The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-07-28
NUMBER %
nomination fer vice-PresIdcnt,


Nomination fer yfce-President.
4 General FRANK P. BLAIR, of Missourii
has been nominated for Vice. President,
This is an excellent nomination. he is
la man Of character and Of fine talent,
He was formerly . distinguished MEM
Der of Congress from Missouri, and was
Ione of the most admirable and excellent
loffcers in the Federal Army, which will
be testified to by his comrades Of the
tSeventeenth, Army Corps, during the
celebrated march from Atlanta, in 1864.
As to his political record, that he is en-
Itirely sound, we publish the following
letter from him:
WARRINGTON, June 3d.
COLONEL JAMES @. BRoADHEADL
Dear C0lonst In reply to- your inqui-
Iries beg leave to say that Ileaye to 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 WhatI consider the real and only issue
lin this contest.
"The reconstruction policy of the
Radicals will be complete before Thea next
lelection; the States, SO long excluded,
will have been admitted; negro suffrage
established, and the carpet -baggers. in
stalled in their seats in both branches Of
Congress. There is no possibility of
changing the political character of the
Senate, even il the Democrats should
elect their President and a majority Of
the popular branch of Congress. We
can not, therefore, undo the Radical plan
Of reconstruction by Congressional ac-
| tion; the Senate will continue bar to
its repeal. Must we submit to it? How
can it be ogerthroWn? 1t can only be
oyerthrown BY the authority of the Exec
|utiye, who is sworn to maintain the Con.
stitution, and who will fail to do bis duty
/ if he allows the Constitution to perish
under series of Congressional enact
ments, which are in palpable violation of
its fundamental principles.
"If the President elected by the Dem
oeraey enforces, or permits others to en-
force these reconstruction acts, the Rad
icals. by the accession of twenty spurious
Senators and fifty Representatives,, will
control both branches of Congress, and
his Administration will be as 2owerless
as the present one of Mr.. johnson.
"There is but one way to restore the
Government and the Constitution, and
that is for the President elect to declare
these acts null and void, compel the ar
my to undo its usurpations at the South.
disperse the carpet-bag State Govern
ments, allow the white people to re-
organize their own governments. and
Senators and Representatives. The
House Of Representatives will contain q
majority of Democrats from the North,
and they will admit the representa-
tiyes elected by the white people Of the
South, and with the cooperation of the
President it will not be difficult to COM
pei the Senate to submit once more to
the obligations of the Constitution. It
will not be able to withstand the public
| judgment, if distinctly invoked and clear
| ly expressed on this fundamental issue,
and it is the sure way to avoid all future
strife to put this issue plainly to the
country.
81 repeat that this is the real and only
question which We should allow to con-
troll us: Shall We submit to the usur-
pations by which the Government has
been overthrow, or shall we exert our
selves for its full aad complete restoras
ton? It is idle to talk of bonds, green
backs, gold, tbs public faith and the
public credit. What can Democratic
President Co in regard to any of these,
with Congress in both branches CON-
trolied by the carpet baggers and their
allies?
| "He will be powerless to stop the sup
| plies by which idle negroes are organ
lied into political clubs-by which an
army is maintained to protect these vag-
abonds in their outragss upon the ball
lot. These and similar things eat up the
revenues and resources of the Govern
ment and destroy its credit, make the
difference between gold and greentacks.
We must restore the Constitution before
we can restore the finances. and to do
this we must have President who will
lexecute the will Of tie people by tramp
Hing into the dust the usurpations Of
congress, known as the reconstruction
acts. / wish to stand before the Conven-
tion upon this issue, but it is one which
embraces everything else that is Of value
in its large and comprehensive results.
It is the one thing that includes all that
lisworth contest, and without it there is
nothing that gives dignity, honor or val.
ue tothe struggle. Your friend,
o sssgsTi F. 2. BLAIR.