Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-08-31
Whose Fault Was It2

One of the resolutions adopted by the
Maine Republican Convention was infer
entially unfair, because it was manifest
ly intended to prejudice the public
against the present Administration by
making it responsible for a condition OF
things that existed before President
Hayes Inauguration. We refer to the
resolution in which the Maine Republic.
ans deprecate the complete consolida.
ton of all political power in sixteen
Southern States in the hands of those
who precipitated the rebellion, while the
Union men are prosecuted into silence
or banishment, and the entire colored
race are practically disfranchised by
force or fear" This is the language of
the resolution. 1t is unjust in the i'm.
| preston it was meant to convey for two
reasons, viz: ~ Because the actual
condition of the South at the present time
does not warrant the assertion contained
in the closing part; and (2) because the
actual condition of the South, as ex.
pressed in the first part of the resolution,
cannot be attributed in any way to the
influence or conduct of President HAYES.
If the condition at the South is as de-
plorable as the Maine Republicans pro-
fess to believe, then who is responsible
for it? Certainly not President Hayes,
for fifteen of the Southern States had
passed into the hands of the Democrats
before he was lnaugurated. Most of the
Southern States were clearly lost to the
Republicans during President Grants
two terms and before President Hayes
had even been mentioned as a candidate.
a nfo IL. r
some of them by fair voting, some by
fraudulent voting, some by intimidation
and violence-but none of them, or at
least only one, by the action of President
Hayes. Maryland, Delaware and Ken
lucky have been Democratic so long that
there can be no question about them.
During President Grants first term Vir-
ginia, Tennessee, West Virginia, Mis-.
souri, and Georgia, and during his second
term Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, Missis-
sippi, Florida and South Carolina, we're
acquired by the Democrats. These are
all of the sixteen except Louisiana, and
there President Hayes found dispute,
with two claimants and the Democrats
in actual possession of nine-tenths of the
State. In Florida and South Carolina
the Republican candidates for Governor
had run behind the Republican Electoral
tickets, and the Supreme Court in each
State had seated the Democratic con-
testant. In Louisiana alone there was
still show of contest, and the basis of
a reasonable claim in the action of the
Returning Board; the dispute was settled
by consolidating the Legislatures with a
Democratic majority and seating the
Democratic candidate, not by the direct
Intervention of the President, but owing
to his refusal to sustain the Republican
claimant with the United States troops.
During all the time that these South
ern States were permitted to go over to
the Democrats, when the "Union men
were prosecuted into silence or Danish
ment," and the blacks practically dis.
franchised by force and fear" Gen. Grant
was President, and Messrs. Blaine, Cam
eron, Butler and Chandler his principal
advisers. During all that time the Pres
ident had full control of the army, and
was not threatened with a withdrawal of
supplies. During most of the time he
had Congress with him by large ma
jority in both houses. Then why was
this condition of things permitted to
grow? Why was not the army used to
some advantage in protecting political
rights9 Why was it that Louisiana and
South Carolina were turned over to HAYES
in an inchoate shape, when Grant might
have recognized the Republican claim
ants any time between November and
March, If the position taken by the Re-
publicans of Maine be correct, then their
chief politician must share the response
bility for it with others of his class, but
none of it can be fairly laid at the door
of President Hayes.-OAicagO Tribune.