The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-11-30

6.
| they forget that he had no agency in Their
! Inauguration. They were Indispensable at
the time: they were the only remedies APP
plicable to political ailments never contem-
plated by the fathers. In administering the
law under this new dispensation President
Grant has tempered justice with forbearance
and leniency. Those who know his views
and feelings know that it has been the most
earnest and anxious desire both of his head
aud heart to raise an, to encourage, to aid
and promote the dilapldated condition and
interests of the Southern people. It has
been with him Il cherished and fayorite poll
cy to obliterate the unpleasant and disturb
ing recolec.ions Of sectional strife, to culti-
yate feelings of fraternity and kindness, and
to restore hopefulness. contentment and
prosperity among that misguided and TN
fortunate people. They may doubt and
deny what is here said, but it is as true as
subject on which the people Of the South
have expressed more discontent, or Which
they have acclaimed more loudly OF their
being sighted and condemned, than that SO
small portion Of the high honors and OFF,
ces of the Government is bestowed on South
ern men; and for this they denounce Presi-
dent Grant as being insensible Of their des-
erts and proscriptive in his feelings toward
them.
One moments dL,passionate reflection
would convince them how unreasonable this
objection Is Can they expect the President
to appoint to high offices, involving. as many
of them do, confidential relations, men who
are his bitter enemies and the rcyilers Of his
good names Why no President, not even
Washington, ever did that; and when the
margin from which he is left to select is so
narucw, owing to the almost universal oppo-
sitiort to the Government, is it to be Won
dered at that the best talent and character
in the South is self-excluded from the hon.
crs OF public station? Is it a wonder that
froms the necessity Of the case unworthy
friends OF the Administration sometimes get
power and position? Does not the accept
ance Of office and the performance Of public
service under Republican administration
subject q Southern man to obloquy and ostra-
cism5 in his own land? It would have been
the pride of General Grants heart to have
retiEel from power with all sectional strife
allaycd, with that Union which it has been
his high mission to save cemented in bonds
of enduring fraternity, with the affection
and esteem ofthe Southern people. prosper
Gus and happy-but they would nos have it
Is.
President Grant shas been censnred and
denounced by the people Of the South, and,
strange to say, by portion Of the people OF
the North among them a certain element
protesting to call itself Republican
in the discharge Of an unwelcome and UNI
pleasant duty, he ordered q portion of the
military force OF that section to preserve
peace and order where the public safety has
been endangered and the regular execution
Of the laws threatened with violent resist
ance. Does any man believe that he ever
has, in single instance done this OF his own
mere volition and from . personal desire to
interfere in distant loealities? Does not
his whole life give the lie to such a
charge? Can any fair-minded man doubt he
has always done so with reluctance and mis-
giving? When and where did he ever exhibit
a fondness for fomcnting strife or for the
shedding Of blood? 1t is well known that
du;ing the war nc was ..outspoken (reticent
as he usually isl in his anxious desire for
peace, although victories were continually
adding laurels TO his brow. 1t is well-known
that in lS74-75 he positively refused to send
troops to Arkansas and Mississippi, although
urgently requested to do 50. Considering
the distracted, feverish and contentious feel
ing that prevailed, and the breads, alarms,
threats, and outrages that prevail in almost
every portion Of the South, can any one
doubt for moment if General Grant was
fond of exercising power and of substituting
military for civil authority, that he could
easily have found preteSts fora constant mil
itry occupation of the entire South? Presi-
dent Grant has acted upon y uniform and
answering principle-neyer to respond to
call for military interference except when
he feels compelled to do so by his Inaugural
ton oath. Many men seem to forget that in
his oath of Office he sworc he would support
the Constitution. That Constitution explic-
lilly declares that when the Governor OF
aid to enable him to execute the laws when
resisted by insurrection against the constitu-
ted authority, or to suppress domestic vio-
lence where he is unable to curb it, the Pres
ident must, il necessary, go to his relief. =
The plain language Of this simple provision
of the Constitution is the strongest answer
to all the bubbles and refinements and tech
meal dispositions that ingenuity can resort
to in arguing against what is flippantly
termed ''thc rule Of the bayonet." Ie is an
extreme medicines, admit; but it was pre-
scribed by the fathers in extreme casse. When
called upon in such cases the President cam
INV HiIuiC NiOUliSt eilC etC ~ teNtc OCtSiAOi
making the call was rightfuly and fairly
elected. Neither can he stop to institute an
inquiry and investigation whether there real
ly is domestic violence to the laws, requiring
interposition by him. He cannot go behind
the application of the Governor Tit be right
fully and regularly made. Such emergen-
cies don't admit Of the delay of investiga
ton. Moreover, snch inquiry by the Presi-
dent would be to substitute his judgment and
discretion for mere ministerial compliance
in the discharge Of a duty. Discretionary
powers depending on more human judgment
are those which lead most directly to despo-
tism. In the suppression Of local outbreak
or disturbance the President is not expected
to lead the troops in person. For any in
discretion on the part OF those in command he
ought not to be eensured. These mshaps nee
cssarily appertain to the imperfection of all
human affairs. When it is borne in mind
that the whole tenor Of General Grants life
shows such an indisposition to the use of ar