Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-04-06
The President and the Party.


tate into a rabidly hostile attitude to-
ward President Hayes administra-
ton, is the State Register. A few
papers that, by force of habit or pau
city of ideas, are wont to follow in
its wake, may echo some Of its more
guarded expressions Of discomfort,
but the great majority of the Repub-
lican journals are either giving aid
and comfort to the President in his
new departure on the Southern ques-
ton, or waiting patiently and hope
fully the result Of the experiment. 1t
would seem as though every sensible
Republican, in view of the complete
failure of the policy of force and mil
itary interference pursued tor the
past four years, during which Repub-
licanism at the South has dwindled
to remnant, would cheertully acqui-
csce in a policy which, without the sac
rifice of any human right, at least
promises better success in the paciti-
cation of the Southern States. But
the Register is unalterably welded
to the old carpet-bag rule. 1t throws
every obstacle possible in the path
of the President, keeps on minister
ing to hates and prejudlces, and
seemingly aspires to lead move
ment among Iowa Republicans to
break with the administration on this
issue. 1t does not avow this intent,
but this is the tendency of its course
as it looks to us. If we do it injus-
tice, we are willing to make amends.
In our opinion, the Register will
not be successful in this effort. We
think it misconceives the drift of Re.
publican sentiment in Iowa. We do
not believe that one-half the Repub-
lican party in this State has already
taken stand against the Presidents
policy, before it has had chance to
be tried. Weknow such is not the
case in our own locality, and we
think better of the Intelligence and
moderation of the Republican mass
es than to believe it the case any
where. We have taken some pains
to get acquainted with the opinions
of the better class Of Republicans
within the sphere OF our daily con-
tact with them, and we fail to find 4
great deal of that decided dissent
from the Presidents views of which
the Register speaks.
As for ourselves we do not intend
to be counted as rabid advocate of
the Cancellation policy. We realize
that it is but an experiment, and
may fail of its purpose. We have
some idea of the obstacles to it, both
in the North and the South, but we
have hope, almost amounting to a
belief, that 1t will work SO well, that
in six months from this time, nobody
will like to avow, that he ever doubt
cd its wisdom. Meanwhile, we
would rather say good word for it,
even if we have to take it back, than
to beset every step of the experiment
with carpihg criticism, ridicule and
partisan misrepresentation. The
Register thinks the time has come
when the press must have and ex-
press an opinion of its own. With
out waiting to see how other Iapers
may respond, we thus freely ex-
press our sentiments on the question,
and we think they fairly represent
the views of the great majority Of
thinking Republicans in this section
of Iowa. There is not one of them
who has not perfect confidence in the
patriotism and good Judgment Of
the President, and who is not will
ing to trust him to determine when
the time shall come to abandon his
present policy, regarding the South.
Neither do we think that they will
take kindly to the Registers idea of
embarrassing the President in his
work, by any premature expression
Of opinion upon imperfect informa-
ton of the facts.