The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-08-01
3jolitirL


replying to your letter notlfyinR me ormy noml
nation for vice president of the United States
bv the national democratic convention, recently
held in the city of New York. / accept, with
out hesitation. the nomination rendered in q
manner SO gratifying, and give you and the COM
mittee my thanks Tor the very kind and cOmpli'
mentary language in which you have conveyed
to me the decision of the convention.
/ have carefully read the resolutions adopted
by the convention, and most cordially concur in
every principle and sentiment they announce.
My opinion upon all the questions which divide
the great contending parties have been expressed
on all suitable occasions, and L do not deem it
necessary at this time to repeat them. The issue
upon which the contest turns is clear, and cannot
be obscured or distorted by the sophistries of our
adversaries. They all resolve themselvesintO the
old and ever-recurring struggle of few men to
absorb the political power of the nation. This
effort, under every conceivable name and dis
guise, has always characterized the opponents of
the democratic party, but at no time has the
attempt assumed SO open and daring shape as
in this contest. .. , a
The adyersaries of free and constitutional gov
ernment in defiance of the express language of
the constitution, have erected military despot-
ism in 10 Of the states OF the union, have taken
from the president the power vested in him by
the supreme law, and have deprived the supreme
court its ofjursdicton; and the right of trial by
jury, and the great writ Of right, the hd5eas cor
pus,-the shield of safety for every citizen
which have descended to us from the earliest
traditions of our ancestors, and for which our
revolutionary fathers fought to secure to their
posterity forever in the fundamental charter Of
out liberties, have been ruthlossly tramped I'M
der foot by the fragment of a congress; whole
states and communities Of people of our race have
been attainted, convicted, condemned, and de-
prived OF their rights as citizens, without pre-
sentiment trial or witnesSes,-but by congress-
ional enactment of &c post tdct0 laws and in de-
fiance of the constitutional prohibition, denying
to full and loyal congress the authority to pass
any bill Of attainder or &c post tdcto law.
The same usulping authority has substituted
as electors, in place of men of your own race
thus illegally attainted and DISTINGUISHED, host
of ignorant negroes, who are supported in idle
ness with the public money, and combined to-
gether to strip the white race OF their birthright
through the management of freedmen's bureaus
and emissaries OF consprators in other states
and to complete the oppression, the military
power of the nation has been placed at their dis
posal. In order to make this barbarism supreme
the military leader under whose prestige this
usurping congress has taken refuge since the
condemnation of their schemes by the free peo-
pie Of the north in the elections Of the last year.
whom they have selected as their candidate to
tLCIsCINtS Vie VI WlCkeu-
ness and crime, has announced his acceptance of
the nomination, and his Willingness to maintain
their usurpations over 100000 white people of
the SOUTH fixed to the earth with his bayonets
lie exclaims Let us have peace peace
relgns In Warsaw was the announcement which
heralded the doom of the liberties of a nation
"The empire Is peace exclaimed Bonaparte,
when freedom and its defenders expired under
the sharp edge of The sword. The peace to which
Grant invites us is the peace of despotism and
death.
When we seek to restore the constitution by
executing the will of the people, condemning
the reconstruction acts already pronounced upon
IN the elections of last year, and which will, l
am convinced, be still more emphatically ex.
pressed by the election of The democratic candi.
date for president of the United States, we are
denounced as revolutionists by the partisans of
this vindictive congress Negro suffrage, which
the popular votes of New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Connecticut, and
the other states have condemned as expressly
against the letter of the constitution, must stand
because their senators and representatives have |
willed it. If the people shall again condemn
these atrocious measures by the election Of the
democratic candidate FOR president, they must
not be disturbed, although decided to be uncen.
stitutional by the supreme court, and although |
the president is sworn to maintain and support |
the constitution. The will of fraction Of
congress, reinforced with its partisan emissaries
sent to the. south and supported there by sold. |
iery, must stand against the will of the people |
and the decision of the supreme court, and the
solemn oath Of the president to maintain and
support the constitution.
is 1t revolutionary to execute the will Of the |
people! Is it revolutionary in the president to
keep involate his oath to sustain the eonstitu-
tom This false construction of the vital prin-
clples OF our government is the last resort of
those who would sway and supersede our time.
honored institutions The nation will say the |
constitution must be restored, and the will Of
the people again prevail. The appeal to the |
peaceful ballot to attain this end is not revolu-
ton. They make war and revolution who at |
tempt to arrest this quiet mode of putting aside |
military despotism and the usurpations of frag-
ment OF congress asserting absolute power over
that benign system of regulated liberty left us
by our fathers. This must be allowed to take |
Its course. This is the only road to peace. 1t !
Will come with the election Of the democratic |
candidate, and not with the election of that
mailed warrior whose bayonets are now at the |
Threats of 100000 of people in the South, to |
compel them to support him as a candidate for |
the presidency, and 20 submit to the domination |
OF an alien race of mi-barbarous men, No |
perversion of truth, of audacity, of misrepre-
sentation, can exceed that which halls this cam
dldate In arms as an angel of peace. q
am very respectfully, your most obedent |
servant, FRANK p BIAtR
1t is amusing to witness how history some
times repeats itself. All remember the story of
Washington and the cherry trees. The friends |
OF Grant seek to "match" it thus: When IT, S.