Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-07-14


mainly upon its utterances. We give
it entire as illustrating the issues at
stake in one of the most remarkable
contests that has occurred IN our polit-
ical history:
WASHINGTON, June 80, lS6S.-Col.
| James f. Broadhead: Dear ColOnel-In
reply to your inquiries, beg leave to say
/ that l leave you to determine, On cOnsulta-
ton with my friends from Missouri, Wheth-
er my name shall be presented to the Dem
| OCratiC Convention and to submit the fol-
! lowing as what l consider the real and
] only issue in this contest:
The reconstruction policy of the Radi.
Gals will be complete before the next cleo
| ton; the States so long excluded will have
| been admitted, negro suffrage established
and the carpet-baggers installed in their
seats in both branches of Congress. There
| Is 10 be no possibility of changing the 20
litical character Of the Senate, even if the
Democrats should elect their President and
a majority Ofthe popular branch Of Con-
| Tess. We cannot, therefore, undo the
| Radical plan of reconstruction by Congress
| siOnal action; the Senate will continue a
baA ~ lto AE JGnts 44uSl hC cuDllllL 10 IL.
How can it be OyerthrOWn? lean only be
OverthrOwn by the authority Of the Execu-
tive, who is sworn TO maintain the COnsti-
tuition, and who viii fail to do his duty if
he allows the Constitution to perish under
a series Of Congressional enactments which
are in palpable violation of ats fundamen-
tai principles.
If the President elected by the DemOc-
racy eufOrces, or permits others TO enforce
these reconstruction acts the Radicals, by
the accession Of twenty spurious Senators
and fifty repTeSen will control both
branches of Congress, and his adminiSJra-
ion will be as pOwerless as the present one
of Mr.. johnson.
There IS but one way to restore the Gov
eminent and the Constitution, and that is
for the President-eleCt to declare these acts
null and void, compel the army to undo
its usUrpatiOms at the South. dispeFse the
carpet-bag State Governments, allow the
white people to TeOrganiZe their own gov
ernments and elect Senators and Repre-
scntatives. The House Of Representatives
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 Constitution. 1t will not be abe TO
Withstand the public judgment if distinctly
invoked and clearly expressed on this fun
damental issue, and it is the sure way TO
avoid all future strife to put this issue
plainly to the country. I repeat, this is the
real and only question which we should
allow to control us. Shall we submit to
the usUrpa.iOns by which the Gov
eminent has been OverthTown, Or
shall we exert ourselves for its
full and complete restoration? II is idle to
talk Of bonds, greenbacks, gold aud the
public faith and plblic credit. What can
a Democratic President do in regard to any
Of these with . Congress in both branches
controlled by the CaIpet-baggeTs and their
allies9 He will be pOwerless to stop the
supplies by which idle negroes are OEcaE-
lied into political clubs-by which an army
is maintained 10 protect these vagabOnds in
their Outrages upon the ballOs. These and
things like these eat up the revenues and
resources Of the Government and de-
stTOy its tredit-make the differ
ence between gold aud greenback. We
must restOrs the Constitution before we
can restore the finances. and to do this we |
must have a President who will execute |
the will Of the people by trampling into |
dust the UsUTpatiOns of Congress krOwn as |
the Reconstruction Acts. / wish to stand |
before the Convention on this issue; but II |
is one which embraces everything else that |
is Of value in its large and comprehensive |
results. Il is the one thing that includes |
everything that is worth contest, and with |
out il there is nothing that gives honor, |
dignity, or value to the struggle. Your |
friend, FRANK p. BLAIR.
The effect of this letter upon the |
pnblic sentiment of the country wrought !
up to the highest pitch of excitement |
by partisan appeals to passions more |
agitated than at any time
since the outbreak of the war, is well |
Whatever hope the De-
may have entertained of sue
cess in the campaign was speedily |
The North was not then,
and never has BEN, ready for such ex-
measures as those proposed
by Geu. Blair. For the South long
years Of tribulation were in store, dur
ing which she was to show the world
that tie sublimity Of courage
S to bear defeat with fortitude. We
begin to see our way out now, but in
every Southern breast there should
lwelI a kindly remembrance of the
gallant standard-bearer whose bold
stroke failed only because, in the all
wise providence of Heaven, the time
vas not yet ripe for our deliverance.
WHAT THE WAR COST THE SOUTH.
A correspondent Of the Ne,0 York
EreHiag Post, who has a turn for Stats
les, gives some highly interestingfacts
md figures connected with the losses
he South sustained by the war, show
ng the diminution Of assessed person
Il property between 1850 and 1870 by
'eason Of the emancipation of the
blacks. Alabama, with two hundred
md sCventy-seven millions of personal
state in 1860, returns but thirty-eight
Millions in lS7O-a decrease of two
hundred and thirty-nine millions. Ar
Kansas is reduced from ore hundred
md sixteen to thirty-one millions in
his respect. Mississippi returns three
hundred and fifty-one millions in 1860 !
igainst only ffty-nine millions
n lS7O-a decrease Of two hun
lred and ninety-tEO millions;
md South Carolina presents
wen a sgreatcr difference, returning
hree hundred and ffty-nine millions
sspssad Dars0paItv IN 1870 and sivtv. !