The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-12-05

welfare of the colored people, the enact.
ment Of just and humane laws, and theiI
proper administration-everything, il
short, not specifically provided for in The
Constitutional Amendments, must now
be dependent upon the Southern Democ
rHCy. They are masters Of the situation
To them the President earnestly ap
peals' for the recognition Of the equality
they have Spnrned, ior the projection
which at present il mOckery, for thC
attainment Of objects which they fough
against when the Republican party was
power in the South, and which will hard
ly received their support now that theil
authority is absolute. This, then, ia the
'glOriona result this the 'salntary change;
this tile proof that the policy is not ~
experiment"
THE SUN SAYS:
"This Message Of the fraudulent Pres
ident Is Of very slight account. Itmake,
to Congress no new suggestion OF any
value, and it gives the country no ip
formation with which il was not familiar
Leave out It's Dragging over his policy o.
paciiCation, and over the things which
lie claims to have done, but with which
he had little or nothing to do-leave ouI
his financial vagarleS, his nenaCes against
Mexico, his Samoan project, and his
mauudering about educaLion-leave out
along with thee, his abstracts OF Depart
mental reports, and the space occupied
by the remainder will be small"
THE HERALD SAYS:
"Prestdent Hayes frst message to
Congress deserves more cOmmendation
for the general soundhess Of is positions
than for the strength otthe reasOnings or
the apt language. On the great ques-
tion relating to the currency and the pub,
lie credit, il is satisfactory, The Presi-
dent stands firmly by his sound Southern
policy, and he continues 10 pay TO Civil
Service reform the homage OF professions
which may mean little or much, but can
inspire no great confidence in view Of the
recent past. The President expends more
words on hia Southern pOliCy than the
occasion called for. 1t is beyond the
power Of Congress to overthrow or ar
rest. He needs no additional legislation
to enable him to carry it out. He
hna no specific recommendation to
make on the subject. In fact, he could
not possibly retreat from it II he were
ever 40 much inclined. When the
troops had once been Withdrawn he had
no authority to restore them, except on
call by the Democratic State Government,
which thereupon became established, and
non-inLerference having become an nc.
complished and irreyersible fact, there is
no occasion for defensive argument. Half
u dozen clear sentences, rcciting what he
had don't, asserting its Constitntionality,
aud pointing out its salulary effects 10
tranQuilizing the South, would have
been better than an argument which
looks TOO much like An apology. With
the admission OF the other Louisiana
Senator'S the Southern policy becomes an
utterly dead question, and the President
might safely have trusted to time for his
justification. Itwas needless for him to
argue in favor Of what il past recall, or
toinform Congress Of his frm adherence
10 a policy which neither he nor Congress
can change.
"His defense Of his Civil Service meas.
nre Is the weakest part Of his Message,
because he was under the necessity Of ex-
eCuting retreat. is not mastery
retreat. There il no alluslon 10 the ia
MONS order in which lie made his frat
to carry out his ideas of Civil
Service reform. 1t would have been
awkward Tor him TO have attem pted its
defense, after allowing it to he deliantly
trampled under loot wiLhimpunity in the
State Of New York, and after having
himself explained it away piecemeal,
until there was hardly n shred Of it left.
The total silence Of The Message with
reference to that remarkable order il a
tacit abandonment Of It, and an implied
that it was Il mistake. The
essence OF Civil Service reform, ~ he ex.
plainel it in hiA Message, consists in
exempting the President from the dicta-
tion OF Senator'S and members OF the
House in selecting his nominees. This
is matter completely within hiI own
controll that he need not,,argue as II his
right were questionable. In point Of fact,
it has never been seriously questioned.
When an important Office ia vacant, or
about to become vacant, there il usually
a multitude Of competing applicants, and
the greatest Of all the wearisome and
time consuming perplexities Of every
President il the necessity OF deciding
among 30 many hungry contestants. il
Senators and congressman could decide
Tor him he would escape constant care,
but he Is not At liberty to evade his duty
by nominating the iayorite candidates Of
Senators without inquiry. 1t Ia childish
Tor President Hayes to get DIP fictitious
issue ofthis sort for the purpose Of COW
ering his retreat Of his dlscredlted Civil
Service order. He has repeatedly recoc.
nized the value Of advice from Senators
and Congressman in making appoint.
menta. His nomination Of Fitz4lmmons
was in difference to the Georgia Senator's,
Nobody is likely to forget the invitation
to the Pennsylvania Congressman toseIecI
a Minister to England. Advice from
such quarters ia sometimes valuable, bui
no President, 40 far aS we have ever heard
his constitutional liberty Of
choice after taking such advice a. was
offered. A strong pressure Is always
brought 10 bear on the President in ap.
pointments 10 office, and II this pressure
ia usually stronger by Congressman, il i
merely because they are on the ground
and have better facilities OF access.
"On the great question Of the currency
which Is Just now the most important 81
all. President Hayes IL 30 correct in hi,
judgment and 80 decided In bis lancun nge
that the message will put the country
quite at ease on that subject. His sense
Of official decornm does not permit hin,
to suggest vstoes in advance, but ii Is en-,
tirely certain that he cannot, in consist,
ency with his declared opinions, sipu
either OF the two bills which have passed
the House. There has never been any
doubt as to what he would do with the
Bill for Repeating the Resumption Act
II It should pass the Senate; bat the favor
with which he was known to regard tho
demonstration Of silver caused more OF
lesa apprehension, Whatever iears may