The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-03-08
The Nominatiou of senator Key.

nomination of Senator Key to the Cabi
net was the initial step in the develop
ment of his policy of seeking 10 disarn
Southern distrust, and promote peace il
that section on the basis of justice and
protection to all. Mr. Key led Con
federate regiment during the late wal
asd was the Democratic Senator ap
pointed to fill Andrew Johnson's Va
cancy. At the late session of Con
gress he was the first to make 8
speech from the Democratic side
looking to Southern paclhcatiOn
through concilistion OF and co-opera.
ton with the incoming Republican ad
ministration. That he and the President
would be able to harmonize was made
clear TO the latter by the sentiments OF
a private letter addressed by Mr.. Key to
q personal friend on the 10th of February
last, in which he said, "I am ready TO
do all l can to restore confidence and
government to the peop.e of the South
This can only be done by the hearty fra
teri lzstion OF sections, for which have
labor ID. IT, without requiring oi
me the sacrifice of any personal or
political independence, you find that my
name can be used for the good of the
South, in your best judgment, you are at
liberty to use it. If were to become a
member OF the administration l should
not feel at liberty to place myself in op.
position to its general policy, but should
leel bound to build it up and strengthen
1t in the hearts of the people, and if the
time arrived when l could not heartily
cooperate with it | should resign.
II, IS hope and believe, the ad.
ministrstion will develop broad
and liberal policy toward the South, l
would net hesitate to incorporate my for.
tunes and..self with it."
This letter was laid before Mr.. Hayes,
who found it entirely in accordance
with his own seniiments, and hence the
formal tender OF the appointment to MIR.
Key. After the interview between them,
last evening, which established the
identity of their respective views on the
Southern question, Mr.. Key, in response
to the protests from his old party asso-
ciates against his acceptance, on the
ground that the Presidents purpose is
to divide the Southern Democracy and
reconstruct the Republican party in the
South on more popular basis. He
declares his desire to see the color line IN
Southern politics broken, also that
restored peace and commercial pr osperity
are of more present importance to the
South than party success.
MI Keys appointment has also been
earnestly opposed by some prominent
Republicans IN fear that it would commit
the administration to the abandonment
of existing Republican organizations,
especially in South Carolina and Loulsi.
ana, and the surrender of their sdherents
to the Democracy. 1t is claimed for
the President that his frmnesS
in resisting this appeal was based
on the fact that the general line OF poll
cy in regard to the South which he had
determined to test looks to no such con-
sequence as desertion of his old friends.
His desire ia to secure an honorable an d
smicable compromise OF existing
southern difficulties by consent of the
wise and honest men OF both parties in
the South, on terms that shall be just and
creditable to all alike AS in the beginning
he was resolutely determined to tender
an olive branch to the South by taking
into his Cabinet some prominent
Southern Democrat, who had fought on
the Confederate side, but is now thor
oughly true to the Union as we'll as
able. To this end he was disposed TO
take General Joe Johnston as q thorough h
representative Southerner, but Mr..
Key was found less Objectionable to the
Republicans, and so was finally chosen.
The significance of the appointment is, in
its notice to the South, thst the new sd-
ministrstion has no purpose which can not
be freely disclosed to and discussed
with an honorable representative of their
own section and who is in full sympathy
with the best elements in the Southern
opposition party. This, it is claimed,
clears the way for what is to follow.
Vice. President Wheeler will be no
cypher in the government. He will be
invited to participate in the administra-
ton as freely as II he was member Of
the Cabinet. 1t is hoped that after the
Senate sdjourns he will head commit
tee to be appointed By the President to
visit the South and carefully study the
situation in Louisians and South Caro-
lima, and ascertain upon what honorable
terms all the trouble there can
be aceeptsbly plscated BY state
action, with such support and CO opera.
ton as the President can rightfully ex
tend. The Presidents friends say that
if this policy fails, it will be the tault OF
the Southern people themselves, and will
be so regarded. They say, also, that if it
succeeds, it will break kown the color
line in politics, by detsching the old
Wings and Douglas Democrats and or
ganizlng them into q strong sdministrs-
tion party of whites, TO whom the blacks
will naturally adhere.
The above is given as the general
plan, the dates OF which must depend on
the results of careful cabinet consultation
and liberal interchange of views with
patriotic and clear headed men.
Death Of q Millionaire.