The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-07-16
can they Afferd rt9
Rock Island, Ill. !. July 10, 1880.

hocA AsAaha, Al /. Suiy Us 1917.
Mr.. Ingerson says III the constitu-
lion allows. and the interest Of the party
requires that the electors be appointed by
the: State Legislature. why not do il
instead of having an election By the peo-
ple2" -
The principles of the Republicans be-
fore all things is to look to the interest of
their party They once secured an eight
to seven commission sa the interest Of the
Republican party; They once appealed
fraudulent returning board In the interest
of the Republican party. They sent the
visiting statesmen to sustain the fraudu-
lent returning board in the interest of the
Republican party. They enfranchised the
freedmen of the south 10 the interest of
the Republican party. and they now pro-
pose to disfranchise the people of the
north, in the interest of the Republican
party. Does it never occur to the gentle
men that they may carry this thing TOO
far? Now suppose thay should succeed
in taking away from the people the right
to elect their President, then they mnst
prepare themselves to take the consequent
ces. II they think they can come before
the people with such an issue If their
would be members of Congress and Gov
ernors of states. &c, think they can afford
to take the chances and making their
election sure, all right, let them try it on,
perhaps they will feel like Othello felt
when he found that his occupation was
gone. A DEMOCRAT.
| Our correspondent is unnecessarily
alarmed-The Republicans are not going
to attenpt the electoral grab. unless they
are assured of success, and as the consti-
tuition is in the way. and as an attempt to
seat president chosen in defiance of the
the constitution would not be tolerated by
the Congress-it is safe to say the Repub-
licans will not make exhibition Of their
ability to biunder by rushing mad!y into
a scheme of doubtful consequences.
There is no power higher than Congress,
when the husl vote is counted-and as an
electoral c5mGission if not feasible aud
tie electoral grab scheme DEMONSTRATIONS
al. the plan to capture 1913 votes for Gar
| field will rot be attempted. 1ndepen
dent OF the constitutional consideration,
however. there is another and most
| powerful obstacle being no less than Gar
field himself, who would by no means be
certain Of the electoral. vote of all the states
having Republican legislatures, Take for
instance Illinois. and the electors are near
ly unanimous for Grant. and if they were
selected sby the legislature. they
would. be as likely to vote for
Grant as far as Garfield and then 10
Maine, the electors would assuredly vote
for Blaine, Pennsylvania for Grant, Ohio
for Sherman. and what would be the
result? Why, the election would go to
the House of Representatives and then
lGen. Hancock would be chosen. General
Garfield would hardly favor q scheme of
such doubtful expediency and SO Gnoer-
tain in benefit. Our correspondent need
have no fear-for the Republicans will be
brought up with a short turn the moment
they attempt the carrying out Of SO IN
constitutional measure.
i When our correspondent talks about
the Republicans not being able to "afford'
this or that line OF policy-he mistakes
their inclinations. The Republican party
would do anything for success If feasible.
l. is not the right or Justice of the "elec-
toral grab" that worries them-it is
simply the knowledge that they cannot
constitutionally do it. which deters. Right
and justice, and opinions of thu people are
secondary considerations with the Repub.
Ii,ans, They will do anything for success
il they can do it successfully
TIE most beautiful com plcxion can only
be possessed where there is pure blood