The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1868-10-15
Letters of the Candidates.
-PEAcEo OR WAR!
wmnrSorox, June 30, 1868


Colonel JANIS O. BRoApHEAD
DEAR CoLoSEL: i'm reply to your
Inquiries 1 beg leave to say, that l
ieavVto you to determine, OIL consul
tation with my friends from Missou-
ri whether my name shall be present.
ed to the Democratic Convention, and
10 submit the following as what l
Sonslder the real and only issue In
1his contcst.
The reconstruction policy Of the
Radicals will be complete before the
next election: the States SO long ex-
cluded will have been admitted, negro
Snffl-age established. apd the carpet
ba&gers Installed lntheir seats ir both
branches Of Congress. There Is no
possibility Of changing the political
character Of the Senate, even II the
Democrats should elect their Pres.-
dent and a majority Of the popular
branch Of Congress. We cannot,
Aherefore, undo the Radical plan ~,
Reconstruction BY congressional ae-
zion; the Senate will continue a bar
to its repeal. Must we submit 10 itS
How can 1t be oyertfitownS ltcan
only be overthrown by the authority
VI the Executive, who Is sworn to
maintain the Constitution, and who
viii fail to do his duty If he allows
the Constitution to perish under a
serles Of congressional enactments
which are iu palpable violation Of Its
: fundamental principles.
II the President elected by the
Democracy enforces or permits others
to enforce these reconstruction acts,
the Radicals, by the accession Of
twenty spurious Senators and fifty
Representatives, will control both
'bIanches,Of Congress, and his admin
istration will be US powerless as the
present one Of Mr.. johnson.
There is but one way to reet0rethe
Government and the Constitution,
and that Is for the President elect to
declare these acts null and void, COM
pei the army to undo Its usurpatlons
at the South, dispelse the carpet-bag
State ECRarnments, allow the white
people to reorganize their own gov
ernments, and elect Senators and
Representatives. The House of Rep
Jesentativeswill contain majority Of
Democrats from the North, and they
will admit the Representatives selec-
ted bY the white people OF the South,
aud, with the cO-Opperation Of the
President, 1t will not be difficult to
compel the Senate TO submit once
more to tie obligations of the COnstl-
tuition. 1t will not be able to with
stand the public judgment, If distinct
ly invoked and clearly expressed on
this fundamental issue, and 1t 10 the
sure way to avoid all future strife TO
put the issue plainly to the country.
repeat, that this is the real and
only question which we should allow
10 control US: Shall we submit to the
Hsurpations by which the Govern
ment has been oyerthrown, or shall
We exert ourselves for its full and
complete restoration? Its idle to talk
Of bonds, greenbacks. gold. the public
credit. What cana Democratic Pres
ident do in regard to any Of these,
with a Congress In both branches
controlled BY the carpet-baggers and
their alliesP He will be p0wertess to
stop the supplies by which idle
negroes are organized into political
elubs-by which an army is main
tained to protect these vagabonds in
their outrages upon the ballot. These,
and things like these, eat up the reve-
nues and resources Of the Govern
ment and destroy Its credit-make
The difference between gold and green
backs. We must restore the Consti-
tuition before we can restore the finan-
ees, and to do this we must have a
President who will execute the will
OF the people by trampling into dust
the usurpations of Congress known
as the reconstruction acts. l wish to
stand before the convention upon this
Issue, but it il 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 a contest, and without 1t
there Is nothing that gives dignity,
honor, or value to the struggle.
Your friend,
FRANK p. BLAIR.
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 29, 1868.
General JOSEPH r. HAwLEY,