The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-14
What the Germans Think of Mr.. Hayes

Our fellow citizens OF German origin do
not seem to be pleased with Mr.. RUrHER-
FORD b. HAYES as q candidate for Presi-
dent. Their view OF his character and
qualifications was well stated by Mr.. CARL
ScHURz in the address Issued by the recent
Fifth Avenue Conference, every word OF
which came from his pen. The passage Of
this address which especially refers to Mr..
HAYES ana which Mr.. ScnURz told his as.
sociatcs on the committee was specially
intended to describe HAYES, is in the fol-
lowing language:
I'VE shall support no candidate who, how
ever f,vOraUly judged by his nearest friends, Is
not publicly known to possess those qualities OF
mind aud character which the stern task OF
genuine reform requires. In one word,
at present no candid tie should be held entitled
to the support OF patriotic cit zens oil whom the
question may fairly be asked, is he really the
Of the GovernmentT Passive virtue in
the highest place has too often been known TO
man to be Entrusted with the Presidency this
year must have deserved not only the confidence
of honest men, but also the fear and hatred OF
the thieves"
This agrees perfectly with the opinion
OF HAYES expressed by the Hon. JOSEPH
PULITZER Of St. Louis, in q letter from
Europe, published in the st. Louis Times:
HAYES nomination means no change, but
rather n continuation of the present Republican
party In power, with It's present tendencies.
HAYES means the status quo, and neither change
nor reform, but possibly even greater rascality
than GRANT has fastened upon the country.
There Is no reform possible without a President
OF great will and great ability. HAYES certainly
has neither, however respectfully he may have
demeaned himself as the Governor OF a State.
His history while IN Congress proves this. lie
was a cipher there, even when VI was certainly
easy to m AXE reputation II one had any ABILITY
r..
would he be IA PresidentY In any period, no
you well know, a President Is after all nr.t the
representative Of his party. lie may be simply
an agent, follower Of leaders or the leader Of
that party. Judge, then, his future by his past,
and II 10 clear that he Is not capable OF being a
leader; and as President he never would be any
thing else than the agent. the ONCE discussing
aud patronage-dispensih2a agent otthe men WHO
controlled us nomination ahd tue party when
elected hun, doing exactly whichever thu leaders
required OF MIN. CoNkLiNG. CAMERON, LOGAN,
BLAINE MORTON, and at least "A hundreI other
Republican COngressmen, are his suuerOrs In
intellect, capacity, and possibly many of them
| In character. As well misht We talk Of "A Nv
leading AN elephant. | cOu.i Ter him "A piece Of
lucky mediocri y, and while l know tuat me-
dlocrty often succeeds nuch better than merit,
| do not cOnfOund the two. His mediocfity
must haye secured nim his nomination. Ger
tainly, the man VINO Is not lifted to be nationally
prominent IN his rty, lis still less nt To he Pres
ident, although III to be the successor OF such a
man as GRANT. | grow indignant when | think
that such III IA may possibly he elected Presi-
dent, especially ai,er the eight years misrule
which GRANT has gwen Us, aud the pass to wnidn
ne mas brought Tue country politically, material
| ~, and morally
Perhaps, in the course of the canvass,
Mr.. SCHURz will explain more completely
than he has yet done, how, after first con-
| Guiding that HAYES was not ut for Presi-
dent, he finally came TO the conclusion TO
support this identical HAYES. 1t is not of
much consequence, however, what Mr..
| SCHURz may say hereafter on HAYES per-
| sonal qualifications. The portrait drawn
| of him in the above extract is too true and
too striking to be effaced for any artistic
1attery which its author may now wish to
| substitute fer IL.