The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-04-11

Letter from Congress sman j. G
Blair, of NlissOnri, Withdrawing
from the Radical Party.

Below will be found copied from tn
Washington Patriot of the 18th ult.,
letter from the Hon. James G. BLAIR, o
Missouri, giving his reasons fol, with
drawing from the Radical caucus whicl
was called on the 10Th ult., to dclibcrat.
on Ben. Buffers Ku Klux bill. Mr.
Blair was elected to Congress as a libe
raj Republican :eA ID s.s III. ofla
ai,a WASHINGTON. March 16, 1S71ae
iIoN. j. r. M'CoRMIoK--Dear Sir.
Your notea asking my reasons for NTH
drawing from the Republican. caucus or
Wednesday night last is before me. b
Ordinarily the proceedings of caucuses
are regarded as saeret, and not to be re
vealed; bhtIfass the proceedings of the
several caucuses held here have beer
made known; so far as related to me
through the public print,I have no occa-
sion to withhold from you the reasons
which prompted my action on the ocea-
sion alluded to-. iss5i qssE3a Eisil i
Elected as a liberal Republican, and
pledged ito tariff for revenue, and
against protection and for fuu amnesty
and removal of all disabilities imposed
upon those engagedin the late rebellion,
placed me in a condition where could
not be governed by a majority vote in
the caucus meetings. of the Republican
party on those subjects, and at the FIRST
meeting which attended, ! SO announce
ed to the caucns Objections were made
to my remaining in the caucus, as j was
opposed to all the fundamental princi-
pies of the party,and couldn not be bound
by the action of the majority ; and still
another objection was. made that 1 had
voted for Gen. Morgan for Speaker Of
the House. Itoldthem Icould not have
done otherwise, under my principles and
pledges in my canvass 9laa5i s Yfna
The matter passed off only, to be re-
newed again at our next meeting. I'D 81
Itwas again asserted that ! was op.
posed to the fundamental principles and
measures oftae Republican party. Upon
reflection came to the conclusion that,
as there was no agreement between my
viewsEand the views of the majority Of
the caucus upon those questions or
measures, no good could result from my
participating in the caucus, and. -hence,iI /
Withdrew. To yield to o majority in the
caucus would be but surrendering every
thing to the protectionists, and to those
who seem to think the continued humil-
iation and degradation ofathe white peo-
pie Of the South the strongest bond Of
union and communion in the Republican
party. This I could not do without q
violation Of the pledges I made during
my. canvass. Could I, by adding my
vote to the Democratic vote. in the
House, redeem my pledges made to my
constituents, and fail to do it because q
majority of the Republican caucus de-
creed otherwise, Iwould be unfaithful to
my pledges,and unworthy the confidence
of an enlightened constituency.
To be thus controlled by majority
would be but placing myself in the con-
dition of being elected as s,free trader"
and .sliberalist' and voting in the inter-
est Of sprotectionists" and prescription
lists. So a1,. ss,t 4e.,. Il ss
# the Republican party has no higher,
nobler, or moro exalted mission, aim and
purpose, than the taxing Of the people
of the West for the benefit of the aris-
tocrats ard monopolists of the East, and
4 4 H. x5nxs1