assessed all the Office
holders two per cent. on their salaries, and
demanded much larger sum from those
above the average grade. 1t is estimated
that from this assessment and the usual
sources of supply a round million of dollars
was raised to start with, That a part oil
this fund was foolishly invested is certain,
and that another part OF it had to be un.
expectedly applied to Vermont and Maine
| is well known.
| The magnificent Jewell sought to appall
and to astound his adversary by the display
of unlimited resources. He succeeded in
getting rid of a good deal of money with
out alarming any body, and when he got to
the bottom of his pile the recruits to Han
cock from the Republican side could be
counted by scores IN every school district
north of the Potomac. With an empty
exchequer and shattered plan at the
close OF the campaign, the leaders are con-
frouted with the prospect of q crushing
defeat.
They cannot appeal with any hope to
voters whom they have so often deceived
and betrayed They have no policy to fall
back upon to attract confidence, Their
moth eaten issues are Rebel Claims and
the Solid South. In this extremity wealth
comes 70 the front and proposes TO buy the
election. There is no copcealement about
the Intention: They advertise publicly
for Large sums instantly" In Philadel-
phia the Union League and a secret society
headed by John Welsh. which was exposed
by disguised Republican. have put up
many tens of thousands for Indiana and
Ohio. Here in New York. Hamilton Fish
and other well known men, behind whom
stand Jay Gould and his set of speeuia-
tors. have formally met together at the
Union League and resolved to contribute
large sum for the approaching elections.
In Boston the movement has been condue-
ted with more caution but with equal zeal
These men 90 not reflect that they are
doing very unwise thing in thus conbin-
ing to help CARTE by money alone,
knowing as they do that he has no hold
on the people. and no claims on the Presi
deucy. from being venal ,bber.
The broad question now upon Us is
whether money or votes shall decide the
Presidency. We have the votes; the Re-
publioans who got in By fraud and force in
1876. propose to get in by barefaced brl-
berry in 1880. But they are doomed to
failure IN this unholy attempt.