The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-11
II is anti-democratic. ZAP

/ Friends, democratic doctrine insists up
on the largest liberty of the citizen.
4 Primarily, government is individual. l
have the right within a proper sphere to
control myself, and moving with the local
4 government of county, town and state, and
| in his individual capacity the right of per-
sonal liberty to every citizen is very i'm
portant in free government. Hence we
declare that when men have boards on
| their faces, have arrived at years of
maturity, they shall control themselves and
shall have the largest liberty compatible
| with the safety of the public. Applause
| And that it is not the function of law to
prescribe what shall eat or drink or what
l shall wear Applause and cheers.l l
may abuse the public, but if do / am
| amenable to the public. | may abuse my
SELF but if do | injure myself only. We
are not "a party favoring intemperance.
That is not the theory of democracy. Like
men in other parties some in ours may
drink too much, perhaps but it is demo
cratic principle that individual men shall
have power to govern themselves when
they have attaiued to years of maturity,
and it is in that light that | refer to it. We
want nobody to be deceived as to the posi-
ton of the democratic party on this ques-
ton. We want no conflict among demo
Gratis on this question of the largest liberty
of the citizen compatible with the safety of
the public.
As democrats we could not, if we would,
inaugurate a spoils system. No, no; it is
impossible for the democratic party to get
up levy of two per cent. or five per cent
upon its officials to keep itself in power
That could not be done. These officials
belong to the whole people and are sup
posed to be paid for their services what
they are fairly worth, and if you tax them
two per cent. to maintain in power par
ticular party you must do it to a large ex
tent out of the pockets of the other party.
Democrats would not do that-won't do it
to get the control of this government, which
thank God we are going to have.
Our political opponents-and it is not
well, friends, to underrate them-it is not
well to disparage either their power or the
men who compose it. for they are very
much such men as we are-but our oppo
nents attempt to make an issue before the
country that we are in favor of some sort
of local government inimical to the nation
al government: that we are not strongly
enough in favor of the nation; that we are
rather inclined to spell it with a little IN,
and they want a big IN" | remember
time when an Austrian commander took a
naturalized American citizen aboard his
ship and insisted that. Notwithstanding his
naturalization, he owed allegiance to Aus
tria Capt. Ingraham brought his ship up
alongside and said: Look here. you have
cot to give that man up; our government
has stamped the seal eff naturalization upon
HIM and if you don't give him up | will fire
upon you" And he was given up. And
William L. Marcy, secretary of state of an
administration that was democratic. de
Tended the act, and it was ad Indicated ev-
erywhere in our favor How is it to-day,
nv friends? Scores of American citizens
upon whom the stamp of naturalization is
fixed are to-day immured in British dun
geons. demanding trial, and not allowed
to have it, And our minister there seems
disposed not to allow them to have it, and
our executive stands behind them and
seems to sanction his conduct. | know
not-neither do any of us-whether there
may be guilty parties among them. but they
ought to have a trial; and if William L.
Marcy were controlling the foreign admin
istration of this government; or if that no.
BILE patriot and statesman, William Scott |
Hancock, were in the executive mansion, |
these men would come out of those dun |
geons or somebody would get hurt.
1t would be impossible for democrats, if |
a man were selected for the highest office |
in the gift of the people by majority of |
three hundred thousand of the popular |
vote, and with fair constitutional major
ity in the electoral college-it would be |
impossible for democrats to do otherwise |
than to say he must be inaugurated. |
Applause For we are the people, and |
we are for their sovereign will expressed, |
and when it is expressed we yield to it. |
Our opponents don't do that. They get |
up an eight to seven, and beat us on the |
eight to seven.
Now, my friends, i have briefly and in |
desultory way gone through with some of |
the principles that divide our party from |
others. l thank you for the honor you |
have conferred upon me in calling me to |
preside temporarily over your organiza- |
ton. / hope the proceedings of this con-
vention will be harmonious. They must |
be-they will be-and in the interest of |
good government, honest government, free |
government, democratic government
frank, open, candid in all we do, now |
assume the chair, and give notice that it is |
ready to entertain any proposition
REMARKS BY HON. JOHN NJ PALMER.
Gentlemen of the convention: This is |
an unexpected result of my presence here |
to-day-so unexpected, indeed, that L |
have had no time to prepare an extempo- /
raneous speech thanking you for the hon |
or. For until u moment ago | had no in |
timation that / would be selected for this |
place You will therefore have the graft |
fication of escaping an infiiction-on acc
count of the suddenness of this an |