The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-08-04
The Democratic Nominations.
General Frank BlairsslLetter
Accepting the Nomination
for Vice-President,
OMAHA, NEBRASKA, July 10, 1863.

itunity of replying to your letter, notify.
| ing me of my nomination for Vice Pres
| ident of the United States BY the Nation
al Democratic Convention, recently held
in the city Of New York.
i I accept without hesitation the nomin
alton rendered in manner so gratifying
and give you and the committee my
thanks for the very kind andscomplimen.
1 tary language in which you have convey.
ed to me the decision of the Convention
I have carefully read the resolutions
adopted by the Convention, and most
cordially concur in every principle and
sentiment they announce.
My opinion upon all of the questions
which discriminate the great contending
parties have been freely expressed on
all suitable occasions, and do not deem
| it necessary at this time to reiterate them.
The issue upon which the contest turns
are clear, and cannot be obscured or dis
tcrted by the sophistries of our adversa-
ries. They all resolve themselves into
Che old and eyer-renewing struggle of a
few men to absorb the political power of
the nation. This effort, under every
conceivable name and disguise, has al-
ways characterized the opponents Of the
Democratic party, but at no time has the
attempt assumed q shape SO open and
daring as in this contest. The adversa-
ries Of free and constitutional govern
ment, in defiance Of the express langu-
age of the Constitution, bave erected a
military despotism in ten of the States
! Of the Union, have taken from the Pres
ident the powers vested in him by the
supreme law, and have deprived the Su-
preme Court Of its jurisdiction. The
right of trial by jury, and the great writ
Of right, the habeas corpus-shields Of
safety for every citizen, and which have
descended to us from the earliest tradi-
tions of our ancestors, and which our
Revolutionary fathers sought to secure
to their posterity forever in the funda-
mental charter of. our liberties-have
been ruthle ssly trampled under foot by
the fragment Of Congress. Whole
States an communities Of people of our
own race have been attainted, convicted
and deprived Of their rights as citizens
without presentment, OF trial, or witness
| es, but by Congressional enactment oi
er post facto laws, and in defiance Of the
constitutional prohibition denying
even to full and legal Congress the au.
thority to pass any bill of attainder OF
| er post tacto law. The same usurping
authority has substituted as electors ir
place of the men of our own race, thus
illegally attained and disfranchised, {
host of ignorant negroes, who are sup
ported in idleness with the public mon
ey, and combined together to strip The
white race Of their birthright, through
the management Of Freedmen's Bureaus
and the emissaries of conspirators In 9TH
er States; and, to complete the oppression
the military power Of the nation has beer
placed at their disposal, in order to make
this barbarism supreme.
The military leader under whose pres
| tige this usurping Congress has taker
refuge since the condemnation of theil
schemes by the free people of the NORTH
lin the elections of the last year, and
whom they have selected as their candi
date to shield themselves from the re-
suit of their own wickedness and crime
has announced his acceptance of the
nomination, and his willingness tc
maintain their usurpations over eight
millions of white people at the South
/ fixed to the earth with his bayonets. He
exclaims: aLet us have peace" "Peace
reigns in Warsaw" was the announce.
ment which heralded the doom of the
liberties of nation. "The empire is
peace" exclaimed Bonaparte. when free,
dom and its defenders expired under the
sharp edge of his sword,
! Those who seek to restore the Consti
tuition by executing the will Of the peo.
iple condemning the reconstruction acts
Ialready pronounced in the elections Of
Hast year, and which will, am convinced
be still more emphatically expressed BY
the election of the Democratic candidate
as the President of the United States,
are denounced as revolutionists by the
lpartisans Of this vindictive Congress-
Negro suffrage, which the popular vote
lof New York, New Jersey, Pennsylva-
lnia, Ohio, Michigan, Connecticut, and
other States have condemned as express
lily against the letter Of the Const tuition
lmust stand, because their Senators ant
Representatives have willed it. If th'
people shall again condemn these afro.
cious measures by the election of thu
democratic candidate for President, they
must not be disturbed, although decided
to be unconstitutional by the Suprem
lCourt, and although The President j
sworn to maintain and support the Con
| stitution. The will of a fraction of
l Congress, reinforced with its partisan
emissaries sent to the South and sup
ported there by the soldiery, must STAN
against the will of the people and tn
| decision of the Supreme Court, and tn
solemn oath of the President to main
tain and support the Constitution.
Y It is revolutionary to execute the vii
| of the peoplel It is revolutionary to ex
:. ecute the Judgment of the Suprem
4 Court 1t is revolutionary in the Pres
lident to keep inyiolate bis oath to sus
& tain the Constitution This false con
structicn Of the vital principle Of ou
Government is the last resort of thos
who would have their arbitrary recon