Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-10-25
HEDGING on HAYES.

awaiting trlal NJ Maucn Snunk.
HEDGING on IA YES.
THE NEW YORK nERALDs PICTURE OF
THE RAILROAD CANDIDATE.
So far as we are able to Judge fom
bis record Mr.. Hayes is man some
parts of whose conduct may be APP
proved, while no part Of it can be nd.
mred. We look upon him as a med.
ocre, wcll-intentioned gentleman, who
has been lifted by the accidents of pol.
itics to position to which he had no
title founded on personal qualifications.
lie has none of the elements of great
and commanding character; neither
the breath of intellect, the force of
will nor the ascendancy over other
men with which nature stamps man
born for leadership. He is immeasur-
ably inferior to Morton, Blaine, Conl-
ling and half dozen other Republi-
cans that might be named in the quail
tiles which fit man for influence over
other minds and make him felt as a
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 eminent as SOL
dicr, he made no figure in Congress as
legislator and there are probably few
counties in Ohio which could not fur
nish rs useful Governor We have
nothing to say against the services
rendered in public stations by we'll
meaning mcdiocrity, but we are una
bic TO see that n small man is rendered
great or admirable by nomination
Tor the Presidency.
Our correspondent maintains that
Mr. Hayes, if elected, will free himself
from party trammcls and exercise a
noble independence, guided only by
justice. We wish we could believe SC, but
we are unable to find anything in Mr..
Hayes career to warrant so pleasing
an expectation. During the three
years he was in Congress he was obcd-
lent to party behests as the mob OF
ordinary members. That was the
period of enormous land grabs for rail-
roads, 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
even this lame excuse can be pleaded,
for Mr. Elihu B. Washburne, our Min
lister to France, was then in the House,
and distinguished himself by bold
and vigorous opposition to those
wasteful, swindling grants Of the pub.
lie lands. Unfortunately for the claim
Of independence which is set up for
Mr.. Hayes, he never voted on such
occasions with Mr. Washburne, but
always with the majority of his.party.
Our correspondent seeks materials of
eulogy in Mr.. Hayes action as Gov
ernor OF Ohio, but he fails to adduce
single instance in which Governor
Hayes has acted in oppositiontohis
party.
Our correspondent asserts that on
the Southern question the managers of
the Republican canvass "audaciously
misrcprcsent their candidate" We are
told, with great emphasis, that Gov
ernor Hayes deprccates the waving of
the "bloody shirt" and "ioes not be-
licve in q new stirring up of supicicn,
hatred and strife" Conceding that
these are the real sentiments of Mr.. |
Hayes, they only prove what cipher
he is in the politics of his own party.
The Republican stump speakers and
party organs, one and all, are waging
the campaign on the Southern issue,
which, we are assured, Governor Hayes
so strongly disapproves. Such con-
disregard of the wishes of
their candidate proves that they con
slider him a weak mana mere figure
head in their canvass. IL shows that
he has no neral or political influence
among his supporters. If he has none
now how can he be expected to exert
any after his election? Among the
able men of his party he cannot find
The materials of a Cabinet which will
ndorc his own views, for all the able
men of his party, including even
George William Curtis, are industrious.
y waving the bloody shirt, and trying
o make the campaign turn on that
ssue. Can Mr.. Hayes administer the
government without Cabinets 2 Is he
'trong enough to override all the able
ncn of his party? II the Republicans
'lect the President, they will also elect
he next House, and Congress will
bass a new enforcement law to take
,lacc Of that which has been annullcd
" the Supreme Court. Docs anybody
'elievc that Mr.. Hayes would veto
uch bill ? Would man of his mod.
rate talents and pcace-lovlng disposi.
ion venture to play the party Of An.
rev johnson, and court Andrew
ohnson's fate? Our correspondent
nay believe it, but we do not.
Morton has retired to the Pacific
lope where he can contemplate the
eturns Of the Indiana election at his
sisuro Like Brown Of Calavcras tho
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