New-York tribune., 1868-07-02
SHALL THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM BE
HONEST OR 4 CHEATi

HONEST OR Il CHEATY
The prime question of the hour-far tran
scending that which concerns the choice of
candidate to be beaten by Gen. Grant-is
that which we have asked above. The man is
to be put forth as the exponent of Democratic
principles-but what are theyP How do they
bear upon what all see and feel to be the issues
of our great civil cOnvulsiOn In other words
is the enfranchsement of the Southern Blacks
to be openly treated as a nullity, to be brushed
aside by violence whenever the Sham Democ-
racy shall have regained the control of the
Federal Government ?-Or is it to be more
insidiOusy resisted till it can be subvertedY
Gen. Francis p. Blair, jr., is one of the nine
teen aspirants for the Presidential nomination,
and, being renegade Republican, has natu-
rally more honesty and less trickery than a
dyed-in- -the-woOl Tammany Democrat. Gen.
Blairs friends-apparently with his approval
have put forth q manifesto embodying his
views on the live questions Of the day-which
reads as follows:
Blair, always scouts the idea Of giving the bal
lot to the negro Negro suffrage he regards as cardinal
Radical doctrine Of Negro Suffrage Is the chief issue
Reconstruction acts establishing military despOtism In
the South to be unconstitutional null and void and that
the National Convention should declare tlem that
the Reconstruction acts are mere nsurpaons sustained
only by awess violence and the force OF arms that the
Government must withdraw this coercion, correct its
wrong and leave TO the White population 10 regulate the
question Of Suffrage that the bastard and spurious gov
ernmens set up at the South VIII fall as soon as the mill
tary is withdrawn.
"Furthernore, he asserts that it is the duty of the
coming President to that justice is done by restoring
the governments which are created and properly cons
tuted of the White population to those to whom they
"Gen Blair says that the laws OF Congress disfrancs
Ing persons who were embraced IN the amnesty pI0eaa
ti0nsand special pardOns Illegal arbitrary and void
also the testoaths for voters.
Gen. Blair s unwilling to accept or acquiesce in any
construction He is for confning the government Of the
country exclusively TO the White and confident Of
al overwhelming defeat Of Radicalisn."
This, you see, is Revolution, plain and
simple-an appeal from the decision of the
ballot box to force and violence. There is not
one syllable in the Federal Constitution that
in any manner cOuntenances the naked as
sumption that Whites have any rights under
our Government which do not pertain to others
ON the contrary, Blacks, if free, have always
been accounted and regarded as, equally with
Whites basis of political power. Free per-
sons" and "alI other persons" are the only
class distinctions known TO the Constitution
and the assumption that Whites, merely be-
cause they are Whites, can rightfully de-
pnYe BLACKS OF the Elective FRANCHISE, Is
more prepOsterous than any of the bases of the
late Rebellion. Gen. Blair's platform is one of
undisguised Revolution--it cOntemplates the
Inauguration of bloody strife by Rebels to re-
clutch the privileges which they are lawfully
adjudged to have forfeited by treason and to
disfranchise those whose loyalty has been re-
warded with enfranchsemeht.
= Now see how The World begs the Old Boy
to hide his cloven foot for the present and try
to pass himself off for City Missionary or
Sunday School superintendent:
Itis expedient TO pitch our demands in so low key
as TO give Republicans an for deserting their
party: party In power can safely DO many things