The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-10-03

decline the nomination would produce an
utter collapse of the republican party.
Those who urge me have not, I conceive,
run out that act to ascertain the conse-
auences. 1t would be to leave the party
| on the late eve of highly important cleo
ton without a candidate for the chief
office in the state. 1t is so far impractical
be as to be almost an impossibility to
name another person for the Office who will
be likely to meet with party acceptance.
What man of sufficient state repute, to be
an acceptable and strong candidate and of
the sensibilities that go with self respect
would be willing under such circumstances
to accept the late nomination and take the
hazard of the canvass, and no man of any
other kind would meet the demands of the
party, or could hope for popular favor, or
enter the field with reasonable prospects
Moreover it is physically impracticable to
call up another candidate. / say to the
men who propose this thing to me, Come,
let us reason together; suppose that | have
declined How will you have new nomi-
nee selected? The convention has adj
iourned sine die; its powers have been
spent; it has dissolved into its elements.
Can it reassemble with any prerogative that
will insure regard to its doings? In the
state of Pennsylvania that was one of the
questions in the turmoil of the republican
party. It had no solution. If it should
reassemble would you abide by what it
win do? You say that you would not. 1t
empowers the state committee to ill any
vacancy on the ticket Would you have
that committee name candidate? No you
reply, for that committee is the outcome
of the same convention you repudiate
There is then but one other mode and that
is a new convention of delegates freshly
chosen according to the usages of the par
ty. The time left for that is, almost, but
about month. Most persons are suffi-
GENTLY familiar with the processes to com
prehend that to get together from the diff
ferent parts of the state members of the
state committee. to make call for a state
to send abroad the fact of a
call to counties and the assembling of dis
tricts to convene the committees thereof
from the homes of many which the tele-
graph does not reach, to send abroad a call
for a district convention in the mode of
weekly newspapers. usually only one au-
thoritative in the rural parts of the state,
and TO call the town caucuSeS In those
parts by the same mode, would require so
much time that election day, in early No
vember next, would dawn with most of
the voteos without knowledge of what
man was the candidate of the republican
party and without ballots for their hands
with his name upon them. Bear in mind
that declination by me is not to utterly |
allay the factional jealousy, distrust and
strife. That it will not do to give or leave |
the ground for the allegation or beliefs of |
III advertised conventions or ''snap eau
cusus," that for ultimate harmony or even |
sullen acQuienc es, there must be orderly |
and decorous and well proclaimed proceed |
ngs, and then figure out lapse of time. |
By the difficulty processes above, the state |
will take and see if it is practicable by
new convention to set new candidate be- |
lore the people. 1t is my honest and |
settled conviction that for me to decline |
s to leave the republican party |
without a candidate and the practical re
suit of that is not only the certain election |
Of the democratic government, but it is the |
complete disorganization and disintegra |
ion of the republican party with all ad- |
verse consequences, state and national, to |
follow The responsibility for such re-
suit is too great to be put upon one man. |
have naught to say for myself. I make |
40 plea for myself If am defeated, and |
It viii be disappointment, 1t will not be |
he first that has met me- If am polite
llly ruined, as is sympathizingly said to |
me- and it work a sorrow, it viii not be |
he first that has entered my soul and left |
is pangs there. Be the result what it may |
% me / will not take the responsibility of |
breaking up the organization and destroy |
ng the republican party of the state of |
New York. If it is to be defeated at the |
coming election it must be an act or ennis |
zion of the republican voters. / can go |
Town bravely with the party which favored |
ne and which love to serve in conscious |
ness that no act of mine has wrought rue
'ul ruin. Circumstances have forced me, |
20 far and it would gladden. me now to be |
he candidate of the republican party. 1t
would be my aim, if elected, to be repre-
sentative of the whole party suEservient |
only to my duty to my chief magistrate, |
he whole people unmoved by the appeals
If the factions unswerved by the appliances
IF private interests, acknowledge no claim |
If my partizanship, looking supremacy for
he good of the commonwealth. Thus far
have assumed that the predictions Of my
of disaster, are well founded.
do not concede that there is no need of
loleful apprehension. The issues are too
grave, the consequences too serious for
present disappointments, and even right
;ous Indignation, to lead to persistence in |
ll-advised action. The republicans will
effect and the reflections will show what
will come of democratic success and will
urn aside the disaster by prompting to a
United and vigorous action. I therefore
Lccept the nomination and await the result |
# the canvass without perturbation.
/