New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-12-08
TIE PRESIDENT AND TIE SOUTD


Gen. Grant gives notice to Congress and
the country that he finds nothing to regret in
his past treatment of the South, and has no
change to promise in his policy for the future
lie has executed tho Enforcement laws ac-
cording to their letter and their spirit. and he
will repeat the transactions of the recent cam
paign whenever tho occasion arises. lie firmly
believes in the stories Of the Hon. Charles
Hay and the Chattanooga Convention. He
approves OF Beach, Hester, and Iiodgson.
He denounces the Southern whites with
great bitterness for the crimes of murder,
outrage, and intimidation by which they
have attempted to control the vote of the
freedmen; and while he admits that they
have had to 1.-Two under rather "tGying" gov
ernments, he intimatos that they grumble
altogether too much. This is not a cheerful
declaration from our Chief Executive, but 1t
is precisely what might have been expected
from his obstinate character, and wo have
not the slightest doubt that he will carry out
his rough policy to the cad, unless he is
checked by Congress. lie IS right of course,
in his determination to execute the Enforce
ment laws so long as they remain upon tho
statute books; that is his plain duty; but he
has allowed the partisan zeal Of his officers to
carry them far beyond the authorization Of
the law and to commit the most dangerous
excuses in the sacred name of justice. These
are wrongs about which Congress will proba-
bly, have something TO say before another
opportunity is presented for their commission.
In respect to Louisiana the President is
complacent and resolute. He repeats what he
said long ago in his special message, that
after once recognizing the Kellogg Govern
ment he shall feel justified in sticking to it
until it Is upset by resolution of Congress. He
cannot excuse his support of the usurpaton
on any such ground as this, for it is a
familiar rule of law that no man may take
advantage of his own wrong. Kellogg was
originally set up by a fraud, in which Gen.
Grant was one Of the chief movers, and it is
monstrOus to pretend that the President is
not at liberty to recognize the true Govern
ment because he has heretofore unlawfully
aided the false one. But his determination,
wrong as it il. throws upon Congress respOn-
sibility which that body cannot afford to disre-
gard. Gen. Grant would undoubtedly be very
glad to get rid of Kellogg The Republican party
likewise feels that it has carried that dirty
burden quite long enough, and that it must
lose no time in unloading, if it ever means to
run another race. We know of few things
that would give the party moro valuable help
with less trouble than tho passing of an act
Immediately for the relief Of Louisiana
Upon the whole we take it to be clear from
the Message that the South has nothing to
hope from Gen. Grant. lilo has learned
nothing from the elections. He has no idea
of making any change in his course. If
another political campaign were to open to-
morrow he would give the Attorney General
and his deputy marshals longer rope than
ever. The suiierings Of tho Southern whites
do not touch him he does not comprehend
them; he never did And if KelOggs Re-
turning Board muster courage enough TO
cheat the people out Of the election of last
month a. they did out of that of 1872, they
may depend upon tho SUPPORT Of tho