Year: 1868

To Messrs. Edgewortb, McLeran, Ingraham, ans


others;


GENT1EMEN-Your note of the 10th
instant asking the use of my name in con-
nection with the candidacy for congress in
our district was handed to me this morning,
aud in reply will very candidly and
frankly say to you that do not--all things
well considered-feel at liberty to refuse
your request.


Under ordinary circumstances this might
suffice, but viewing the extraordinary con-
dition of our country deem it my duty to
say word more. 1t is well known to all
who know me at all intimately that / have
neither impulse nor aspiration which l
would seek to hide from the world, and
that am in no sense nor bearing either an
Office seeker or trickster. Whatever |
believe in / am ever ready to avow, and
that which l hate or disapprove l will not
hesitate to denounce.


Then. gentlemen and friends, allow me
to say to you that occupy to-day the pre-
else position, in regard to the general policy
and prosperity of our country, which held
before the war, during the war, and since
the war have not changed since coming
to New Orleans to take a seat in the con-
stitutional convention. | came here as q
uleUD6E VI lulo CDnNGubAOuy dIu dS u Iudug
as a friend to nv country, and to the human
race. / am still neither more nor less:
nor is there upon earth sufficient allure
ment on the one side, or power Of mach
ination on the other, to change me. Polit-
ically speaking, the sum total of my earth
ly desire is to see this country restored upon
basis OF an honorable and enduring peace,
by which simply mean basis which shall
UIn ha orI he
national flag, and Justify and vindicate
loyalty to the federal government,
and devotion TO the federal Union.


And my pride is to know in this connee-
ton that even my political enemies can
neither misunderstood nor fail to appreciate
my position and my motives. They know
my love of country is no hatred of any one.
| They know that while l may differ from
some of my fellow-citizens and neghbors
politically, / am no less their friend in
every practical sense of honorable man
hood.


claim to be Republican in the truest
sense of the term, and shall of course support
the state ticket nominated by the late con-
vention of that party. do not see how any
honorable man could refuse or fail to support
the nominees of convention in which he
took part, and before which his own name
was used. II we as loyal men are to sue
ceed we must ignore all personal prefer
ences and animosities, and hold together
upon vital principles.


My friends, we are in deplorable if not
a hopeless condition in this country. What
is tne duty of every patriot? To scramble
for Office? God forbid A thing always
contemplate, it now becomes criminal.
What is our first great duty as members Of
this convention? ? 1t is plain, and let us
perform it at once, and if need be defantly.
Let us frame a constitution and submit it to
the qualified voters of the state for their
ratification and if we all can not obtain
precisely such an instrument as we would
desire, let us not divide too much among
ourselves, and thereby entail upon our
state more strife and continued and in
creased ruin, but rather let us take any
thing as 9 beginning Of better days, he
lieving that stepping stone 10 permanent
peace and prosperity is preferable to and
far more honorable than an obstinate con-
dition of chaos and ruin.


1t can not be concealed that we owe it
to our country, to ourselves, and. to tho
Iproseribed class among as, to restore civil
government, as speedily as possible, upon
foundation which may meet the appr0ba-
ton of all good citizens and just men, and
thus at once remove all necessity
whether real or iInaginary-for the pres.
ence in our midst Of hateful ene-mau
rule, inaugurated by class legislation and
backed by the sword.


Should the political dice be so cast in
our state as to give me seat in con
gress, all the special pledge l have to
| make is simplv to saw that no class of citi-
zens shall ever regret or be ashamed of the
result.


Thanking you, gentlemen, for the com
plimentary terms Of confidence in which
you address me, remain, very respect
fully, your friend and fellow-citizen,


w. JASPER BLACKBURN.