The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-06


undsturbed harmony ard good feeling
reign at the polls. What scathiug rebuke
of the bloody shirt crusade this notorious
fact implies
Rutherford II. Hayes rs a Statesman.
During the three years that Mr.. HAYES
served in the House of Representatives, he
never rose above the dead level Of modi-
ocrity, or gave the least sign Of being any
thing more than an average partisan, who
cheerfully obeyed the orders OF THADDEUs
STEVENS, then the autocrat of that cham
Der; who never kicked in the traces; who
recorded his votes like regular. without
question; and who was regarded as re
liable Republican"
Asa public man this is all the record he
left behind him in Washington. He was In
Congress when the last gun of the civil
war was fred and for more than two
years after that event. yet his voice was
not heard in connection with any of the
measures of policy, nor was his position
such as to call him into the councils OF his
party. SCHENcK, LAWRENCE, SHELLABAR-
GER, ASHLEY, DELASo, BrSGHAM, SPALD-
ING, and GARFIELD were members OF the
Ohio delegation at the same time, and
completely overshadowed HAYES, as did
even Ben EGGLEsroN, his colleague from
Cincinnati.
Hence, in all the jobbery OF that time,
md the enormous subsidies and land grants
TO railroad rings and corporations, he
merely followed the lead of his superiors.
swallowed their prescriptions, and voted
straight through, without looking 10 the
right or to the left. In no instance did he
ever venture TO raise an objection, TO dis
rent from any proposition which bore the
party stamp, or to dispute the justice or
honesty of giving away the public domain
10 an organized band OF monopolists who
cared for nothing but their own interests,
md who VIGOROUSLY bought Their way
through Congress.
Mr.. HAYES could not have been ignorant
that these grants and subsidies were
corruptly procured; that his associates
were growing rich upon the spoils,
by interests in shoddy contracts dur
ing the war; and that he was in the
midst of legislative body where the ma
jority, to which he belonged, was venal
interruptions, and bent on individual
plumber. II he did not know these things,
he WAS an imbecle. II he did know them,
md remained silent, he is now UNIV oIthy
Of confidence.
While in Congress, Nj. HAYES made but
one speech on any subject. and that We
propose 10 reproduce, in order that the
country may see him ut his best, and I'M
ler-tand precisely what manner of man i
now seeking the first Office in its gift. He
was member Of the Committee on Privat,
Land Claims. In the closing hours Of the
Thirty-niuth Congress, bill reported from
that committee confirming to the heirs OF
JoHN \. BoULIGNY a sixth part of larg'
land claim in the State of Louisiana wa
passed Nine days after its passage
md at the beginning of the new Con
gress, Mr.. WAsHBURS Of Wisconsin of
fcred joint resolution in the House
directing the Secretary OF the Interior 4
suspend the execution of this same acl
saying by way OF explanation;
81 served on the Committee on Private Lam
Claims four Years and this is an old acqualn
nee nf mine. will sy TO the House It Nor
frIpd,dod ,ioim nus ncUer preecpted 10 the CO..
pi,ss ~ N. Lnded states, II gentlemen VIII OIL
Itad "a decision - tie supreme Court referred
70, they viii SEQ that II Is fraudulent clam
Inc Oil passed not merely stnctipns mes
a laim T. the amount 81 i5J0OJ acres, and othe
vi iips will be legalized which VIII require mil
lions ON Millions o. acres to satisfy them
After this attack by n leading Republi
ran, Of course the joint resolution pas,o'
without much show Of opposition. Nh
HAYES had passively favored the bll
which Mi. WAsHnURN thus denounced
and he now attempted to explain ava
his action in the following speech. whic
is the only one that attests his presence /
Congress, and which is not destined I
nescend TO posterity as model OF elo
guence, or an example Of "pure Englie
undehled;'
"Tho committee was called together 10 "o
BideT TINS matter during, thlnk, the last wet
OF the last session; the majority OF the con
Mite hid crdminfi me matter, and were read
40 report In favor OF the measure Two membe
of the committee, tho gentleman ifOm limo
th HAEERl aud myself, had no opportunity
TTdnu,eit; tue papers were very yuluninou-
the case Was one requiring good deal OF inye
tigatiuu and nay recollc, ton Is dlStinct III
the gentleman from Illinois. rs we'll as mNscl
declined at tuaJ time to take any part in Gcci
ing the cur. We had no Oppurtunity 10 mai
such oIdinlndfiOn IN was required to form an II
felllgent Judgment. bat u mdJOruy OF the con
mittee having efdmin'd the case the Chairmn
AS Understood, WAS authorized to report, as II
opinion OF the m jOrlty, that the measure ouRl
froh, IMnas. can't be found. ] Tecoiiect tn