The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-03-20

The speech of TX Gov. Palmer at
Springfield the other evening, before the
palmer Club" of that city. was master
IL effort, and outlines clearly and coneisely
what would be the policy of Gov, Palmer
if elected to the presidency of the United
States. Devoid of demagogisms, replete
with sound, logical reasonings, the speech
will be accepted by the Democracy of the
nation as what must be the key note of the
campaign, if wise counsels prevail. During
his remarks Gov. Palmer said:--
The Democratic party will invite the
country to rally in support OF the liberties
of the people upon the canons of its anel-
ent faith, a national government created
by free states, united IN bond OF perpet-
ual, indissoluble union, possessed OF ample
power for all national purposes: A govern
ment created by a constitution which care
fully defines its authority, granting all
needful national powers, and reservlng all
others to the states and the people; powers
that have been found sufficient to insure
the flag of the republic honor and respect
on every sea, whitened by the sails of
commerce, and In every port where it
futters in the breeze; powers adequate TO
the defence of the country against foreign
enemies and domestic foes, but which can
not be rigbtfully employed to Cypress the
people, nor be brought in collision with
the just authority of the states; state
governments emanating from the people,
with such powers only as they may think
proper to confer upon them; governments
limited in their territorial authority, but
supreme in their sphere, subordinate to
the federal government only in that they
So $arFr
orbit, and which were created and are
controlled by citizens of states for the pro-
lection OF their own rights and the regula-
ton of their own domestic affairs.
Democrats, unlike their political ad-
versaries, do not regard the federal and
state system as envious rivals, one grasp
ing for powers claimed by the other.
Democrats love and revere the federal
constitution. for it is handiwork of the
founders of the republic, and moDu"
ment TO their wisdom and patriotism, and
binds together the constellation of states
into glorious and perpetual unity; they
love the government OF the states. for by
their power their homes and all the en-
deariDg relations Of life are defended.
They venerate the Union, and thous-
ands of them have offered their lives in
its defence. and other thousands are ready
TO initiate their example, but they love
the states as they love their homes and
their 6resides.
They will not regard the federal govern
mept as an imperious master which de-
mands their blind submission to it's
authority and Tesents every criticism upon
its policy. bat will consider it to be an
Invaluable agency created for national
purposes; and they will exert all the
power they possess to wrest it's control
from the hands of men who employ it to
keep up perpetual strife between the
north and the south, and the different
races who inhabit the south, who distrust
the people of the United States, and
would rule them By an ever present ply
steal force.
And we will resist the vicious and dan
gerous heresy, that the powers of the fed
eral and state governments can be enlarg-
ed, expanded. restricted, or limited by
mere construction; and we will oppose and
denouuce the unpatriotic assumption, 30
perslstently urged by the enemies of con-
stltutional government, that the civil war
and its results altered and changed the
federal constitution. rendering some of it's
provisions nugatory. adding to the powers
OF the government of the United States
and contracting those of the states.
That certain amendments were made to
tAi0 A0uEi d cObsltlutIoH uuFiDg Inc war anu
after It's close is admitted, but those
amendments mark the precise extent of
the influence of the war upon the consti-
tuition"
The speech was fine effort. and made
a marked impression being frequently ap-
Dlauded by the immense concourse OF pco-
pie present. There is not purer states
man in the country than Ex-Gov. John NJ |
Palmer