The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1868-10-09
Democratic Candidate for Vice
President.
HISREvOLUUONARY PLATFORM
Frank Blafr's Letter in Full.
WASHINGTON, JHne 80, '68.
Colonel james o. Broadhsad::

w AsHINGToN, JHne 81, oS.
Colonel Jnnes o. Broadhsad::
DEAR CoLoSEL-In reply to your
inquiries, I beg leave TO say that
leave to you to determine, on consul
tation with my friends from Missouri
whether my name shall be presente1
to the Democratic Convention, anc
to submit the following as what ]
consider the real and only issue il
THE contest:
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
carpet baggers installed in their seats
in both branches Of Congress. There
is no possibility of changing the po
itical character of the Senate even
if the Democrats should elect their
President and majority of the popu
lar branch OF Congress. We can
not, therefore, undo the Radical plan
of reconstruction by Congressional
action the Senate will continue a bar
to its repeal. Must we submit to it!
How can it be ovcrthrown? 1t can
only be overuirown 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 q
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 the Reconstruction
acts, the Radicals, by the accession
of twenty spurious Senators and fifty
Representatives, will control both
branches of Congress, and his ad- |
ministration will be as powerless 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, com
pei the army to undo lis usurpatiOns
at the South, disperse the carpet bag
State governments, allow the white
people to reorganize their own gov
ernments and elect Senators and
Representatives. The Houseof Rep
resentatives will contain a majority
of Democrats from the North, and
they will admit the Representatives
elected by the white people of the
South, and with the cooperation of
the President it will not be difficult
to compel the Senate to submit once
more to the obligations of the Con.
stitution. 1t will not be sble to with
stand the public judgment, if distinct
ly invoked and clearly expressed, On
this fundamental issue, and it is the
sure way to avoid all future strife to
put this issue plainly to the country
repeat that this is the real and
only question which we should allow
to control us: Shall we subuit to
the usurpations by which the Gov
ernment has been overthrown, or shall
we exert ourselves for its full and
complete restoration II is idle to
talk OF bonds, greenbacks, gold, the
public faith and the public credit
What can Democratic President do
in regard to any of these with a Con
gress in both branches controlled by
the carpet -baggers and their allies ?
He will be powerless to stop the sup
plies by which idle negroes are or
ganized into political clubs-by which
an army is maintained to protect
these vagabonds in their outrages
upon the ballot. These, and things
like these, eat up the revenues and
resources of the Government and de-
stroy its credit, and make the differ
ence between gold and greenbacks.
We must restore the Constitution be-
fore we can restore the finances, and
to do this we must have a President !
who will execute the will of the peo-
pie by trampling into dust the usur-
pations of Congress, known as the
Reconstruction acts. 1wish to stand
before the Convention upon this is
sue, but it is one which embraces
everything else that is of value in its
large and comprehensive results. 1t
is the one thing that includes all that
is worth contest, and without it
there is nothing that gives dignity,
honor or value to the struggle.
Your friend,
FRANK p BLAIR.