The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-12-01
Senator Bayard on the Situation.

The distinguished Delaware Senator
since his return home from his South
ern visit Las been interviewed by cor
respondent of the Tribune, and express
cs himself freely npon current political
topics.
lie returns his acknowledgements for
the kindness which he received at the
Sonth, and expresses his qualification
at the decrease of sectional jealousy, as
exhibited during his recent visit. Ev-
crywhere and from all classes he heard
|eXprcssions of satisfaction at the aboli-
ton Of slavery, and though carpet bag
gers and adventures still prevented the
adjustment of kindly relation between
the races, yet good feeling was rapidly
asserting itself and producing its natur-
al results in peace, good order sccu-
rity. The Civil Rights bill has proved
a dead letter in the South, and the col
ored people everywhere recognized
their social inferority to the whites.
Everywhere in the South where the
people have been suffered to regain con-
troll Of their local affairs. there was the
greatest advance in material prosperity,
and this fact furnishes the strongest ar
gument against the policy of force and
prescription recommended BY President
Grant, and which came near being
adopted by the last Congress. In agri-
culture the people are doing well, and
are rapidly appreciating the value Of
diversified industry and varied crops.
The want of capital at the South had
created currency hunger, which was
sought to be appeascd hy the issue Of
paper money, but he relied upon the
good sense of the South to bring the
currency back at the earliest practical
period to aspecie basis.
Grant is using every effort to secure
the Republican nomination. The true
policy of the Democrats is thus an
nounced: "Discussions in regard to its
action would be at this time, of course,
premature. The duty Of the Democrat
ic party in the mean time is to maintain
its organization by insisting upon an
adherence to its time-honorcd and con-
stitutional principles. Its great object
should be to obtain the confidence of
the country, and the only way to do
this is to prove that they deserve the
confidence Of the country. There
should be no avoidance of any impor-
tant issue, and the personal ambitions
of candidates should be totally disre-
gartlcd' and the interests and welfare Of
good government should alone be kept
in view. The Democratic party should
not only seem to he, but be in fact, the
trustworthy guardian of the nations
honor and credit and of the just inter
ests of every citizen. The country is
sick Of the low tone which has charac-
terized President Grants administra.
ton in almost every department, and
the better classes of his own party are
as sick of it as any of us; but unless
they feel sure that a change Of admin
istration is to produce real reform and
not expose the country to new dangers,
they will probably taNe no action
against his reelection. I think that
Gen. Grants reelection, in the face OF
his utter unfitncss for the place he oc-
cnpies, and his marvellous incapacity to
appreciate the high nature of the trust
OF power and its responsibility, would
cause me to despair of the capacity of
our people for self-government, and i'll
deed, of the continuance of civil and
religious liberty in this country"