National Republican., 1877-11-13
The Game Of Giye-Away.

Since the surrender ut Appomatox t. the
game of give-away," under an adjustment
OF our domestic troubles, has been practiccd
on the part Of our Government to an extent
the most gracious and generous that is
known in history. Indeed, but little is left
to remind us that the North achieved any
triumph over the insurgents in that dread
ful war which cost us hundreds of thousands
Of precious lives and hundreds of millions
and un,ty-and that little is being rapidly
given away" The giving away of the lcgiti-
mate fruits Of conquered peace did not
begin with President HAYES, though it is
not improbable that they will have all dis
appeared before the close Of his term.
The game of give-away began when the
m lster spirits of the rebellion were per-
mitted to 60 unpnnished for thc:r crime,
under an admission virtually made on the
part Of this Government that the crime of
treason, rs alluded TO in the Constitution OF
the United States, has no existence in the
E,ct Of open, armed rebellion against the in
tcgrity of the Union. In other words, the
term treason has no meaning in the cata-
1Oguc Of crimes, and is of less consequence
among the ollenscs against the welfare of
society than trivial act Of personal as
sault and battery. JEFFERSON DAVIS was
arrested, held in prison for u season, and
then let loose again without punishment,
while if he had committed an assault and
battery upon Gn individual instead of n ma
ton he would have paid the penalty of his
of, nsc.
Then followed amnesty after amnesty,
until II vuSt army Of insurgents We're fully
rsstoecd 10 citizenship and began TO minglc
in pulitiril Affairs. In 1870 the freedman
was made u citizvn and clothed with the
right oi suffrage. This was too much for
thc former Slul lr-huldcs, rebel and rriuvC- =
mated cijiHcNs, and that class began to ron-
sprc tor the suppression Of the rolnIrd vote
Scryl combinations OF armed and disguised
mcn were fo'nrd for thcpurpovcs Of in,imi.
daii0n md asst l-,nrtiOn, and the South was
Eidvd by thrsr organizations until il he
ca'nr fearful thing 10 n knowledge ones
E!i 'jrt'l"r white or back, m active vot-
~ b. ,NplH'tu ih "iIl Ol lHt liIlt lllSulfStnl
Sl,t,s.
Thar, step by step, the cause Of Rcpub-
lclUism Which saved ;hc nation from lis
Errot p,rl, has been pushed to the wall
und'. = mistaken cirmcncy and misplaced
coI''lrnH down to the last Presidential
election. We don care to review very
m .Ht,,S the history Of that contest, either
in it, Programme or its results, for there i.
no'h.ug therein to tltttrr or even encourage
the honnn Of any S.nCcre Republican that
ultia.drc good is to hrihll the country among
its cnn1cqucnccS. There WIS much in that
contest to shock those who believe
that our elections should he con.
Quoted honestly and justly, and who
respect the right of suffrage ~ among the
most sacred in citizenship. The South wus
full of Outrngcs the most diab0lical, to pre-
vent colorcd and even white citizens from
voting. until the results Of the contest wert
narrowed do yn to three States Of the South
The loss OF either of which to Mr.. llAYEs
would have made TI.DEN President. Thcl
came u modern improvement in the ma
shinery OF 0urnttionll elections. The Flee
t0rll Commission wls introduced anC
legally invented as an agent for dCcidns
thc Presidential question. The election
oil Mr., HAYES followed under an arrange
meut, no d0ulh, between certain higl
contracting parties OF Ohio, and other
oil the southern States, and under term
that could only be fulfilled by the with
drtwal Of the troops from Louisiana ant
South Carolina, and the exchange of tw,
Republican governors for u President who
had been elected rs Republican. II
other words, the South consented to ar
Electoral Commission that should coun
Mr.. HAYES in, under the expectation that
he would, after his Inauguration 10 power
remove the obstacles that stood in tn,
way OF NICHOLS and HAMProNs becoming
Governors of their respective States, Thcso
soo-equcnces followed one after the othcI
sSs.dity, and at the expense Of favorable
yaASi< opinion rs to the Presidents hones