The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-07-11
THAT LETTER

leIteE oi utcepeaDce ht an earlier day
The delay excited public expectation
aud the letter has sadly disappointed
public expectancy A more common
place document has seldom ever been
issued to waiting and an eager
people. 1t was fondly believed
by the pattisans of the Governor
and feared by the Democrats that
his letter would be something splen.
did, In vulgar parlanee "a sumner"
Anticipation was at It's height, aud a
paper was expected, the burning words
of which would kindle the dry embers
Of the Cincinnati platform into blaze
and reach and fire the popular heart Of
the country with enthusiasm.
The result is almost ludicrous. The
letter is tame and commonplace. Grant
might have written 1t himself; It Ia not
above the standard Of the average
speeches Of that grim and reticent indl.
vidual. IT. touches no popular chord
1t moves no feeling Of the heart il is rs
fiat "a the platform, and as much Of a
nonentity as Is the excellent gentleman
who wrote 1t.
The letter amounts to u simple in
dorsement OF the Radical platform,
with weak effort to touch the popular
fancy by disclaiming the purpose Of the
writer, II elected, to aspire to second
term. This. we think, IL quite silly.
If Gov. Hayes shall be elected and shall
make wise. able and popular Chief
Magistrate; If he shall lessen the
taxation OF the people, drive out
the rogues from the departments
establish cordial relations between the
soctions, and prove Just what the coun-
try now requires, and what Gov. TiIden
has proved himself to be--a great re-
former-Nby should he not run for Il
second term, II the people demand
his invaluable services? ? There hns
never been u popular prejudice among
our people against second term; /;
there IL no unwritten law Of the Re-
public against n second term; Washing
ton, Jefferson, Madison, and Jackson,
the noblest aud purest OF our Presidents,
all aspired to and were elected to second
terms. IF Coy. Hayes now declines
second term because he thinks he il
unfit for It, then he should not be elected
TO a FIRST term If he declines 1t because
he assumes n higher virtue than Wash
ipgton or Jefferson then he is prcsgmp-
tuous and silly
The letter lodges the currency que3-
ton. The Governor says that on that
question he stands by his record. And
what Is bis record? Simply that In 1875
he ran for Governor OF Ohio on . hard
money platform. If that is o record in
favor Of hard money. why IL not bis
present candidacy for a much higher
office on rag money platform, record
in favor OF rag money! On this aue3-
tion we are disposed to think the Gov
ernor Is about rs non complittai as his
platform.
Gov. Hayes, in his letter, intimates
that there Is still necessity for the
paci6cation of the South; that there is
not here a recognition OF the new parts
OF the Constitution; that the rights Of
whites. All this Is error, and commits
Gov. Hayes, IL elected, to the unwise
and nefarious Southern policy OF the
present Administration. All that Is
necessary for the pacllcation of the
South, the establishment of law and
order, and good will and sound ma
tional sentiment, is for the Federal Ad |
to cease its interference in |
the domestic affairs of the Southern |
States. III Gov, Hayes does not reeog- !
nize this fact, his administration, If he |
is elected, will prove m ore disastrous TO |
the South than has been that OF Gen |
Grant.
The Governor literally obeyed the in
structions of his trainers in Washing |
ton. In his letter he lodges an express
sion of opinion upon Grantism. BE
has dared to utter no word OF condenl-
nation OF the shameful extravaganza Of
the present Administration, nor OF the |
Of the civil service under
Republican auspices. To read |
this letter one would never
imagine that we have had a Credit
Mobilier, Whisky Ring. Belknap, a
Robeson, Babcock, Reconstruction
policy, and an Indian Ring, and that
we have half dozen penitentiaries full
1f revenue officials, and enough rascals
N the civil service still to fill all the pen
tentiaries in the country.
Altogether Gov. Hayes letter is part
If symmetrical whole, composed of
he Republican ticket, the Republican
policy, the Republican platform, and
he Republican candidates letter of az
,eptance.