The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-11-03

governor of Ohio. Since his nomination
the verdict of those most intimately &C
quainted with him has been decidedly il
his favor, and they have joined in wSSmly
recommending him for the presidency
All this; however, i'll supplies the place
of public service. To fill the presiden
tial chair with success a man must have
a great deal more than those good pur
poses, fair talents, and high character
which serve to make him locally respec.
table. He must have judgment, ,firmness,
insight, and, above all, experience in a
much more than ordinary degree; and
that he has these is only shown by trial.
Even the most enthusiastic supporters of
Mr.. Hayes can hardly, as yet, claim that
his election would be anything more
than political experiment. 1t is diff
cult, therefore, to see why Governor
| Hayes does not fall within that class of
candidates who were so well pictured in
the address adopted by the Filth Avenue
hotel conference, as candidates whom in
dependent voters could not support !;
men "who, however, favorably judged
by their nearest friends, are not publicly
known to possess those qualities of mind
and character which the stern task of
genuine reform, requires fOF the Ameri
can people can not afford to risk the
future of the republic in experiments on
merely supposed virture or rumored
ability TO be trusted on the strength of
private recommendations.
TRIED MEN AND TRUE.
The democrats, on the other hand,
,I.ok l. g
unquestionably have put in nomination
candidates both of whom were among
their most prominent party Leaders,
men with whom and whose record the
whole country was thoroughly familiar.
That on certain essential issues, and
especially that of the currency, these
two leaders were at variance, is indis-
putable, but this merely proved that
they were party leaders, and all who
considered such variance a good ground
for refusing to support the ticket had
full notice of the fact and could shape
their course accordingly. Good or bad,
the candidates were tried men, and the
whole country knew how to measure
them; the appeal was to facts, not to
fancy; to the record, not the imagination.
And this is the only sound practice. In
so far, therefore, the democratic party
has in this campaign approached much
more nearly than its opponents to cor
rect usage; its record may be bad other
wise, but it has at least nominated the
most distinguished reformers it its ranks.
A thorough and correct appreciation
of circumstances and an accurate ad-
justment of means to end is generally
looked upon as a first essential to human
success. Don Quixote performed, per-
haps, very gallant feat of arms when he
ran a tilt with the windmill but he
came out of the tournament badly
damaged none the less. 1t is surely to
be supposed that Governor Hayes appre-
ciates the fact that, if he is elected presi-
dent of the United States, his power as
such will be limited, and his administra-
tion can be saved from lamentable and
utter failure only through the hearty
and united support of some organized
party. No president in this country can
carry on an administration to suit him
self on sentimental or guerrilla or Ishmae
lite principles. He has got to have a
party behind him, or fall. Not only
this. Common sense, as well Ps political
usage and party courtesy, always dictates
to the president elect who are to be his
confidential advisers and whom he can
look to for effective support. These arc,
in the first place, his unsuccessful COM
petitors in the nominating convention
and, in the second place, those who
brought about this nomination and sub
sequent election. Not only does this
usage exist in our political system, but
it is a sound one. Through it alone can
responsible, in place of personal, admin
istration be secured. President Grant,
looking upon his cabinet as a sort of
civil staff, ignored the usage, picking up
his heads of departments as he met men
he fancied in the cans, at dinner tables,
or in the club-rooms; and the result be-
came known as "Grantism" Lincoln
always recognized it, and it saved his
administration. In the early days of the
republic no president thought of dis
regarding it. In the case of Governor
Hayes, who are the advisers thus desig-
mated to him in advance? His chief
competitor in the convention was Mr..
Blaine; his rivals who secured his nomin-
alton over Secretary Bristow were Messrs.
Morton and Conkling. Senator Sher-
man, from Ohio, first named him promi-
nentlv as candidate; Secretary Cameron
manipulated the Pennsylvania delega-
ton in his favor at the decisive moment;
and Secretary Chandler is the head of
the national executive committee which
is organizing the campaign for his cleo
tion. Under these circumstances how is
President Hayes to form a cabinet in
sympathy with his views as respects the
civil service?
THE OPPOSITION RECORD SOUND.
1t is usually argued that it will not be
g., - > I, Il -, IN