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In the meantime, the agitation of those political questions, in which it was supposed the public welfare was most involved, continued with unabated interest in congress and among the people.

The democrats and independent reformers were generally agreed in favor of a demand for the repeal of the resumption law but were unable to come together upon other questions. The last-named party were the first to throw down the political gauntlet for the biennial contest of 1878, calling their state convention to meet at Springfield, March 27. About 150 delegates reported. Gen. Erastus N. Bates was nominated for state treasurer and Frank H. Hall of Kane County for, superintendent of public instruction. The platform contained the usual utterances in favor of the exclusive function of the government to coin and create money and regulate its value; the suppression of all banks of issue; the supply of all needed money by congress; of the taxation of government bonds and money; and against the contract system of labor in prisons and reformatory institutions.

The democratic state - convention followed next in order April 11. All efforts to effect a junction with the greenbackers had signally failed and indeed did not seem to be desired by either party. Edward L. Cronkrite, of Lee County, received the nomination for state treasurer on the third ballot, and S. M. Etter, the then incumbent, that for state superintendent of public instruction on the first ballot. The platform was reported by W. C. Goudy of Chicago, and upon the principal questions at issue contained the following planks: in favor of a tariff for revenue only; of the taxation of United-States bonds and treasury notes, the same as other property; "of the immediate and unconditional repeal of the resumption act;" of the remonetization of silver; of the substitution of treasury notesgreenbacks in the place of national-bank notes; of the immediate repeal of the bankrupt law; against any further reduction of the principal of the public debt at present; and that it is the exclusive prerogative of the United States to issue all bills to circulate as money. Comparing this political deliverance with that of the same party two years before, a wide divergence will be observed, so great indeed, that the state organ of the

party at Springfield, the State Register, then understood to be conducted by ex-Gov. Palmer, came out strongly in denunciation of some of the resolutions. That paper said, "The resolution which looks to the postponement of all further payments on the public debt, rests upon the false theory that the public debt may, without mischief, be perpetuated. Sound policy demands that the public debt be paid as rapidly as possible, without improperly burdening the people." It farther stated that if the result of democratic success would be to establish the theory that the United States had the power to issue paper bills to circulate as money, "then the success of the party would not be a success but a calamity."

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The republican state-convention met at Springfield, June 26, and although it was an off year, it was the largest ever held in the State. W. A. James, of Lake County, was the temporary and Charles E. Lippincott the permanent president, and Daniel Shepard, secretary. There was an animated contest over both the nominations to be made. For state treasurer, the principal candidates were Gen. John C. Smith, Thomas S. Ridgway, and E. C. Hamburger. The informal ballot disclosed the following result, Ridgway 206, Smith 174, Hamburger 150, and 113 scattering Smith was nominated on the third ballot. James P. Slade, of St. Clair County, was nominated for superintendent of public instruction on the second ballot, his principal competitor being W. H. Powell of Kane County.

The platform adopted was short and non-committal on nearly all national questions. The discussions of the day and supposed tendency of the government to reduce the volume of greenbacks in circulation, were not without its effect, as the following concession to that sentiment shows: "We are also opposed to any farther contraction of the greenback currency, and are in favor of such currency as can be maintained at par with, and convertible into coin at the will of the holder. We are in favor of such currency being received for impost duties." Speeches were made by Generals Oglesby, Logan, and Hurlbut, and by E. A. Storrs the address of the latter having been carefully prepared for the occasion, was delivered with telling effect and published in the papers at length.

The election resulted in the success of the republican candi

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dates, although that party was in a minority in the State of about 30,000. The following are the figures:

The republicans not only elected their state ticket and eleven out of the nineteen members of congress, but succeeded also, for the first time in six years, in securing a majority in both houses of the general assembly, which convened Jan. 8, 1879.

The new senators were, Sylvester Artley, William J. Campbell, William T. Johnson, and George E. White, from Cook County; Charles Bent, Whiteside; William P. Callon, Morgan; Milton M. Ford, Henry; Chas. E. Fuller, Boone; Geo. Hunt, and L. D. Whiting, reëlected; Maurice Kelley, Adams; Andrew J. Kuykendall, Johnson; Samuel R. Lewis, LaSalle; John R. Marshall, Kendall; Abram Mayfield, Logan; Thomas E. Merritt, Marion; Willam T. Moffett, Macon; Sylvester W. Munn, Will; William H. Neece, Mc Donough; Alfred J. Parkinson, Madison; Erastus N. Rinehart, Effingham; John Thomas, St. Clair; Meredith Walker, Fulton; William C. Wilson, Crawford; Samuel L. Cheney, Saline. John M. Hamilton was elected president pro tempore, and James H. Paddock, secretary.

Among former members returned to the house were the following: E. B. Sherman, Austin O. Sexton, Wm. H. Thompson, Moses J. Wentworth, and Solomon P. Hopkins of Cook; F. K. Granger, W. A. James, James Shaw, F. N. Tice, B. H. Truesdell, J. G. Wright, James Herrington, Conrad Secrest, Lucien B. Crooker, C. H. Frew, S. F. Otman, Charles Fosbender, J. F. Latimer, John J. Reaburn, C. F. Robison, William T. McCreery, Thomas F. Mitchell, T. P. Rogers, R. L. McKinlay, Orlando B. Ficklin, Henry A. Neal, Jacob Wheeler, Asa C. Matthews, Isaac L. Morrison, J. N. English, and Andrew J. Reavell. The following, among others, appeared for the first time: David W. Clark, Benjamin M. Wilson, Patrick T. Barry, Lewis H. Bisbee, Wm. E. Mason, C. Meyer, Horace H. Thomas, Lorin C. Collins, jr., and Geo. G. Struckman from Cook County; Omar H. Wright,