Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-07-19
The Blairs.

Ihe career and influence OF the
Blair family in our national politics
are beginning to be matters of Gu
rious inquiry in the press of the re-
public. 1t is well known that old
Frank Blair, the head of Gen. Jack
sons celebrated "Kitchen Cabinet"
was the author of the candidacy
and nomination of Fremont for the
Presidency in 1856, and was in
high hopes Of his election. The
influence of his family was distinct
ly shown and recognized when Lin
coin became President, for he ap-
pointed Montgomery Blair, son Of
Frank, Postmaster General, and
made young Frank Major General
in the army. But the family finally
fell out with Lincoln, and became
ardent friends of Johnson when he
became the President. Their
change of policy led them back into
the Democratic ranks, and the
Democratic National Convention of
1868 suddenly teemed up, to the
amazement of everybody, with Fran
els p. Blair, jr., as the nominee for
Vice President.
After the failure Of this ticket,
the Blairs hatched the scheme to
create new party, and 10! it ap-
peared in Missouri, led by Francis
P. Blair, jr., and his cousin, B.
Gratz Brown. In the result Blair
was chosen United States Senator
and Brown Governor. Evidently
the cards were changing again in
favor of this slippery family. The
new party held its national conven-
ton, and the two Missouri members
of the family managed the ticket,
and Brown was nominated for the
Vice Presidency. Should Greeley
be elected President, who can
doubt that Montgomery Blair will
60 back again into the Cabinet?
1t would be difficult to find anoth-
er such family record in American
history. Old Frank, of course,
knew all the secrets and all the ma
chinery Of the old Democratic par
ty, and when he turned against it
his blows were decidedly heavy
In like manner he knows most
Of the machinery of the republican
party, and fancies that he can undo
it as he did its predecessor. But
he has twice failed in that already,
once with his protege, Andrew
johnson, and once with the ticket
on which his son Frank was a can
didate for the Vice-Presidency.-
The family are now making another
experiment to regain power, and
again the Democratic party is the
victim of its ambitious designs.
1t would seem from this retro
spect that all the much-talked-of
schemes for new political organi-
zations in the interest of reform are
merely to keep the Blair family up
permost in the management Of our
national affairs. When Andrew
johnson made his disgraceful exhi-
bition at his Inauguration, it will
be remembered that his friends
took him into retirement to Silver
Springs, the residence Of old Frank
Blair, and from that time dated his
change of policy. When he after
ward spoke to his friends about
politics he predicted the re-organi-
cation of the Democratic party and
it's return to power. His admins
tration as President was but the
echo Of the changed policy Of the
Blair family.
1t is more than suspected that the
apostacy of Seward, Chase, Doolit'
tic and others from Republican
principles can be traced to the same
insidious tempters, the bait always
being the creation of new politica
parties and elements Of power. Ii
Mr.. Greeley's case he owes hi
nomination to Blair and Brown, ,ane
there can be little doubt that tn,
thing was all set up long in I'D
vance. Ambition is the weakness
upon which these tempters Away
play. 1t remains with the peopl'
to say whether we shall submit I,
their machine nominations,