The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1868-10-01
,Lettcrsof the Candidates.
PEACE OR WAR!
aauM,i.I,I II Il ID a i.is a,Hi ! Hises. )
OlOncl JANIS ., BROADmEAD

=
Inquiries, beg leave to say, that ]
leave to you to determine, on consul
tation with my friends from Missou-
ri,,whethcrmy mmgshalfhepresent-
ed to thcDtmOcra;ic Convention, and
to submit the following us what |
consider the real ahdl only issue n in
this contest.
The reconstruction policy of the
Radicals viii bc,c6ihplete before the
next election; the States so long cX-
cludcd will have been admitted, NJ gro
suffrage established, and the carpet
baggcrS installed in their seats in both
branches of Congress. There is no
Possibility of'cliAhslhg tile political
character of the Senate, even ii the
Democrats should elect their Prcsi-
dent and Il majority of the popular
branch of Congress. We cannot.
therefore, undo the Radical plan Of
rcconstruction By congressional ac-
tIea; Els SclEatt VIII tehti1leA bar
to its repeal. Must we submit to it,
How, can it be overthtOwn? 1t can
only be OvcrthrOwn by the authority
of the Executive, who isswOrn to
maintain the Constitution, and who
will fail to do his duty If he allows
the Constitution to perish under Il
series of congressional eractments
which are hi p0lpabh Violation Of It's
fundamental principles.
1t the Presllogb eierted by the
Democracy cnIorccs or permits Others
to enforce these reconstruction acts,
theJ Radicals, 2 BY the aJdessJh' aef'
twenty spurious Senators and fifty
Representatives, will control both
branches of Congress, and his admin
istratlon will b. rs powcrless as the
present one of, Ar. johnson, r >
There l. but one way to restore the
Government and the Constitution.
aud that Is for the President elect to
declare these acts null aud void. COM
pei the army to undo its uSurpatiOns
ut the South, .dlspe, 81 the, ,e9rpet-bag
STATE gOTTrnl0ehtSJ Jall6WshG- white
people to reorganizc their own gov
crnmentS, and elect Senators and
RcpreseniatiYcs. The House Of R"p-
lcsentutivcswil contain amajority Of
Democrats from the North, and they
will admit the Representatives sclcc-
ted bv t!DSwbite pcbple oI1tbe South,
and, with the co-opperation of the
President. it will not be difficult to
compel the Senate to submit once
moro t6'tEe obligations of the Consti-
tuition. 1t will lot bc able to with
stand the public Judgment. distinct
ly invoked and clearly expressed on
this fundamental issue, and it is the
sure way to avoid all future strife to
put tue issue plaiply TO the country :.
ICrcpeat. that This is the real and
only question which we should allow
to control us: Shall we submit to the
usurpaliops by witch the GOVERN
mcnt has been overthrow or shall
we exert ourselves for its full and
complete restoration: Its idle tptalk
ot bonds, grtcnbacks. gold. the public
credit. Whatcama Democratic Pres
idcnt do in regard to any of these.
with Congress in bOtlf- branches
controlled by the carpet-baggers and
their allies? lie will be pOwcrlcsS to
stop the supplies by which idle
negroes are organized into political
clubs-by which an army is main-
tanned to protect these yagabonds in
their outragcs upon the ball0tI These,
and things like these, eat up thc'rcvc-
nurs and rsseureess Of3thp.6oyern-
mcnt and destroy its cfcdit--makc
the difference between gold and green
backs. We must restore the Consti-
tuti9apefdrs We s.h restgtet thettssp
ces. and to do this we must have Il
President who will execute the will
of the people by tranpling into dust
the usurpatiops Of C"nglesS known
as the reconstruction acts. >lwish to
stand before the convention upon this
issue, but it is one which embraces
everything else that is of-yalur in its
larynIid comprehensive results. 1t
is the one thing that includes all that
is worth a contest, and without it
there is nothing that gives dignity,
honor, or value to the struggle.
' Your iricHd, l-
FRANK L. BLAIR.