Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-10-11
Governor Hayes.

tire dissent from the eulogy OF THIS
correspondent. So far as we are
to Judge from his record, Mr.. Hayes
is man some parts of whose con-
duct may be approved, while no
part can be admired. We look up
on him as a mediocre, well-inten-
toned gentleman, who has been
lifted by the accidents of politics
to q position to which he had no
personal qualifications. He has
none Of the elements Of a great and
commanding character; neither the
breadth of intellect, the force of
will nor the ascendancy over other
men with which nature stamps a
man born for leadership. He is
immeasurably inferior to Morton,
Blaine, COnkling and half a dozen
other Republicans that might be
named in the qualities which fit a
man for influence over other minds
and make him felt as potent force
in politics. We believe Mr.. Hayes
to be honest, but not more honest
than hundreds of thousands of
citizens who are plain tillers of the
soil, or who gain their livelihood
by mechanical skill. He is not
eminent as lawyer, was not en-
inent as q soldier, he made no
figure in Congress as legislator,
and there are probably few counties
in Ohio which could not furnish as
useful Governor. We have moth
ing to say against the services rem
dered in public stations by we'll
meaning mediocr.ty, but we are
unable to see that small man is
rendered great or admirable by
nomination for the Presidency.
Our correspondent maintains
that Mr.. Hayes, if elected, will
free himself from party trammels
and exercise a noble independence,
guided only by justice. We wish
we could believe so; but we are
unable to find anything in Mr..
Hayes career to warrant so pleas
ing an expectation. During the
three years he was in Congress he
was as obedient to party behests as
the mob Of ordinary members.
That was the period Of enormous
land grabs for railroads, and the
record proves that Mr.. Hayes voted |
for them all. 1t would be a poor
compliment to his sagacity to say
that he acted in ignorance; but
not even this lame excuse can be
pleaded, for Mr.. Elihu B. Wash
burne, our Minister to France, was
then in the House and distinguish
ed himself by bold and vigorous
opposition to those wasteful, swind-
ling grants of the public lands.
Unfortunately for the cain Of in
dependence which is set up for Mr..
Hayes, he never voted on such oc-
casions with Mr.. Washburne, but
always with the majority of his
party. Our correspondent seeks
materials of eulogy in Mr.. Hayes
action as Governor of Ohio but he
fails to adduce q single instance in
which Governor Hayes has acted
in opposition to his party.
Our correspondent asserts that
on the Southern question the man
ayers OF the Republican canvass
"audaciously misrepresent their
candidate" We are told, with
great emphasis, that Governor
Hayes deprecates the waving of
the "bloody shirt" and "does not
believe in q new stirring up of
hatred and strife" Con-
ceding that these are the real sem
timents of Mr.. Hayes, they only
prove what cipher he is in the
politics Of his own party. The Re-
publican stump speakers and party
organs, one and all, are waging the
on the Southern issue,
which, we are assured, Gov. Hayes
o strongly disapproves. Such con-
disregard OF the wishes
4 their candidate proves that they
onsider him a weak mana mere
in their canvass. 1t
hows that he has no moral or polit-
al influence among his own sup
orters. II he has none now, how =
IN he be expected to exert any
ter his election : Among the
Die men Of his party he cannot 4
nd the materials of a Cabinet p
hich viii indorse bis own views, D
r all the able men of the party.