The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-05-28
THE BLAIR DELEGATION FROM MISSOURI TO THE
CINCINNATI DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CoNYEN-

Missouri may carry their limitations and present them
selves as the Of the delegates Of the
democratic party of Missouri have thought reliable
history the dongs and claims and principles of these OPP
ponents of the administration would prove interesting TO
readers Such reliable history proceed to present
notwithstanding it is obvious all that neither Mr. Blair
Mr. Benton Mr. Fremont their friends, expect to sub
scribe to principles FORTH support the nominees
presented by the National Democratic Convention at Gin
cinnat for the evidently made for the sole
purpose of aiding the black republican party now under
the leadership OF the elder Blair Of this city.
To show the character of the party in Missouri
which guided by the younger Blair probably under the
direction of his father and of Col Benton it is necessary
to 90 back to the last presidential canvass.
After the nomination of Gen. Pierce in 1852 it quickly
became evident that his election certain The oppos
ton of the dsaected could but njure themselves instead
of the nominee
Under such circumstances Col Benton and the Blairs
could only resort 10 old taetcsgive their support but in
such .Oay as to injvs him Vho supported In ls49
when the wimot provso0 found to be odious, Col
Benton assaed his speech the Missouri State house
declared it dead and roasnP But in the same speech
artuy introduced the principle and auded 1t under
! the name of the Jefferson proviso"
/
denounced the convention that nominated him. proclaimed
it duty far dbov party TO repudate caucuses and con-
ventions" both State and national and announced that
whilst he would yield that time, he never would again
Such his support!
This was Jackson, Missouri in speech deliver
ed on the Saturday before the presidential election in
1852 "Repudiate caucuses and conventions" said he
and follow the constitution of the United States as it
b, the
pie" &C. He again. says rspudiatiOn of caucuses and
conventions which dispose of national and State ohces
is demanded by the genius of all constitutional
This attack upon party organization was quickly follow
ed up by his friends and he encouraged to an
noance reputation of the democratic doctrines and
declare that party platforms for great mer
to stand upon
In St. Louis the friends of Colonel Benton the
succeeding 9th of January, and followed his example or
the 22d of that month his confidential friend Col Cowan
had adopted Jefferson county meeting of the Benton
ians resolutions of which the following is extract
"War to the knife, and the knife 10 The huh g.
upon union and harmony conventions and orrasgu
traps to catch democrats-and all regular nominees
whether county, State or national. War upon all TO tn
death "That will support no man for clerk OF either
the courts in this county, for Congress- nor for any
other office who will not pledge himself to the support
the and principles expressed in the foregoing
principles" Colonel Cowan at the ensuing canvass was
Benton and Blair candidate for Congress against the reu
lar democratic nominee The resolutions from which thu
above taken published in the ST. Louis
Democrat with preface by COL Benton, from which We
take the following extract
"The regular nomination. potent in all elections
State national has lost forever its magical
~ hran nf akness fraud and inamy ~
These attacks upon the democratic organization and
upon platforms of all parties rapidly followed up by
the friends of Col in all parts of the State Con-
ventons and nominations universally repudated by
thern-they denounced in terms even more violent
il possible than those used by their leader
Having secured a reputation of conventions and Of
principles on the part of his friends Col Benton proceeded
to announce himself candidate for seat in each house
of Congress and entered upon the canvass which term
mated in his disastrous defeat in August 1854 1t is proper
to remark that Col Benton made his attack upon the
ganzaton and platforms of the democratic party after his
election to the House in August 1882 and that his defeat
was accomplished at the first election after his attack upon
the party though he had year and threequarters in
which to labor to destroy the democratic organization
With Colonel Benton fell every of his friends who
for Congress on the disorganizaton princple-among
these victims was Mr.. Thomas L. Price.
This last-named gentleman had been named first the
State Central Committee in 1882 Hence though applied
to by other members OF the committee he did not call
meeting Of the committee enable them to call the usual
State democratic convention Thus situated, the demo-
cratic members of the legislature and leading democrats
then at the of government assembled agreed upon
and published the usual call for State convention This
act was ratified by subsequent CALL issued by all the
Ia,A zn..z
the majority thereby except Mr. Price and other Ben
tonian repudaior Of conventions, State and national
Subsequent to the publication Of the call for democratic
State convention Mr. Price and his friend changed their
minds and concluded to call State convention of tb,
Bentoniaas which they proceeded to do in the o.
that party whose organization they have long repud
ated and trampled under foot dsgraeaM tingf The
! arepular nomination to suddenly to be 'h
brand of weakness fraud and namyP Yet this Mr.
Price as will soon be seen) failed when his convention
assembled to achieve his purpose The result may b
easily anticipated six weeks have not elapsed and MI
Price is already candidate without nomination against
the Irregular nomineeof the democracy of that congress
sonal district His only hope Is to obtain enough votes
to secure the election Of the knownothing the demo
cratic nominee and even this hope the democrats have
doubt they disuPpoint
The two State conventions thus called the same
day in the capitol The Bentonians had but few delegates
and from but few counties-Frank Blair with his st
CHARLES and Gale cnuntv dnle1atons