Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-07-14
WASHINGTON, juno sc
Colonel Jas. O. Broad1ead.

ddate for the Presidency
WASHINGTON, june 80.
Colonel Jas. O. Broadhead
DEAR COLONEL: In reply to your inqu-
ries beg leave to say that leave 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.
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 baggcrs installed in their seats in both
branches of Congress- There is no possibility
of changing the political character of the
Senate, even if the Democrats should elect
their President and majority of the popular
branch of Congress. We cannot, therefore,
undo the Radical plan of reconstruction by
Congressional action the Senate will con-
tinue bar to its repeal. Must we submit to
it? How can it be overthrow? It can only
be overthrow4 by the authority of the execu-
tive, who is sworn to maintain the Constitu-
ton, and who will fail to do his duty if he
allows the Constitution to perish under a
series Of Congressional cnactments which are
in palpablc violation Of its fundamental prin-
ciple.
If the President elected by the Democracy
cnforccs or permits others to enforce these
Reconstruction acts, the Radicals, by the
accession of twenty spurious Senators and
fifty Representatives, will control both branch
es of Congress, and his administration will
be as powerlcss rs the present one of Mr..
johnson.
There is but one way to restore the Gov
Al, Al r.
the President elect to declare these acts null
and void disperse the carpet bag State gov
ernment, allow the white people to reorganize
their own government, and elect Senators and
Representatives. The House of Represen-
tatives will contain majority of Democrats
from the North, and they will admit the
Representatives elected by the white people
of the South, and with the cooperation of
tho President it will not be difficult to compel
the Senate to submit ONCE more to the obli-
cations OF the Constitution. 1t will not be
able 10 Withstand the public judgment, 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
plainly to the country.
l 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 Government has been ovcrthrown or shall
we exert ourselves for its full and complete
restoration. 1t is idle to talk of bonds, green
backs, gold, the public faith and the public
credit. What can Democratic President
do in regard to any of these with a Congress
in both branches controlled by the carpet
baggers and their allies? He will be poweress
to stop the supplies by which idle negroes are
organized into political clubs-by which an
army is maintained to protect these vagabonds
in their outrage upon the ballot. These, and
things like these, which eat up the revenues
and resources of the Government and destroy
its credit, make the difference between gold
and greenbacks. We must restore the Con-
stitution before we can restore tie finances,
and to do this we must have President who
will execute the will of the people by tramp
ling into dust the usurpations of Congress,
known as the reconstruction acts. l wish to
stand before the Convention upon this issue,
but 1t 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 it there
is nothing that gives dignity, honor or value
to the struggle. Your friend,
FRANK p BLAIR.