The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-04-05
Senator Blair on the POLITICAL
Issues

AS we have puOhsheo no feWs Oh the
New York Democracy upon the issues of
the Presidential campaign, we now give the
opinions of Senator Frank P. Blair, of Mis-
souri, ss set forth in recent letter to the
Montgomery Mail. The letter is as follows
WASHINGTON CRY, March Is, 1870.
NJ NJ. Cooke, Esq, Editor Of the Aontgo"-
cry Mail.
DEAR SIR Yours of the 1lth inst. has
Just been received. Am tlattered by your
request that | should endesvor to compose
the dead issue" controversy among our
friends in the South, and | might be tempt
ed to profer my advice to them If thought
it would be effective. But our people dout
like to be alcised. They prefer discussion
aud to form their opinions on public ques
tions BY that process. have contributed
in that way, and shall continue to do so to
the utmost Of my ability. 4
In my Judgment the actual issue OF the
campaign Is the broad one whether we have,
or are to have, Federal Union on CON
stitutionAl basis, or an absolute govern ment,
with power in the hands of those who pos
sess it to proong its own existence inde6-
niteIy. This draws in revi9w the past and
continuing process by which the arbitrary
government Of to-day has been established
and is to be maintained, and the recoustruc-
ton acts and the amendments must peces-
sariIy figure In this review; but the ques-
tion OF whether they went through the forms
that entltle them to be put on the statute
books ls really an immAterial one. 1t does
not change the argument a particle whether
the forms wero complied with or not, and it
does not affect our ability to put the govern
ment in the hands of the people, if we carry
the election, whether they are valid or in
valid.
The manner in which these amendments
were adopted, and the still more significant
measures passed and proposed for their
enforcement, ought to satisfy men of all
sections and parties that liberty itself is at
stake in the coming conflict. No thought
ful observer of the present aspect of public
affairs. who does not from timidity wilfully
shut his eyes TO the conclusions of MS reason,
can doubt that those who, to grasp power,
have subverted the organic law, in defiance
Of the known will of the people, will fail to
adopt any other measures offrAud or vio-
lence which may be found necessary to
maintain them in the possession of it, and
that our only security against new and
practised is by the timely awakening of the
people 20 the real dangers which surround
them, so that q spirit may be aroused which
will overswe aud dissrm those daring enc
mics. Not TO see, or to affect not 10
see, this danger, and TO engage the
public mind in the discussion Of
economic and civil service measures, and
10 belitte the iron man who so lately
- : l. 4. L - 1
his predecessor pleading st their bar, is to
cry 'Peace when there is no pesce,n and so
contribute to betray the country. Ii our
friends would unite IN an earnest effort to
arouse the country oil will be well, and to
this end It is only necessary to let the peo-
pie see what the real issue is Nor have
any tears that they will fail TO see il. They
already see 1t, IN spite OF the mistaken
efforts of some of our friends, who counsel
what they think is policy, as if it was a mat
ter Of convention among public men what
the issues should be and not a matter Of
fact, which they cannot control any more
than they can the advent of the seasons
They may not see it so plainly, either
because they do not observe with sufficie nj
attention or because they shrink from II
from feebleness and apprehension. Let US
go to the people, fairly and boldly, and
inrok'e their Judgment upon the record Rudi
caiism has made for itself. AL the contrir-
GHces By Chich the Radicals hare sought to
traHlmeL tie peop}e and tortifg themselves in
potoer can thus be efectualLy stcept array
The differences among our friends to
which you refer are not serious. They arise.
believe, chiefly from the mistaken idea
that those who continue 20 assail reconstruc.
ton and the amendments intend to abolish
negro suffrage. This is not the object, anc
It is very inadequate view of the subject
This suffrage really depends very little OF
the amendments, because, among other
things, il has not accom- plished the object o.
those who imposed it which was to give
them the control Of the SOUTH, a nd they
have begun themselves already to dispense
with it in the District of Columbia, where /,
was first started but the States which have
adopted it do not propose to revoke it, and
will not, | am confident, unless, after fai
trial, it is shown to be necessary for gooc
government. The fftet nth amendment will
in this event, be easily disposed of, tor tn,
Radicals, who have already ceased to hav
motive TO maintain it, will have ceased Il
cant on the subject.
Ii ia not, therefore, to get rid Of uegrt
suffrage that va continue to Rssail an
refuse to acquiesce in usurpations By
which the governments of the people hav,
been, and will continue to be, wrested fror
them. The contest is not to take away suf
trsge from the negroes, but to preserve tina
wise distribution Of the powers of the gov
eminent without which al suffrage ls but
mockery, and to prevent that control by til
national funotlonaries which is sure to Great
Imperialism, and will inevitably degrade
impoverish, and enslave the tolliug masseI
Yours truly, FRANK P. BLAIR.