Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-07-07
The Kind OF Man Gov. Hayes Is.

The New York Nation, which at
first was disposed to sheer at Gov.
Hayes as second-rate man and can
didate, gives conspicuous place to
the following extract from private
letter which the editor has received
from "a friend of MIR. Hayes, in
whose judgment we have great con-
fdence."
I have known Hayes for more
than twenty years. l believe l know
all about his work and his way of do
ing it, his opinions and how he came
by them, and where they lead him.
As everybody criticises his friends, /
have made an estimate of his knowl-
edge and abilities.
In tho first place, he is not "self-
made man," but was regularly edu-
Gated, as the phrase goes, in this
country. He never had to get over
any objection to learning, and has
not picked up his notions of finance
and the rest of political economy by
observing the crops from the win
dows of rail-car like Boutwell,
He believes in history and expert.
ence, and does not, like Morton,
hold that old principles are inappli-
cable to new countries. He believes
in study, and for more than thirty
years has studied public affairs about
as carefully and quite as intelligently
as the men who were carrying them
on. In a word, he is not new man
in national politics, if people mean
by "ncw" to imply that a man lacks
familiarity with the subject. TO il
lustrate what l mean: he knows
every bit as much about our true
politics mot about running party
as Mr.. Blaine OF Mr.. Morton, and his
opinion is worth twice as much as
either of them. AS to one of them,
1 think I put it very mildly. l
should have supported Mr.: Bristow
most cordially, but, knowing both
men well, l have to say that Hayes
is in every respect his equal. He is
certainly Bristow's equal intellectual
ly, and has much lar ger knowledge
and more experience.
He is not magnetic" man; he is
not audacious; he is not a "leader;;
he does not impress one as q great
force, and all that But when he has
duty to perform he first proceeds to
throw aside all nonsense, and, with a
peculiar slngleness and simplicity
sees just what the matter is. After
that the devil can'tscare him. Inever
knew man who listened with a
franker willingness to learn, and l
have known very few men who were
so sure to end with an opinion OF
their own which nothing could shake.
1 observe that the little people OF the
Herald and World speak of him as
a ''colorless' candidate. Well, his
color is not loud; but what they
actually mean is nonsense. They
had better encounter him some time
when he has duty to perform, and
try to turn him aside, and then tell
us whether he has color. l have
seen him tried, and noticed that his
color was a good deal like steel.
Undoubtedly, he is party man.
1t would take much more to drive
him from the Republican party than
would suffice for Schurz; for he holds
that the party is something else than
its leaders, and that it can learn.-
But my private talks with him make
me feel sure that he is not, in the
least degree partisan. He is loyal
to the Republican party simply be-
cause it means something, not be-
cause it is his party.
I need say nothing about his hon
esty; you've seen that mentioned in
every paper that names him, though
perhaps l might mention that he is
Just absolute integrity. My main
purpose was to speak of his capabili-
ties, since that must be the chief
point of curiosity just now. For
whatever it is worth, my clear con-
viction is that he is Q very able man,
very thoroughly informed, ola good
deal of culture. Of rare soundness OF
Judgment, and of courageous high
character.