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FRANK -BLAIR . VATICINATING. . AGAIN, = Mr. Frank P. Blair, who wanted to be Vice-President but failed, and who thought that the reconstruction laws should be “trampled in the dust” and predicted that Gen. Grant would not leave the White House alive, has not been heard from for some time until within the past few days. We learn now from the Washington correspondent of the Chicago Times that he has been spending some time at the residence of his father,F. P. Blair, sr. at Washington, and has again taken up on himself the character of a seer. He appeared upon the “Avenue” a few days ago, when the Times’ cor respondent says he made the follow ing predictions : He reviewed his previous expressions re garding the character of Gen. Grant, name : That he would drive instead of follow; Hie he would be: more likely ‘to de mand new powers than to relinquish the ex ercise of a single prerogative. He believes that the liveliest times in political affairs are in the future. That Gen. Blair has the “afflatus” is undeniable, but that it is “divine” is not so certain. ‘We should think the “times in political affairs’? were lively enough to satisfy even him, when he was defeated for the Vice Presidency by an overwhelming popular majority only a few months ago. We shall unquestionably have lively times “in the future,” but it is not probable that Gen. Blair will cut more than‘the most’, insignifi cant figure in them. Gen. Grant may have got into, the habit of dri ving, having done ‘something i in that line while fighting rebels during the war, and again in defeating Copper heads in the late election, ‘as Gen. Blair himself can testify. But it does not follow from this that he will play the part of a despot in the treatment of his friends. The same authority says that Gen. Blair announced his preference for Mr. Henderson’s election to the United States Senate from Missouri. This is not surprising, considering the similarity in the course of Mr. Blair and Mr. Henderson, though it is so much the worse for the latter. If his defeat had not already been rendered certain, this declaration in his favor by the late defeated Dem ocratic candidate for the Vice Pres idency would have settled the mat ter. Gen. Blair, we are told,is very un happy in the belief that “the major ity of the legal voters of the country are not represented by the party in power.”’ By whom are they repre sented? Is it by the party whose candidate he was?What is the ev idence? Is it in the fact that he was defeated by over 300,000 majority, and that this would,have been, in creased to 500,000, but for the Demo cratic frauds in ‘New York, New Jersey, Georgia and Louisiana, ‘and the Democratic resistance to recon struction in Virginia, Mississippi and Texas? . Some of the Democratic papers are manifesting a lively interest‘in the approaching Senatorial contest . in Missouri,and, what is quite signifi cant, their preference seems to be very decidedly in favor of the re election of Mr. Henderson. We place no reliance, however, upon the statement of the Washington cor respondent, of the Chicago Times, that Gen. Grant has declared his op position to Gen. Schurz, and desires Henderson’s re-election. Whatever may be Gen. Grant’s private views, it is not his custom to obtrude his advice, or to seek to influence the de cision of the people on a question of this kind; and, least of all, would he be likely to favor the election of one who seems to be the choice of the Democratic” s party. Any use at tempted to be made of Gen. Grant's views to influence the result in Mis souri, either in favor of Senator Hen derson or against Gen. Schurz,may be set down as totally gratuitous and unauthorized. , _ Serious’ disturbances are reported on the Ogeechee river in Georgia, be tween the black and white citizens. The reports from rebel sources in the South in reference to affairs of this kind have heretofore been so partial and prejudiced, as to be totally un reliable, and we are compelled to await further advices before being able to decide upon the real condi tion of affairs. If the planters had heretofore treated the negro laborers justly in the payment of their wages and otherwise, there is reason to be lieve that many of the evils from which they are now suffering would have been averted. The rebels in Georgia and other Southern States have emphatically ‘sown the wind,” and are now “reaping the whir' wind.” Nevertheless, it is the duty of the Government promptly to sup press disorder and give security in person ‘and property ‘to all classes, both black and white. THE recent suicide of Mrs. Dick ens, the reputed wife of the brother of Charles Dickens, is giving rise to some unpleasant revelations ‘The New York Times plainly intimates that Charles Dickens’ has been sup porting the real widow of his brother Augustus, in England, ever since the latter left that country in company with the woman bearing that name recently deceased at Chicago. These stories, if true, throw unexpected light upon Mr. Dickens’ course while in this country a few months ago, and go far to vindicate him from many assaults of the press in con nection with that subject. .. The Chi cago Mrs. Dickens, it seems, though not wealthy, was still not in desti tute circumstances, having left prop erty valued at $3,500. In the Sangamon county contested election case—Mahoney vs Lanphier, for the office of Clerk of the Circuit Court—on Wednesday last, two of the Justices rendered a decision dis missing the case on the ground of insufficiency of notice. . ‘Judge: “Pres cott, of the County Court, delivered a dissenting opinion. Mr. _ Mahoney’s lawyers at once gave notice of an ap peal to the Circuit Court. ARKANSAS AFFAIRS. _ ‘Almost daily, for weeks past ,we have been in receipt