The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1876-11-02


haps to try TO see ourselves as we wouIC
see others, and as Others must see us. A
practical men, priding ourselves ON on
capacity for sclI-goycrnmcnt, what wouIC
we Americans say if we saw, for instance
the liberal party Of England ON detca
Of the Disracli minister'and n dissolution
of parliament, select rs their candidate
for premier not Gladstone, not Foster
not any well known or experienced
leader, but some unknown, untried lore
lieutenant Of Canada, who had been {
colonel in the Sepoy insurrection, and {
silent member during one short parlia
mcnt? In the days of Washington an,
Jefferson and Madison we should hay,
smiled, not without just pride, and re
marked that republicans though We
were, we at least did not make II farce o
our government. Yet this is exactly
what was done by the republican party
In the case of Governor Hayes, OF thai
gentleman all that is known is from hi
credit; he seems to have been gallant
and meritori0us officer during the war
a faithful though uninhuentiaI member
of congress after is close; and more re-
Gently respectable, though not brilliant
governor o! Ohio. Since his nomination
the verdict OF those most intimately nc.
Quainted with him has been decidedly in
his favor and they have Joined in warmly
recommending him for the presidency,
All this, however, i'll supplies the place
Of public service. To fill the Iprcoidcn-
tial chair with success man must have
great deal more than those good pur.
poses, fair talents, and high character
which serve to make him locally respec-
table. cmust have Judgment iirmncss,
insight, and, above all, experience in a
much more than ordinary degree and
that he has these is only shown by trial.
Even the most enthusiastic supporters OF
Mr. Hayes can hardly, as yet, claim that
his election would be anything more
than political experiment. 1t is diff
cult, therefore, to see why Governor
Hayes does not fall within that class of
who were so well pictured in
the address adopted by the Filth Avenue
hotel conference, as candidates whom in
dependent voters could not support
men "who, however favorahly Judged
by their nearest friends are not publicly
known to possess those qualities OF mind
and character which the stern task of
genuine reform requires; for the Amcrj-
can people can not afford To risk the
future OF The republic in experiments ON
merely supposed yirturc or nmorcd
ability TO he trusted on the strength Of
private recommendations.
TRIED MEN AND TRUE.
The democrats, ON the other hand -,
whatever may he thought of the men,
unQuestionably have put in nomination
candidates both Of whom were among
their most prominent party leaders
men with whom and whose record the
whole country was thoroughly familiar.
That on certain essential issues, and
especially that OF the currency, these
two leaders were at variance, is inds-
putabIc, but this merely proved that
.hcy were party leaders, and all who
considered such variance a good ground
or refusing to support the ticket had
uIl notice Of the fact and could shape
.hcir course accordingly. Good or bad,
he candidates were tired men, and the
whole country knew how to measure
hem; the appeal was to facts, not to
ancy; to the record, not the imagination
And this is the only sound practice. In
% far, therefore, the democratic party
las in this campaign approached much
more nearly than its opponents to cor
rect usage its record may be bad other
wise but it has at least nominated the
most distinguished rctormcrs it its ranks
A thorough and correct appreciation
If circumstances and an accurate adj
iustmcnt of means to end IS generally
looked upon as first essential to human
success. Don QuiXotc performed, per
haps. u very gallant feat Of arms when he
ran a tilt with the windmill; but he
came out Of the tournament badly
damaged none the less. 1t is surely to
be supposed that Governor Hayes apprc-
ciatps the fact that, if he is elected prcsl-
dent of the United States his power as
such will be limited, and his administra,
ton can be saved from IamentabIe and
utter failure only through the hearty
and united support of some organized
party. No president in this country can
carry on an administration to suit him
,elfon sentimental or guerrilla or lohmac-
lite principles. He has got to have a
party behind him, or fall Not only
this. Common sense, as well rs political
usage and party courtesy, always dictates
TO the president elect who are to be his
confidential advisers and whom he can
look to for effective support. These arc,
in the first place, his unsuccessful com
pctitOrs in the nominating convention; 4;
and, in the second place, those who
brought about this nomination and sub
seoucnt election. Not only docs this
usage exist III our political system, but
it is a sound one. Through it alone can
responsible, in place of personal, admin
istration be secured. President Grant,
looking upon his cabinet as a sort OF
civil SldU, lHlOItu t'' h'''S'' l''N'i'ts W
his heads OF departments rs he met men
he fancied in the cans, at dinner tables,
or in the club-rOoms; and the result be-
came known as "Grantism.' Lincoln
always recognized it, and it saved his
In the early day Of the
republic no president thought Of dis
regarding it. In the case of Governor
Haves, who are the advisers thus deaig-
mated TO him in advance? His chief
competitor in the convention was Mr..
Blaine; his rivals who secured his nomin-
alton over Secretary BristOw were MeSsrs.
Morton and Conkling. Senator Sher,
man. from Ohio, first named him prOmi-
nentlva asa candidate; Secretary Cameron
manipulated the Pennsylvania delega'
tion IN his favor at the decisive moment
and Secretary Chandler is the head ot
the national executive committee which
is organizing the campaign for his clcc
tion. Under these circumstances how i
President Hayes to form Il cabinet il
sympathy with his views as respects tn,
civil service?
THE OPPOSITION RECORD SOUND.
II is usually argued that il will not IN
s1fe totruSt the cdemOcraticpa in office