The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-03-24
:
THE SITUATION.

While we have regretted aS KeenAJ Do
our fellow citizens generally, the delay
In the final disposition OF the little band
of insurrectionists which must be incl
dent to the visitation Of q new commits
sion, we have felt no disposition to Judge
the action of the President in the mat
ter very harshly. Subjected for eight
weary years to constant receptions and
disappointments, our people have nat
urally grown morbidly suspicious OF
the Federal power; and when the new
Southern policy" which was expected to
break upon us like revelation OF peace,
was inaugurated by resolution OF the
President and Cabinet to send q commits
sion here, an apprehension seized the
public mind that the Administration
had abandoned ''the policy" and gone
over to Morton, Blaine and Packard. or
that the President. taking advantage OF
our supposed helplessness and DEEPEN
! dence upon the mercy OF the general
government, proposed to exact from us
degrading and humiliating concessions
in consideration Of the recognition Oh
Gov. Nichols.
We have participated to but limited
extent In these apprehensions. Inc
legal government Of the State, indeed,
has appeared to us 80 firmly rooted, 80
fully established. organized and recog-
nized by the masses Of the people, that
it seemed impossible to overthrow 1t
without provoking terrible civil con-
vulsion, and we could not believe that
Mr., Hayes was 80 deficient in wisdom
as to provoke such an issue for the pur-
pose of maintaining the miserable aud
disgusting remnant Of carpet-baggery
which holds It's last lodgment IN this
State.
That we have been treated to the APP
pointment of commission to visit New
Orleans, instead Of a prompt order for
tho withdrawal of the troops, Is certainly
to be deplored, since 1t prolongs sit
uation disastrous to business and indus
try. But let us not yet denounce
President Ha-es as recreant to the
noble sentiments of his inaugural and
the pledges of his nearest friends, nor
assume that we are to be required by
this commission to purchase exemp-
ton from Federal interference by de-
grading and ruinous compromise. The
Southern policy which Mr.. Hayes has
promised the country Is great and
wise policy, but 1t Is in direct antago-
nism to the anteceuents, traditions and
policies Of Mr.. Hayes party, covering
stormy period of seventeen years. It
is, in short. strictly Democratic and
constitutional policy. To inaugurate
and carry out this policy is an
infinitely more difficult task for
Mr.. Hayes to accomplish than 1t
would have been to Demo-
cratic President. Early in the can
vass Senator Morton uttered a
practical political truth when he said
that no man was stronger than his |
party. Occasionally there appear in
public affairs men OF power and intel
lect 80 great that they become excep-
tions to this rule. But the average poll
tician or statesman Is never stronger
than his party; it is an extraordi-
nary event that we have fallen
upon an average Sstatesman whose
purposes are better than those Of his
party. We have much to be thankful
in that, and instead Of striking at him |
when, in wrestling with the wicked ele- |
ments OF his party, he falters, we should |
rally to him and strengthen him.
We stand by President Hayes yet.
The DEMOCRAT was the first paper In
the South which came up to the sup
port of his policy. We believed at first
that he was sincere, and we are entirely
confident that he is sincere now. We
are opposed to the commission; we re-
gard it as violation Of that principle Of
local self-goyernment to which the
President has pledged himself: we
know that in prolonging the period of
uncertainty it Is causing our fellow
citizens the loss of thousands Of
dollars daily. Yet badgered by Blaine,
Morton, Sherman and that class OF
1nen, the ablest and most powerful
leaders OF his party, we can realize the
tremendous pressure and grave difficult
ties under which Mr.. Hayes is prosecu-
ting his Southern policy. The majority
Of the people Of the whole country;
those representing great commercial
and industrial interests, and even the
Conservative Republican leaders, are all
backing the prompt enforcement Of the
Southern policy. But there are Blaine
and Morton and Sherman, backed by
the fanatical crowds who
constituted the army Of the
bloody shirt, moving heaven and
earth to defeat it. Let US, Of the South,
then be patient with the President; let
us uphold and strengthen him, until it
is clear that he has succumbed to
the bad counsels and influences
III