The Lincoln County herald., 1868-06-25
Letter freu Col. James O. Droadhead,
tFrem the Clark,vills Sentinel, Juno 10TH.
ST. Louis, June lst. 1868

| As~SSSs ssS0 WV W. III VoVuC0V
tFreu the Clark'vills Sentinel, Juno loth].
ST. Louis, June LIST, 1868
DEAR Sfh: I rogret exceedingly m,
inability on account Of pressing profes
sionsl engagements to be present on tht
occasion Of your meeting, for can assure
you my whole heart is 10 the movement
[ rejoice to tnow that tho citizens Of
"Old Pike" are the 6rst to hold 0 mass
meeting, with the view Of calling public
attention In Missouri to the imports
Of the approaching political contes.
Theirs is the Grst sound Of tho bugle,
which Ia trust, to awaken the sleeping
erergics Of the people to the necessity Of
vigorous aud united action in the grcat
struggle which is before Us.
IL is no cxugSeration to say that tho
issues Of this contest urc more impor-
tant than those involved In the late rev.
olutionary struggle which, with a count.
less loss Of blood and treasure gave to
the Union cause an empty triumph, and
to the enemies Of constitutional liberty
who now hold sway in this country real
victory. They have, since the close Of
the war, been rioting in the spOils Of vic.
tory.
10 the friend, Of the Union and the
lovers Of the constitution where arc the
fruits Of that triumph Certainly not
in disre,nembcrcd Union aud violated
constitution. W. can see no cause for
rejoicing in the fact that ten States are
pcrsistently kept out OF the Union, us the
result Of . successful war for the Union
that they ore deprived Of the right Of
representation and denied those political
privileges which aloue eau make the
Union valuable or desirable.
We can SEQ no victory for the consti.
tuition in the fact that the white citizens
OF those same States, "bone Of our bone
and flesh Of our Aesh," ore subjected to
worse than Egyptian bondage-kcpt un.
der the ruls Of military dcspptism in de.
6ance OF that constitution, and intending
to DO SO kept BY the party in power un-
Ill they can be forced into subsection to
servile and degraded race.
The chains which the Radical party
riveted upon tho South, they are forging
for Us. In Missouri, by the instrumeu.
tality Of the registry law, they have par.
TALLY affected their purposes, aud it only
needs that the dogma Of negro suffrage
should be successful in the approaching
election in Missouri to complete those
purposes. Then all the former slaves
will be mere instruments in the hands Of
q Radical junto at Washington City, by
which they may perpetuate their power
and retain, in absolute subjection, all the
white citizens Of those States, except the
and dishonorcd few who may be
selected to run the machinery Of govern.
msnt in those States. They have selected
10 their candidate for the Presidency
Ct man for their purposes. He processes
10 have no opinion Of his own, and he
knows just enough about political mat.
.ers to do what he is told by those in
whose keeping he has consented to be
placed.
In view Of tho present condition of
.hings, it is all important that in Missou.
Il particularly, we should be prepared to
assert our manhood-the manhood Of the
white race--and to this end, that all who
,re opposed to the radical party, by what.
,ver name they may have been hereto
fore known, should cordially unite under
.he Democratic banner aud make this
struggle q successful one. In Missouri
we have the numbers and the intelligence
Oh our side /; and it would be burning
shame if We should permit the minority
10 triumph over US.
Yours truly,
JAMES U. BRoADHEAp.