The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-08-14
THE MISSOURI ELECTION.

ST. LOUIS, August 5, 1856.
To the Editor Of the National Era:
DEAR SIR Yesterday was indeed glorious
day for the Anti-Slavery party of St. Louis.
The election of F. P. Blair, jr., to Congress, is
as much triumph of Freedom against Slave
70, as will be the election of Fremont next No.
vember. Mr.. Blair had to contend, on the one
hand, against the Old Line Wings and Know
Nothings, whose candidate was Mr.. Kennett,
the present member, and against the National
Democracy, or, as it should be- the office-hold-
ing party, as Mr.. Reynolds, United States Dis
trict Attorney, was their candidate, on the
other. Blair was denounced as Black Re-
publican, and the most unfair and corrupt
means resorted to to defeat him. While can
wasting the district, he took bold and open
ground against the repeal of the Missouri Com
promise, like Benton. But he went still further
he opposed the late piracy on the Missouri
river, the Border Ruf6anism in Kansas, was in
favor of Freedom going to Kansas, to make it
free State, and, if need be- he favored the res
bold position astonished many of his friends,
and they feared his defeat; but he knew better
toration of the Missouri Compromise. Such a
what meant those loud hurrahs, that vehement
cheering, when he spoke so clearly his senti-
ments. Such speech would be responded
to in like manner in Fanueil Hall; but here, in
St. Louis, in the Border Rufian State of Mis-
souri,, how could any man have the temerity to
speak out so plain; and what had he to con-
tend against? Mr.. Kennett, the Know Nothing
Wing, was certainly the most popular man that
st. Louians ever honored with their suffrages.
Three times in succession had he been elected
their Mayor, and only retired from that eleva-
ted position, that he had so ably filed, to can
vass the district for Congress. in opposition to
oil uhn ho ofa cd
said, too, that Mr.. K. had done more in Con-
gress, by has rotes, in favor of Western i'm
provements, than any other man who sat there
before him. The other opponent of Mr.. Blair
had all the patronage of the State and United
States Government in his favor, with thousands
of lying sheets, thrown broadcast everywhere,
charging him with corruption, more than any
other member of the Benton Democratic par.
ty. But the charge of AntiSlavery, negro
worshippers, and all such slang, served only to
help on Mr.. Blair; for hundreds of our business
men, who are chiefly from the East, and who
at this time are reading the Fremont Eastern
papers, seeing that their old friend Kennett
voted, in Congress, against censuring the bully
Brooks, and in every vote he cast misrepre-
sented them, now was their time, though re-
luctantly forced to it, to make their Anti-Sla-
very principles tell and 80 they voted for the
Anti-Slavery Democrat, Blair, to 90 to Con-
gress, and for their old Wing friend, Kennett, to
stay at home.
But this election will open the eyes of poll.
ticians to the dissgreeable fact to some of them,
viz that there are fDe thousand Anti Slarery
votes IN S. Louis, and that, whenever the occa.
sion calls for it, they will be made to tell. So
you old politicians, look out hereafter You
may be surprised there has been no movement
in st. Louis in behalf of Fremont. Depend
upon it, you will hear from US in time, if thought
best. MISSOURI.