Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-10-23
Frank Blair's sentiments.

General Blair spoke at Montgomery, Ala,
on the 10th. He alluded to the proposition
that in the next Democratic National Con-
vention the South would decline to be repre-
scented, but accept whatever candidate for
President the Democrats may offer. He
dissented from the proposition, as did every
Democrat in the West and North. The tri-
umph of the Democratic party is the safety
of the South, and who should guard its safety
but Southern men? If they fall may not
others fail? The South has no questions of
personal favorites, but their choice will fall
on him most likely to carry the banner in
triumph. If the south fails to send her good
and wise men, it will be claimed as refusal
to go with the Northern Democrats, because
of the ''new departure" and because the
| spirit of rebellion still burns under shoulder
ing ashes. He was no friend of the new de-
parture, but believed in the patriotism and
purity of the motives of those who had chosen
| that faith. While he would never yield his
| own convictions as to the consttutionality of
the usurpatons of the radical party, he was
| willing to fight the radicals in any shape the
democratic party may determine. He be-
| lieved that the departure policy failed to
| bring success in the election this summer and
autumn for the reason that it was q confess
| sion of ina )ility to carry the elections upon
| our own principles. In that confession the
party failed to place candidates before the
people in harmony with the platform. Thus,
while some democrats were disguised at the
concession, no republicans were conciliated.
The future don't look gloomy even under the
losses of the summer and autumn. The re-
publican party contains in itself seeds of dis
| riy 1iSoH
The denomination of Grant could not, in his
| opinion, be defeated. He is now dictator in
the republican party, and aspires to be in the
country at large He will dictate his own
nomination. Some of the most conscien-
tious, able and courageous men standing the
highest in the radical party will leave it when
Grant is nominated. will burn their ships
when they fail to defeat his nomination, and
take good pains to defeat bis re- election. In
stead of going for the new departure Blair
preferred giving guaranty to the disafected
republicans by the nomination of republi-
can who would draw to us by much strong
err guaranty than the mere words of plat
form the support of those disaffected with
Grant and the radical party. We could all
vote for republican who favors universal
amnesty and is against Ku-Klux bills and
military laws. Virginia has adopted this
policy. Shall the democracy of the South
hesitate to follow her example? We have
taken hold of it in Missouri, and Missouri
would, he believed, give larger majority in
the Presidential election than any other State
for a candidate of the democratic party. The
men of foreign births are the men to whom
we are to look in the coming struggle. They
come from countries where despotism is
practiced and know its badges and signs, and
are already recognizing them. Their lead
ing man and ablest representative is now
proclaiming opposition to Grant and his adj
ministration. He has taken his departure
and burned his ships. 1t was Carl Schurz
who led the entire German element of Mis-
souri, to break down the DISTINGUISHING clause
of her Constitution, and arrayed his fellow
countrymen as one man against the Admins
tration, and to dispise its officers, patronage
and power. They stand fairly and squarely
to-day, solidly to the last man, against all
disfranchisement and for universal amnesty.
They are opposed to Ku-Klux legislation and
against the suspension of the habeas corpus,
and if the democratic party put forward q
man or accept one who may be put forward
by others, who is sonnd upon these princi-
pies, he will receive the entire German vote
in the United States, numbering from five
hundred to eight hundred thousand men.