The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-09-08
1.ha nannh licau Rally.


The Republicans rally on Tuesday eve.
ming was well attended, and the forchlight
procession was line tone. There were
|67e torches:in lines, sinelnding horses. say
lin round numbers TOO. which is the limit,
and these madeI.. an. excellent display.
Clubs were presens from Moline. Milan.
Hampton Coal VALLEY. Port Byron and
other points, SO that all things considered
il is nothing to brag of--stiil it IS but
simple.iustice to give proper credit. The
ARGUS has no intention Of .belittling its
politicalI opponents meetings and hence
gives fair report.
The speaking.in Court House square
drew fair audience, and the speech by
Gov, Cullom was the principal attraction.
He INDUCED in a.good many vagaries, and
made some statements which were rather
wild and, on the whole. made poor i'm
preston, Instead of delivering his speech
ex tempore, he read it from manuscript.
which is tiresome at best, aud never takes
well with apoiitical, audience. His. refer
ence to the truck bill. which he claimed
was unconstitutional. was very short, he
pleading "lateness Of the hour" and 'other
speakers sto follow" etc. He occupied
Just one minute and half on this BILL and
then, Notwithstanding the 'lateness of the
hour" and that other speakers were to
follow etc.. talked on other subjects for
an hour longer. This was clearly a
dodge" and was so received by his audi
tors-ora at least great many OF them.
Gov. Cullom among other things stated
that the state would be out Of debt By
January lst next. This is likely the case.
But he did not state, however, that the
ressonsthel state.is nearly out of debt is
because OF the wholesome laws passed by
the Democrats when in control of the Hi
nois legislature. 1t was the wise legisla-
ito n of a Democratic legislature which so
fra med laws as to guard against increased
Indebtedness. knowing as they did, that
the prosperity of the state would naturally
follow. Gov. Cullom skipped this. refer
euce, and 10 an indirect way sought TO
leave the impression that he was to be
credited with the result, when. as matter
of fact, he has had nothing to do with it
Gov. Cullom tried to explain why John
I. Davenport arrested IL, coo legal voters
in New York and locked them up without
hearing, by saying that, 'as soon as their
cases could be heard, they were dismissed. "
They were dismissed. but Gov, Cullom
should have gone further aud told what
everybody knows to be the truth, that the
arrests In the FIRST place were unjust and
known to be at the time they,were made,
and that the "dismissals" did not OCCUR
until the polls were closed when. Daven-
ports object attained they were liberated.
We might Ego ION disintegrating Gov.
Cullom's speech and exposing its fallacles
TO the end. but reserve it for another day.
Suffice it. however. that he greatly disap
pointed the people and feel far short OF
the expectation. He made no converts.
butthe did make votes for tho Democrats,
We confess TO expecting a more able ar
gumeat from Gov. Cullom. and think that
perhaps he was not in good condition, but
certain it is, he madesaafar inferier speech
to what as. expected.
Other speeches were made by Gen.
Henderson, Hon. P. A. Sweigart, and the
interval filled filled By some fine singing
by the G lee Club, under the direction of
James x. Cooke,
The audience is estimated ct 5000,
possibly $500 bat the enthusiasm was
light. During the speaking there was
absolutely none,
The Democrats are not discouraged by the
turnout and will brace on their armor for a
grand reception to Hon, John IL. Oberly
on the 2lst inst.