Frank Blair was a disciple of Benton; yet, as is often the case, the pupil soon learned to go far ahead of his teacher.  In 1852, there was a union of the Free Democrats and National Democrats of Missouri, in support of Franklin Pierce.  But the entire abandonment of Pierce’s administration to the rule of the Southern oligarchs sundered the incongruous elements in Missouri forever.  In 1856 Benton was found supporting James Buchanan for President; but Blair declined to follow his ancient leader in that direction.  He organized the free-soil element in St. Louis to oppose the Buchanan electoral ticket.  An electoral ticket in the State at large, for John C. Fremont, was neither possible nor advisable.  In some districts no man would dare be a candidate on that side; in others, the full free-soil vote, from the utter hopelessness of success, would not be polled; and thus the cause would be made to appear weaker than it deserved.  To meet the emergency, and yet bear witness to principle, the free-soil vote was cast for the Fillmore electoral ticket, ‘under protest,’ as it was called, the name of ‘John C. Fremont’ being printed in large letters at the head of every free-soil ballot cast.  By this means the Buchanan electors were beaten fifteen hundred votes in St. Louis City and County, where, by a union as Benton proposed, they would have had three thousand majority.  But the ‘free-soilers’ failed to defeat Buchanan in the State.

Nothing discouraged by this result, Blair resumed the work of organizing for the future.  The Fillmore party gave no thanks to the free-soilers for their aid in the presidential election, nor did the latter ask any.  They had simply taken the choice of evils; and now, renouncing all alliances, Blair became the champion and leader of a self-existing, self-reliant State party, that should accomplish emancipation in Missouri.  He again established a newspaper to inculcate free principles in the State.  By untiring effort, he revived and recruited his party.  He gave it platforms, planned its campaigns, contested every election in St. Louis, whether for municipal officers, for State legislature, or for Congress; and always fought his battles on the most advanced ground assumed by the growing free-soil party of the Union.  The powerful and rapidly-increasing German population of St. Louis responded nobly to his zeal and skillful leadership.  Soon a victory was gained; and St. Louis declared for freedom, amid acclamations that reverberated throughout the States that extended from the Ohio to the lakes, and from the Mississippi to the Atlantic.  But, having wrenched victory from a people so intolerant as the pro-slavery population of Missouri, it was not to be expected that he would retain it easily.  He was set upon more fiercely than ever.  The loss of the city of St. Louis was considered a disgrace to the State; and the most desperate personal malignity was added to the resentment of pro-slavery wrath in the future election contests