Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-06-29
He will Grow and He will do.


pushing themselves to the front, it is not sur
prising that there should be, in different parts
of the Nation, desire to hear something more
than is generally known about Gov. Hayes.
Republicans, however, need not borrow any
trouble upon this ground. Hayes will grow,
and grow rapidly, in public estimation. Nat
urally he is modest and retiring. He never
did, and never could, push himself into PROM
inence. He has no knowledge of the arts by
which so many great men are manufactured.
He las never sought the aid of the press for
the purpose of being kept before the public.
He preferred to be left alone, and enjoyed re-
tirement far more than notoriety. When
spoken well of, he accepted it as kindness
on the part of his friends, and when criticised
he bore it gracefully. From this it may rea-
sonably be inferred that he never sought an
office. This, in fact, may be said of Hayes.
He entered the army as a matter of duty to
his country. He might have started in as
Colonel or a General, as many inferior men
did, but he was not military man, and he
preferred to enter the service as Major. 1t
is also to be said of him that he entered the
army to stay to the end of the contest. His
heart was in the cause, and his ain was to
qualify himself foreactive service. He did
qualify himself, and rose steadily upon his
merits.
He was nominated for Congress against his
wishes, and refused to leave the army to
stump his district. He was elected, notwith-
standing his absence, by the largest majority
ever cast for any candidate in the Second
District. He did not make noise in Congress,
but he always did his duty.
When the Republicans of Ohio wanted a
safe and popular man to run for Governor
against Allen G. Thurman, they forced Hayes
into the field, and he was elected by 1888
majority. In 1869 he was renominated, and
had for his opponent Geo. Fl. Pendleton He
was again elected by 1918. In 1875 he was
again called from retirement to lead his party,
and defeated William Allen by majority of
2,951, and plurality of 5,544. He was thus
three times elected Governor of Ohio over the
three strongest men the Democrats could find
in the State He was once defeated for Con-
gress, but that was partly because it was a
bad year for Republicans, and partly by the
treachery of professed friends. In every con-
test he has always proved himself a strong
man. He is popular because he deserves pop
ulaIity.
And now, after ten years of public life, his
character is without blemish. His opponents
will seek in vain for weak spot in his record,
and his private life is equally unassailable.
But in these times, it will be said, the coun-
try needs reformer, and people who do not
know Hayes ask if he is reformer. This is
point upon which Hayes has not said much,
and is not likely to say much. He is not
man of words. He thinks, rather than talks,
and it is perfectly safe to say that he is fully
informed as to the necessities of the country
at this time As President, he would also
prove himself equal to the occasion. He is an
honest man, and able and far-seeing. He
thoroughly understands the ways of politi-
clans, and has supreme contempt for spoil
seekers and jobbers. He is not as aggressive
as Bristow, but he is as firm aud honest.
While the former would kick rascal out of
his presence, figuratively speaking, Hayes
would freeze him out. The result would be
about the same. Whether the kicking-pro-
cess or the freezing process should be adopted,
the government would be purged of corrup-
tionists, and reform would be inaugurated and
carried out with firm and unsparing hand.
No one need feel uneasy about Hayes in this
regaad. He knows fully what is required by
the people, and he will be careful not to dis
appoint the country. In this respect it will be
discovered, if Hayes should be elected Presi-
dent, that he is the opposite of weak man,
and that he knows enough to know precisely
what to do and the way to do it.-[Cin. Gaz.