The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-26

President Hayes has an opportunity 10
remove finally from our political geography
one of its oldest and most troublesome land
marks. We have had "South" ever since
| we have had q government. There have
been numerous statesmen who protested to
s.know no North, no South, no East or
West !" but if Mr.. Hayes is the man the best
part of the country anxiously hopes him to
be he will be remembered in our history as
, the President who caused the political
.'South" to disappear finally and utterly.
Parties based on geographical lines are the
potent weapons of demagogues; instruments
which in their hands have for many years
served to bury the real issues, to embarrass
the real interests Of the country and to
make the people of the different sections
suspicious of each other and ready to sacri-
fee their own interests because OF such sus-
picions. The politics of the country, how
ever, have never before been in O condition
when even the wisest management OF
statesmen was able to eliminate sectional
ism from the political issues and contests.
We have at last come to period and condi-
ton Of things when it requires really but
moderate degree of wisdom to accomplish
this end. The spirit of the country. and
especially of the Southern States. is ripe for
such change Mr.. Hayes will enter on the
Presidential Office in very peculiar manner,
bound to heal up the old wounds; to create
harmony between the sections; to be
an bipartisan President The manner
in which he was chosen, the extremely mar
row majority which is claimed for him even
by the most jealous republicans, admonish
him, if he needs the admonition, that he is
not the President of party. but of the
whole people. In fact, all the circumstances
attending his elevation place him necessarily
above the control of party influences and
lead the country to expect of him in an un-
common degree independence of party
trammels or traditions. He comes into his
great Office as much through the patriotic
moderation of the democrats, and nota-
ably Of the Southern democrats, as by
the action of his supporters. 1t can be
fairly said that no President in recent
years-no President perhaps, since Wash
ington-has entered on the Office so little
bound to party, so greatly and solemnly
bound to take into his judgment and his
confidence the whole country.
Fortunately, the course Of events since
last November has prepared the way and the
mind of the country for such harmony of
political interests as we have in mind when
we propose the disappearance OF the ''polit-
ical South" After canvass Of unprece-
denied ferocity came disputed election,
rousing party feeling to the EXTREMIST pitch
and threatening the country with civil
war. The greatest wisdom, patience and
moderation have been required to save
us from so terrible o calamity, and the coun-
try has seen, with surprised admiration,
that in this grave emergency the Southern
democrats in Congress have been foremost
and conspicuous for their patriotism, their
wise and statesmanlike moderation and de-
| sire for O peaceable solution. They had
very much at stake, for in two OF their
States misrule had reached height which
was no longer endurable, and they were
assured of remedy at Mr.. Tilden's hands.
and might readily have been excused if.
under the circumstances, they had remained
auiescent and allowed the Northern men to
settle the dispute, even by arms. But they
planted themselves firmly on the side of
peace Lamar, Ben Hill, Gordon, Hampton,
Nichols, Randall Gibson, Hancock, all the
Southern leaders, declared for peaceable
solution supported every measure looking
to this end, discountenanced the counsels
of rash and violent men, and are to-day OPP
posing the attempt Of mischief makers to
delay the electoral count and plunge the
country into confusion.
Recent events have in fact brought the
South and the North face to face, and shown
us Of the North that we may and ought te
trust these Southern men that they are
sincerely patriotic and eminently wise and
statesmanlike, We speak here what j.
openly said everywhere in the North; and
we believe President Hayes will find no &C
of his SO surely and universally popular, 81
readily approved by oil, except perhaps b.
self-seeking politicians, as frank, cordia
acknowledgment by him of this sentimen
of new born regard for and confidence il
the patriotism and craftsmanship Of South
ern men-men who now call themselve
democrats, but who have shown themselve
to possess spirit far above party.
: We do not know whether President Haye
means to ask any of the Southern leaders t
take office in his Cabinet We should sur
pose he would; but we can imagine sue
men replying to him that they prefer t
wait-to give him fair and independer
support until his policy has become know
to their people; and we should conside
such On answer wise. But we think hill
bound as the very first step in his admins
tration to settle the condition of South Care
lima and Louisiana; and, fortunately, the wa
is clear for him there. He has only to g.