The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-07-21
NolnInatIon for vice-President.


General FRANK P. BLAIR, oftMissouri,
has been nominated for Vice President.
Thisis an gexrellent nomination. He is
man, 5of character and of fine talent.
He was formerly q distinguished mem
ber Of Congress from Missouri, and was
one of tbe most admirable and excellept
officers in the Federal Army, which will
be- testified to by his comrades of the
Seventeenth Army Corps, during the
celebrated march from Atlanta, in 1864.
As to his political record, that he is en-
tirely sound, we publish the following
letter from him: Is sss.tssaay
.x,slasr W AsHINGToN, June 30. a
COLONEL JAMES O. BRoADHEAD-
Dear Colonel. IInreplyto your inqui.
ries beg leave to say thatI leave to you
to determine, ON consultation with my
| friends from Missouri, whether my name
shall be presented to the democratic
Convention, and to submit, the following,
as what consider the real and only issue
in this contest. ibai - k1a3 .iY
"The reconstruction policy of the
Radicals will be complete before the next
election; the States, SO long excluded,
will have been admitted; negro suffrage
established, and; the. carpet -baggerss in
stalled in their seats in both branches Of
Congress. There is no possibility of
changing the political character of the
Senate, even il the Democrats should
elect their President and "a majority of
the popular branch of Congress. We
can not, therefore, undoithe Radical plan
of reconstruction by Congressional acs
tion; the Senate will continue a bar to
| Its repeal. Must we submit to it? How
can it be overthrow? 1t can only be
eyerthrown BY the authority of the Exec
utive, who isssworn to maintain the Con.
stitution, and who will fail to do his duty
if he allows the Constitution to perish
under a series Of Congressional enact
ments, which are in palpable violation of
its fundamental principles. 1s.s 81
sIf the President elected by the Dem
oeraey enferces,or permits Others to en-
force these reconstruction acts, the Bad:
icals, by the accession Of twenty spurious
Senators and. Fifty Representatives, will
control both branches Of Congress- and
Il his Administration will be as. powerless
as the present one of Mr.. johnson. ~
"There is but one way to restore the
Government and the Constitution, and
that is for the President elect to declare
these acts null and void compel the ar
i my to undo its usurpations at the South.
disperse the carpet-bag State Govern.
ments, allow the white people to re-
organize their own governments, and
Senators and Representatives.. The
House of Representatives, will contain a
majority of Democrats from the, North,
and they will admit the representa-
tiyes elected by the white people Of the
South, and with the cooperation of the
President it will not be difficult to COM.
pei the Senate to submit once more to
the obligations of the Constitution. It
will mott be able to Withstand the public
judgment, if distinctly invoked and clear.
ly expressed on this fundamental issue,
and it is the sure way to avoid all future
strife to put this issue plainly !, to the
ceuntry Ike .,.1a.as5,ls .sl;f = s..ga
81 repeat that this is the real and only
question which we should allow to eou-
trofus: Shall we submit to. the usur-
pations by which the Governments has
been overthrown, or shall we exert our
selves for its full aad complete restora-
ton? It is idle to talk Of bonds, green.
backs, gold, the public faith and the
public credit. What can a Demo cratic
President Co in regard to any of these,
with a Congress In both branches con.
trolled BY the et-baggers and their
= g II g will be p9werless to stop the sup
plies by which idle negroes are organ.
lied into political aolnbs-by which an
army is maintained to protect these yag-.
abonds in their outrages upon the bal
lott These and similar things eat up the:
revenues. and resources Of the Govern !
ment and destroy its credit, make the
difference between gold and greentacks.
We must restore the Constitution before
we can restore the finances; and to do
this we must have President who will
execute the will of the people by tramp.
ling into the dust the usurpations of
Congress, known as the reconstruction!
acts. I wish to,stand before the Conven-
ton upon this issue, but it is; one which
embraces everything else that is of value
in its large and comprehensive results
1t is the one thing that includes all that
is worth contest, and without itthere is
nothing that givesldignity. honor or val
ue to the struggle. q Your friend,
'gss' as''slea ~ s.itlta II. 2. BLAIR.