The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-07-26
HARRISON
The next Governor of Illinois writes
his letter of Acceptance.

of this state, permit me TO express my |
profound thanks for the great honor done |
me, an honor doubly grateful from the fact |
that it was wholly unasked and unsought. |
The Governorship of this great commons
wealth is too exalted position to be in
trigued for, and nomination to it should |
be by the free voice of the people. But
when unanimously called upon by great
party to be its standard bearer no good |
citizen is at liberty to decline. The NOM
lnation has come to me in such u manner
that am forced to accept; and relying
upon the generous aid pledged by you, for
yourselves and for those in whose name
you speak, shall do my utmost, as far
as is compatible with my duties to the
people of this great city, to justify the
confidence placed in me by the democrats
of the state. | reconize that we are called
| to an unequal combat For nearly thirty
years we have fought losing fight In
| each campaingn We have shown an un>
daunted front, and have been soliditied
| by each defeat. We haYe, year after year
fought almost without hope for the undy
ing principles of Democracy, and by our
ton of our opponents, This year victory
| is lowering over the banners of the mas
tional Democracy. and in Illinois there is
reasonable ground tor hope.
The great issue before the people
which dwarfs all others is the issue or re-
form. The Republican party has been i'll
power too long for the countrys good or
for its own purity. Its great leaders, who
had earnest convictions apd commended
for principles. have performed their miss
sion. They have already or are now in
despair deserving the party and leaving it
| to the control of men actuated solely by
self>intercst. The war is over and its sis
sues settled. Even the Republican candi>
date for President who has done somuch
to keep alive the bitterness resulting from
civil strife, is forced to acknowledge the
progress of events. Thousands and tens
of thousands who in past years have vOt>
ed the Republican ticket on war issues. or
on those growing out of the war, recog
nize that party too long in power be
comes either passively or positively cor
rupt; that in the absence of great moral
principles such party falls under the cons
troll of men who make their living from
politics, and who, if not absolutely cor
rupt, become wasteful and extravagant,
and that waste of the peoples taxes is
robbery They know that in the game
of politics, with its entanglements and
alliances these men cannot be relied upon
to bring the reckless or the guilty to JUS
tice; that, therefore, administrative reform
| % oil ha
party, and that such reform must come
from without.
These men will this year vote their
convictions and not party mandates. This
class of men has in past years upheld my
hands in my endeaYors to run this mum
cipality upon a,business basis. owe them
thanks for past support. and confidently
expect their help iD this campaign. For
while itmay possibly be true that the affairs
of this state are not suffering from need of
reform, that is thing yet to be demons
strated They have been too long under
the management of one set of men, and
ordinary prudence dictates that the books
should be examined.
There will be this year not far from
| 100, 900 young men grown into voters
since 1880. Upon this generous young
manhood we can confidently count. The
Republican party offers nothing as an
r appeal for their support. They re
cOngnize that the best cultured
and the most thoughtful of
our citizens are declaring for the dem>
ocracy, and they viii look tosthe future
of our party, not to the party which
! offers only "reminiscences of bitter past.
1--WE can rely upon the wOrkingmen OF
the state They know that upon them
the democratic is founded and that it has
? ever stood by them. A party of mono
upheld by grasping corporations, cannot
bv deluslve promises win them from the
party which is and ever has been part
I of themselves. The workingmen wei
t understand that their voice has ever beer
controlling one in the democratic party
and in all contests with monopolies il
has been on the side of the people. As
s well expect the mother to desert her child
h as to suppose that the laboring classe.
f will abandon the democratic party, which
was founded by them, which belongs tt
them and speaks their voice.
0 The foreign born citizens of our statt
! and those nearly connected with then
naturally turn from the republican party
with It's Know N othingism and aristOcratl
tendencies and look for he Up to the party
which has ever welcomed the oppressed
e of every land, has enrolled them as citlZ
n ems, and when so enrolled has protected
. them wherever they have gone. During
democratic administrations no monarchi
e cal government has dared unchecked t.
Y infringe upon the rights of an American
n No timid secretary of state has hesltate'
to insist upon the rights of our citizen
abroad, however powerful might be tn
VI government attempting to trample upol
1t those rights But the man who ha'
|. become an American citizen had power
full navy and an unfinching Administra
ton ever at his back.
Gentlemen, have carefully read the
e platform adopted by your convention ant
/ cordially accept and indorse it. You
>. declaration that men are capable of sci
government and not to be molested il
T. their personal rights while they do nc
At injure their neighbors is especially to b.
rs commended. Here the issue between tn
parties is broad and clearly defined.
is the province of the democracy to stan
between the people and any and a
s. attempts to curtail their personal liberties
d Should be chosen to the high office t
K which l have been nominated ] pledg
myself to adhere to the principle whic
:" has been my guide in the past, tha
i public office is a public trust, and a
Of an earnest of this can but refer to m
10 efforts during the past five years to man
age the affairs of this great city as goo
business man would manage the affairs {
TO his firm and household. Again express
L. ing my deep gratitude to the democrat
ne of Illinois, and my sincere thanks fc
II your own generous offers, ] am, mos
a. respectfully, ETC., your obedient servan
is CARTER ii. HARRISON.
Id The pains and tortures of the SPANS
ii Inquisition were not more agoniZing tina
| @1,o4 TO- Lot o,,;I1 dol