Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-08-24
NUMBER EIGHT
Hon. FRANK P. BLAIR Jr., has addressed
letter to the Republicans, and free Demo-
Gratis Of St. Louis. He says:

Hon. FRANK P. BLAIR Jr, has addressed
letter to the Republicans, and free Demo-
Gratis of st. Louis. He says:
The election on the 9th day of August last
fixes the status of St. Louis as a Republican
city-the banner city of Repuhlicanism-no
other large city on the continent ha ever
given fifteen hundred majority for the Repuh-
lican cause. 1t clinehes the charge of fraud
and corruption made against the pro-sIav ~
democracy in 1858, when the ballot boxes
were stuffed with fraudulent votes and your
franchises overthrown at the instigation and
/ by the connivance of the federal Administra-
tion and the corrupt use of public money.
/ This is demonstrated BY the fact that the
contest for the long term in Congress. under
| precisely similar circumstances with that OF
1858, that is to say, with three candidates in
the field, Mr.. Todd candidate of the Union
party, or the Americans. Mr. Barrett. of the
democratic party, and myself Of the Repub
hean party, has resulted in my election ny
nearly fifteen hundred majority over Barrett,
instead of resulting in majority OF six hun
dred for Barrett. as did the fraudulent re-
turns of 1853, when Breckenridge, Barrett
and myself were the candidates Of our re-
spective parties
Mr.. Blair establishes his proposition by a
comparison Of the votes given in the f-rent
wards at the two elections He adverts also
10 the vote for the short term, and concludes
as follows:
II know that many votes were cast for
me on a ticket gotten up by certain demo-
cratic candidates, on which my name was
placed thus: For Congress, F. P. Blair,
Jr., without designating for which term.
These votes were rejected by the Judges of
Election in some instances, and counted only
for the long term in others, when it was
clearly the intention of the voters to give me
their sutfrages for both terms, because the
ticket was headed Republican ticket" in
large letters. followed by the words, "with
three exceptions (the exceptions the de-
mOcratic candidates referred tO,) in letters
50 small as to escape observation. This
fraudulent ticket was counted for the
candidates who committed the frauds, and
not counted for me, although those who cast
the ballot had no other motive, as some OF
them have since assured me-, than TO vote
for me for both terms. do not know wheth
er the number of these ballots thus rejected,
or counted for one term only, are sufficient
to reverse the result for the short term and
give me the certificate. | know OF many
such, of which no mention Is made in the
returns Of the judges of election. The fact
illustrates the way in which the democratic
party w;th which 2,700 Union men affiliated
In tn. election Of Barrett in the short term,
goes for the enforcement Of the laws" up
On the most vital Of all points to the main
-ainance Of our institutions, to wit the pu-
rity of the elective franchise.
In conclusion. allow me to say that shall
.0rever remember with pride and satisfactions
the contest of 1860 To have been the lead
r Of the hosts of freedom in that battle fill,
The measure of nv ambition. We have won
verything that was worth winning, and
What the democracy has saved serves only 10
how their faithlessness to their allies. They
ave left their honor upon the field from
rhIch they fed to save their worthless lives.
again | return my thanks to the Republic
ms of this district, and congratulate them
lpon their triumph l. Is the BATH of Lex
ngtOn in our Republican revolutions to be
INCLUDED by surrender of Yorktown next
November. In that final victory the Re
'uDlIcans Of Missouri must participate, and
ring their whole army into the field. Every
,-publican in this state should cast his vote
ion, to be restored only by the elevation Of
.raham Lincoln to the chair once occupied
Y Washington and Jefferson. The solid,
lithful and infexible phalanx Of German
epublicans to whom, as the most numerous
nj not the least enthusiastic, the first hon.
Is Of our victory in St. Louis are due, will
len be reinforced by the whole body Of their
)untrymen in this state. The old guard of
tnt0n democrats will renew the struggle
18th happier auspices, in which their giori-
Us old leader expired, against the disuniOn-
ts and thousands upon thousands of young
nd ardent hearts will swell the ranks which
arch to an assured triumph over the sOrdid
lunderers who have made q prey of our
deral government, and to the ultimate
aligerance of our great state from the servi-
Ide under which, its best interests have so
ing languished, and against which the spirit
progress and civilization has ehated in un-
liling efforts.
Yours, faithfully, FRANK P. BLAIR. JE-