The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-04-14
50 = = . = . :
The Ereedman's Bank.

Ouceu u DHl 20 appropriate .%11UoV,VO0 "
reimburse Che depositors of the late
T reedman's Bank. claiming that the gov
eminent is morally responsible for the
money deposited. The government of the
United States is not responsible for
single dollar Of tfe money stolen from the
Freedman's bank-the only parties respou
sible are the paid agents of tho Republi-
can party. The bank was peculiarly 9
Republican machine. It was managed
and controlled by Republicans for party
purposes. Its funds were manipulated
for party benefit and for the bene-
it Of party favorites, and on the Repuo-
lican party and nowhere else rests the
blame-hundreds and thousands OF poor
deluded negroes. believing that they were
to be supported in idleness, and that the
Republican party had it within its power
to give each and every one of these Afri-
cans, forty acres and mule, They were
also taught that the Freedmen's bank
was the grand receptacle for all surplus
money, which had merely to be deposited
therein. to beimmediateiy quadrupled.
and In short time the money would be
returned to them sufficiently added to, as
to give each depositor a fortune. Paid
agents of the Republican party went
about the country woodworking
the negroes. and telling the
negroes all sorts ofs yarns to in
fluence them, and after the poor, deluded
victims had been cleaned out of all their
surplus money, the stealing began. When
depositors applied for their money,
smooth tongued agents Of the managers
pursuaded then to let it remain 10 the
bank, and not until the negroes, drive by
necessity, insisted on their Just dues. did
the utter rottenuess of the management
appear. 1t was most outrageous swlndle,
q regularly planned steal, and the chief
conspirators, were tried Re republicans,
specially selected because of ieal,y 10 party
and not from any particular fitness for the
positions they held. Senator Bruce
can hardly hope to secure the passage Of
this measure, but whether he does or not
it will never pass The government of
the United States is not bounden tor a
dollar of the money stolen from the Freed
mems bank-the Republican party is
alone responsible, and the crime is made
more heinous, when it is considered that
these self-same Republicans at the very
loud in their demands for the rights of
what they termed the ''poor, oppressed
African. "
Republican party love for the negro ike
most of its party professions is. and ever
has been, a shallow meokery. So long as
the negro can be used 20 keep the party
in power, he will be Landed, but when his
usefulness in that direction cea-
ses. when, in other words the
negro begins to vote independently, the
professions of sympathy so far as the Re-
publican party is concerned, will cease.
Even now, when it is pretty clearly dem
onstrated that the colored votes of the
south, and even, in some extreme radical
points in the north, are voting according
TO what they believe their interests, and
not a. blindly as heretofore. there are
some Republican leaders who gravely 8
sert, that il vas mistake tosenfranchise
the blacks. The Freedmen's bank swindIe
is not the only fraud the Republican
party is responsible for-there are
others equally as damnable as
tbis-swindles which involve five times
greater loss. The bank sWindle is only
one of the many dark stains in the record
OF the Republican party-a party which
has made itself stencil in the nostrils of
the peop!e-snd which was defeated 10
1876 By majority Of over quarter mil
lion of votes. A party which is in power
to- day through the most fragrant Frauds.
and which is sure to be defeated in the
coming presidential race, no matter who
be the standard bearer of the party. The
curse of the Republican party has been
and is now-its corrupt leadership
and though the rank and file rebel
and do not approve OF the question
able transactions of these leaders-yet the
managerial mandate is promulgated and
the masses of the party have to fall 10 ADD
follow in the crooked paths marked for
them. There are many in the Republican
party, however. who would not be led in
1876, who rebuked the fraud then com
United. and who will not be centralized in
1880. These. aud thousands Of others
who are anxious for pure administration
of governmental affairs, who desire peace
In all sections, and return to the time
honored customs as intended by the foun-
6ers of the republic-wilI unite with the
Democratic party IN securing the over
throw of the corrupt Republican party
the most corrupt ever 10 power. It will be |
q bright era, the dawn of a healthy pros
perity, when the INSCRIPTIONS managers /
OF the Republican party are RELOCATED 70
political oblivion. That day will comc,
.heu, on March 4, 1881. the inauguration
Ut Democratic president occurs.
The Army Bill.
The army bill passed the house of rep