Politics in St. Louis. --- B. Gratz Brown vs. Frank Blair

Local politics are assuming an interesting shape. The chief contest will be upon members of the Legislature and members of Congress, and the issue will be emancipation with expatriation. The [Secessionists] remain quiet, and the old Sham Democracy will egg on the different factions of the emancipationists in hopes of slipping a semi-Secessionist into the seat now held by Frank Blair. The late demonstration by Blair in favor of [colonization], as a condition precedent to emancipation, has lost him the entire German vote, while his course against Fremont has done him great injury with another class. Contest will be to commit the Republicans of St. Louis to the Blair doctrine or its opposite. The adverse party is gradually combining in favor of B. Gratz Brown, the old-line free soil Benton Democrat, who wrote Blair into political fame while editor of the Democrat a few years ago. Mr. Brown has written a strong emancipation letter, in which he scouts the idea of [colonization] with force and ability. This letter has made him the representative man against Blair and against the Blair doctrine. The Germans support Brown, and their influence in the Republican party may give him the nomination for Congress. It is currently rumored that a new paper will be started here next month to advocate Mr. Blair’s cause, inasmuch as his old organ, the Democrat, is now arrayed against him. – {Cor. N. Y. Tribune

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 2