The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1868-07-22
General Frank P. Blair Defines HE
Position
WASHINGTON, June 30, 1


Colonel James o. Broddhedd:
Dear Colonel-In reply to your in
quiries. 1 beg leave to say that 1 leave
to you to determine, on consultation
with my friends from Missouri, wheth-
er my name shall be presented to the
Democratic Convention, and to sub
nit the following as What I consider
the real and only issue in this con-
test:
The reconstruction policy of the
Radicals will be complete before the |
next election; the States so long ex- |
cluded will have been admitted {; ne |
gro suffrage established, and the car
pet baggers installed in their seats in
both branches of Congress. There is
no possibility of ch angling the polIti-
cal character of the Senate, even if
the Democrats should elect their
President and a majority of the pop
ular branch of Congress. We cannot
| therefore, undo the Radical plan Of
reconstruction by Congressional ac-
ton; the Senate will continue bar
to its repeal. Must we submit to It ?
How can it be overthrown? 1t can
only be oYerthrown by the authority
OF the Executive, who is sworn to
maintain the Constitution and who
will fail to do his duty if he allows
the Constitution to perish under
series of Congressional enactments
which are in palpable violation of Its
fundamental principles.
If the President elected by the
Democracy enfOrces, or permits 9TH
ers to enforce, these reconstruction
acts, the Radicals, by the accession of
twenty spurious Senators and fifty
Representatives, will control both
branches of Congress, and his admin
istration will be as powerless as the
present one of Mr.. johnson.
There is but one way to restore the
, GoVernmentand the Constitution, and
that is for the President elect to de-
t clare these acts null and void, compel
E the army to undo its usurpations at
f the South, disperse the carpet bag
= State Governments, allow the white
t people to reorganiZe their own Gov
A ernments and elect senators and rep
/ rcsentativcs. The House of Repre-
3 sentatives will contain a majority oi
: Democrats from the North, and they
t will admit the representative elected
f by the white people of the South, land
t with the cooperation of the President
t it will not be difficult to compel the
= Senate to submit once more to the
( obligations of the Contribution. Il
: will not be able to Withstand the pub
f lie Judgment, if distinctly invoked
e and clearly expressed on this funda
3 meRtaI issue, and it is the sure Way
e to avoid all future strife to put thi.
# issue plainly to the country.
: repeat that this is the real and on
5 Iy question which we should allow t.
O control US: Shall we submit to th'
: usurpations by which the Govern
/ ment has been overthrown, or shall
/ we exert ourselves for its full ant
= complete restoration? 1t is idle II
I talk of bonds, greenbacks, gold, tn
e public faith, and the public credit
O What can a Democratic President d.
/. in regard to any of these, with Con
g gress in both branches controlled b.
e the carpet -baggers AID their allies
q He will be powerless to stop the SUP
re plies by which idle negroes are organ
@ lied into political clubs-by which a
+ army is maintained to protect thes
,e vagabonds in their outragcs upon tn
is ballot.
p These, and things like these, eat u
g the revenues and resources of tn
10 Government and destroy its credit
10 make the difference between gold an
I? greenbacks. We must restore tn
ee Constitution before we can restore tn
rt finances, and to do this we must haV
n president who will execute the wi
lis OF the people by trampling into duI
W the usurpationa of Congress known {
L the reconstruction ACTS. ! wish
as stand before the Convention uPo
"a this issue, but 1t is one which embr
IN ces everything else that is of value 1
I'd it's large and comprehensive result
I'd 1t is the one that tincludes all that
ht worth contest, and without it thel
o. is nothing that gives dignity, homo
Mt or value to the struggle.
as Your friend, FRANK p. BLAIR.