Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-08-18
Some Points in Gov. Hayes Character

Judge William johnson, In n recent
speech atAvondale, Ohio, gave a sketch of
Gov. Hayes, from which we take the fol-
lowing. The Judge said:
have had rare opportunities of know
ing Gov. Hayes for the last twenty y-sevcn
years, and 1sproposc on this occasion sim,
ply to answer 4 few questions which have
been put to me in regard to him, and do
this chiefly for the information of q nu-
merous circle of my early friends who
have not had the pleasure of his personal
acquaintance.
1t may be asked whether he has any
marked peculiaTities. | answer, none
whatever. Neither his body nor his
mind runs into rickcty proportions. Place
him on platform together with 100 dis
tinguished men, and call in an able con-
noisseur, who has neither seen nor heard
of any one of them, and he will point
him out us model man-neither too
large nor too small, nor too tall nor too
short nor too fat nor too lean, nor too
old nor too young; man in the prime
and vigor of shealthful manhood with
blood in his veins and marrow. in his
bones, able to endure any labor, either of
bodyor of mind, which may devolve upon
him.
His face seems made to match his form.
No painful, careworn wrinkles, indicative
of intirmities or misfortunes, TO provoke
a grudgc against nature or engender sour
ness toward mankind Nor does lie wear
smirking face, as if he were candidate
for admiration; but u fine, sunny counte-
nance, such as men and women respect
and children love-such as the good old
farmer wore, of whom the little boy said,
" that old gent won't lick a little fellepfor
getting on behind him on his sled.
sIIfipIg anu sTuC5re. IiU uou'tI 'tIrun'tSe uftSe
you and call you +" My very dear sir" He
takes you by the hand, with cordial
kindness which recognizes the universal
brotherhood Cf man, and impresses you
that he is Il man who gets above nobody,
and nobody gets above him.
Is he a party man? UnquestiOnably,
in certain sense, he is From the hour
the Republican party was formed to resist
the repeal of the Missouri Compromise
and the encroachments of slavery in the
new Territories, he stood in the foremost
rank of the party, battling for the great
principle that all men are created equHl,
and that all men should be equal before
the law. Ul
Like the good Zachary Taylor, he would
leave the evil alone where it was estab-
lished by law, but would not allow it to
overspread one acre more of the public
domain. In this faith he lived till treason
raised its baleful head. Then he belonged
to the party of patriots, and pledged his
life in support of his faith, and so was.a
party man. Ltts V
When the war was over he was among
the active laborers in the blessed work of
reunion, and in securing such amend
ments to the Constitution as were deemed
necessary TO secure to all men equal rights
and equal protection under the law. 9th
rs WHO had "run well for season." be-.
came tired of private life and impatient of
delay, and turned their backs on their old
friends. But r. B. Hayes stands fast in
the faith-a party man.
But when you speak of a partisapship
like that of Tammany Hall, which de
claTes that the spoils belong to the victors
n doctrine worthy only of pirates-he is
no longer pdrtV man. In the platform
on which he stands, and in his letter of
acceptance, he distinctly and emphatical-
ly repudiates this barbarous system-lay-
ing down as Il principle in Civil-Service
reform that honest and capable men arc
to be chosen for the Civil-Service, regard
less of party names, and, when chosen,
shall hold their places 80 long as they do
their work faithfully.
Nor is this a new idea with Mr.. Hayes.
When it became his duty, under the law,
to appoint commissioners to relieve the
Supreme Court of an Overcharged docket,
he had before him both personal and
party friends enough TO fill all the places.
But he did that which was both wiser
0ld better-mgde a fair division, APP
pointing able and honest men of both par
ties.
According to my poor notion of great
ness, in Republic. recognizing the prin-
eiplv mat all men are created equal, the
man who in trying times performs with
wisdom, fidelity and success, every duty,
great and small, to which the providence
of God has called him, is a great man. If
am right in this, then Mr.. Hayes is a
great man now, but you can make him
greater, If you make him President,
which believe you will, and, following
the uniform bent of his character, he dis.
charges the duties of the future as well as
he has discharged the duties of the past,
his title will be complete; and who can
doubt of this, considering his character as
a man of purposes
No man, having put his hand to the
plow, and looking back, is fit for the
kingdom of God. +" Nor is he fit for any
other kingdom. That man alone is fit
TO rule who, when he sees the line of
duty before him, pursues it-not with
headlong zeal to-day, lukewarmness to-
morrow, coldness the day after; but
with steady and unfaltering step to the
end. If j was in search of an illustra-
tion would find II in the military life
of r. B. Hayes. This man had no natu-
raj bent TO military life, no fondness for
bloodshed. No Quaker ever loved peace
and harmony more than he. But when
the alternative of live or die, sink or
swim, was presented 10 the country In
which he was born and reared, then this
unpTetending young man buckled on
his sword and marched 10 the field, ask.
ing no questions what was 10 befall
him, if his country could be saved and
having put his hand TO the plow,"
never for amoment looked back, till he
saw the capital of treason fall, and the
traitor chief an exile, hiding in female
attire.