Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-04-27

Louisiana Democrats, who, profting by
the lesson taught by Wade Hampton in
South Carolina, refuse aught beyond the
baldcst generalities as pledges of the
good faith which the President, for his
own justification, has sought to cultivate.
As still another illustration of the same
fact, the Democratic discussions relating
to the organization of the House of Rep.
rcsentativcs may be cited. Our Demo.
cratic neighbors have so little confidence
in the devotedness of the Southern sec
ton of their party that they are con.
stantly discoursing Of the immortality of
any arrangement, or any loosening of
partisan ties, which tends to counteract
the Vaccinations of the extreme faction
whose willingness TO create mischief was
demonstrated last session.
The supposition that Wade Hampton's
| flagrant violation of his pledges to the
President is the result of pressure
brought to bear upon him by exacting
members of his own party is not unrea.
sonable. 1t does not in the slightest
degree lessen the culpability of the man
whom Mr. Hayes policy has made Gov.
ernor of Republican State, but 1t
throws some light upon the difficulties
which fairmindcd Democrats may ex
pect to encounter within their own
party, and upon the ineXpediency of re.
! lying too much upon promises which
may be interpreted Jesuitically by those
who make them. Mr.. Nichols probably
realizes as well as Mr.. Hampton the need
which the President has of some under
standing which shall, as far as may be,
secure the ends of justice and law, and
at the same time mitigate the opposition
which he will assuredly encounter from
extreme Republicans. The resolutions
adopted the other day by the Nichols
Legislature were in keeping with this in
depreciation of Mr.. Nichols personal
position. They were, as resolutions, all
that could be desired. The misfortune
is that they are only words, and that the
forces within the party which spurn the
idea of compromise, and refuse to be
parties to any proceeding not wholly in
their interest, may in Louisiana, as in
South Carolina, prove too strong for the
conciiatory element. Something of this
unyiclding temper no doubt proceeds
! from the conviction-the well-grounded
conviction, we admit that, the Presi
dents purpose to withdraw the troops
being fixed, concessions would be super
flous. This explanation, however, does
not improve the position Of the Southern
Democrats. If they will have only the
terms which they prescribe for them
selves because the President has no
power TO exact others, and because the
! application of his known ideas of consti-
| tutional duty insures to them all they
want without any terms whatever, their
shrewdness will not be called in uues-
tion, but the genuineness of their con-
cilatory professions will certainly be
open to doubt.
| 1t is noticeable, moreover, that the
effect upon the Northorn Democracy of
the concessions made by the Administra-
tion is to engender fresh and larger de-
mands. Wade Hampton asked only for
the withdrawal of the troops. Recall
them" he said in substance, and we
shall be content for ali else the quiet
| operation of the law will be sufficient" I"
Mr.. Nichols Graves no more in Louisiana.
That effected, he declares, other matters
will adjust themselves. The Northern
Democrats, however, have discovered
that this action of the President, conclu-
sive as it is with reference to pending
lSputCo III IuC IWO DIdJSSj Is DuJ u Sllull
part of the change which the South may
properly demand. The World of yester-
day contends that the Southern States are
entitled to require, not simply the with
drawal of the troops, but the total repeal
of all Federal legislation designed to
carry out the constitutional amendments.
| These laws are of the essence of the re-
construction policy; they are equitable,
and are essential, in certain circum-
stances, to the due operation of the
amendments resulting from the war.
Nevertheless, says the World, "those
laws must be repealed, or made a dead
letter." before self-government can be
fully restored to the South, whose repre-
sentatives are, in effect, told that for the
attainment of this object the Northern
Democrats will render them all possible
help. We now know, therefore, what
the Democratic policy in regard to the
South really is. The amendments may
stand, but the legislation which imparts
to them much of their practical useful
ness must be annulled. Cancellation will
be an almost hopeless task if views like
these reflect the spirit and aims of the
Democratic party, North and South
n. Y. Times.