of the most ex travagant stories concerning alleged outraged by the’ State militia of Arkansas. These’ statements have consisted generally in - pretended Little Rock specials to the Memphis papers, in which the militia are rep resented to have been guilty of the most, atrocious acts of violence against inoffensive citizens, who had been guilty of no illegal acts what ever, and did not even know the reasons for their arrest or the occupa tion of the towns where they reside. The authors of these ‘stories and the rebel agents of the Associated Press who transmit them, ‘however, have evidently overdone their business, and, in the face of the scores of mur ders‘committed and the terrorism estalished in many counties of the State; compelling ‘the proclamation of martial law for the protection of loyal citizens, their statements will find few if any believers outside of the ranks of the Copperhead party. Mr. Boles,:.one of the Representa tives in Congress from Arkansas, has written, a communication to the Washington Chronicle in reference to these charges, in which he says: During the months of August, Septem ber,and October some twenty leading Re publicans of the State were either murdered or severely wounded by these law abiding white men. Among the victims were Hon. James Hinds, Hon. A. M. Johnson, Captain Mason, Hon. Joseph Brooks, and Hon. Stephen Wheeler. In addition to these, over 200 colored men were brutally mur dered for political reasons. Notwithstand ing these outrages were known throughout the State, the agents of the Associated Press did not give them to the public,nor did the special correspondent of the Mem phis Avalanche have a word to say on the subject, except in the case of the murder of Hon. James Hinds and wounding of Hon. Joseph Brooks, which was grossly misrep resented. ‘It was stated that the assassin was a Republican, and that these two men were specially objectionable to the Radical party. This statement was made when it was well known that the assassin was a fel low by the name of Clark, who’ was Secre tary of the Monroe county Democratic Com mittee. The fact that Clark was the mur derer was found by the unanimous verdict of the coroner’s jury. . Let it be remembered that previous to calling out the militia not a single case of retaliation on the part of the Union men has ever been charged. Mr. Boles also states that, notwith standing the perpetrators of these outrages in many cases were known, they continued to live in perfect se curity in the communities in which their crimes were committed. If any attempts were made to bring them to justice, the officers of the law were overpowered and either killed or driven off by these ‘ law-abiding citizens” and their friends. He con tinues: The most notorious of these assassins rode over the country making speeches by invi tation, in which they boasted of their oout rages. In every part of the State leading rebels were continually counseling opposi tion to the State government and the laws made under it. Little Rock was crowded with refugees from the good treatment of these persecuted individuals, Governor Clayton’s office was daily besieged by refugees beg ging protection from the State in their rights under its laws. Daily, the mails brought to him petitions numerously signed by loyal men, both white and colored, pleading with him to defend them in their lives and prop erty. It would have been strange, after all these atrocities, if Gov. Clayton had neglected to use all the means in his power for the protection of the people. Indeed, if he had failed to do so, he would have shown himself utterly neglectful of his duty to the loyal citizens of the State. We have reason to believe from Gov. Clay ton’s record as a Union man, that his whole object has been to main tain order and afford security for life and property. If any unpro voked acts of violence have been committed (which is very doubtful) they have evidently not’ been with his consent or approval. ‘The true explanation of these stories is un doubtedly to be found in their reb el origin, and the fact that whatever acts have been committed were under the authority of Gov. Clay ton, and for the protection of loyal men from rebel lawlessness, law upon us. A failure upon our part, therefore, to exact and enforce proper laws, will be so fatal to the interests of the owners of real estate as confiscation. And yet, all that Congress asks us tool is to eras oureslrea of the only means by which we may add serious : so is, this wil be. the practical result of reconstruc tion, under national legislation, upon our interests. The moving cause‘ of that legislation, probably, was “security for the future.” Here we may discover the line that should mark our connection with re constriction. It begins such ends in our care. for home interests. It will be time enough to begin to look into the future when we have provided for the Pride politicians of the old-school scem ‘anxious to impress upon the minds of our young men the impor tance of rejecting all propositions coming from the Republican party,or else they dishonor their own blood and the blood of their own comrades. . But gen tlemen should remember that they, only, dishonor their comrades when they dishonor themselves, and that there cannot be dishonor’ in ready obedience to law and a proper care for’ our own welfare. ‘On the contrary, to discard the law and expose ourselves to unnecessary difficulties, is near akin to dishonor, .If it is true that many worthy persons are disfranchised under the law, but the Tenchent and shrest means of relief are through the law. ~
Newspaper Details
Quincy Whig
Quincy, Illinois, US
Sat, Jan 09, 1869
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Tanisha C.
USA 02 Jul 2026
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