Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-07-17
4 Brace of Precious Patriots.

Horatio Seymour l. the man who, early in
1861. meeting Judge Charles H. Ruggles, asked
him: Judge, have You read the Confederate
Montgomery Constitution ] have,
and it is batter than ours (the Federal) Then
why not obyiate all difficulty by simply adopting
that Confederate Constitution that is to
say. by giving up the Union, and making every
State slave State, and all our territory slave
territory eyermore.
He Is the man who said:
''Ifit is true that slavery must be abolished
to save this Union, then the people Of the South
should be allowed to Withdraw themselves from
that government which cannot give them the
protection guaranteed by its terms
His associate on the Democratic ticket is the
author Of the following extraordinary bid for
nomination, written within two weeks:
LETTER IRON GIN. BLAIR.
WASHINGTON, June 50.
Col. James o. Broadteqd:
Dear Colonel-ln reply to your inquiries /
beg leave to say that leave toyou to determine
on consultation with my friends from Missouri,
whether my name shall he presented to the
Democratic Convention, and to submit the fol-
lowing, as what | consider the real and only Is
sue in this contest
The reconstruction policy of the radicals will
be complete before the next election; the States,
so long excluded, will have been admitted; ne
gro suffrage established, and the carpet-baggers
Installed in their seats in both branches Of Con-
gress. There Is no possibility of changing the
political character Of the Senate. even if the
Democrats should elect their President and a
majority Of the popular branch Of Congress.
We cannot, therefore, undo the radical plan Of
reconstruction by Congressional action; the
Senate will continue a bar to its repeal Must
we submit to it? How can it be overthrown2
1t can only be overthrow by the authority Of
the Executive, who Is sworn to maintain the
Constitution and who Will fail to do his duty if
he allows the Constitution to perish under a
series Of Congressional enactments which are in
palpable violation of its fundamental principles.
- If the President, elected by the democracy
euforces or permits others to enforce these re-
construction acts the radicals, by the accession
Of twenty spurious senators and fifty represen-
tatiyes. will control both branches of Congress.
and his administration will be as powerless as
the present one Of Mr.. johnson.
There is but one irGy 10 restore the g0rern-
neHt and The constitution, and that is for the
PreSidcnf ticct 10 dcciare these acts null and
rOid. cOMpd the army 10 un10 MS uSurpGtiOus
at the South. disperse the carpet-Jag state gor-
crnmenfs, all0r the irhite people 10 re0rgani.e
their oirn governments and elect Senator's and
Representatives. The House Of Representatives
will contain majority Of Democrats from the
North and they viii admit the representatives
elected by the white people of the South and
uih The cooperation Of The President Il uiH not
be difficult TO compel The Senate to submit once
more to the obligations Of the Constitution 1t
will not be able to Withstand the public iudr-
ment if distinctly invoked and clearly expressed,
on this fundamental issue, and it is the sure way
to avoid all future strife to put this issue plain
ly to the country.
. repeat that this is the real and only ques-
ton which we should allow to control us Shall
We submit to the usurpations by which the Gov
eminent has been overthrow, or shall we exert
ourselves for its full and complete restoration
1t is idle to talk of bonds, greenbacks, gold, the
public faith and the public credit What can
Democratic President 10 in regard to any Of
these, with Congress in both branches control |
ed by the carpet-baggers and their allies? He |
will be powerless to stop the supplies by which |
the negroes are organized iuto political clubs, |
by which an army is maintained to protect these |