The New York herald., 1877-03-22
Tn. southern Comm i..ion.


We hope tho President will not forget that
the favor and support he has met with from
the whole country, regardless Of party lines.
was given, not to Mr.. Hayes, but to the pol
icy Mr.. Hayes announced in his inaugural
Message. The HERALD, in common with al-
most the whole people of the United States,
has given very earnest and indeed, some
what enthusiastic support to that policy, but
it was with the understanding that it would
be carried into effect. We want no more
irredeemable promises. The country well
coined President Hayes because it was led to
believe that he was not one of the kind Of
politicians who ''soar into the infinite and
rarer kind who pay cash.
The new President has been now seven
teen days in the White House. He entered
it with a solemn promise on his lips to re-
store the country to constitutional govern
ment. He could have given US that great
boon in five minutes, for it needs only IN
order from himself as Commander-in-C Chief
of the army to the officers commanding in
South Carolina and Louisiana to cease to
interfere in the local affairs Of those States.
That is absolutely ALL One of the most
prominent republican statesmen remarked
ten days ago in Washington, "The Presi-
dent need not do anything. He needs only
to stop doing in order to bring us back at
once and completely under the shelter
of the constitution" On the 5th of March
he soemnly promised to do this, and the
country answered him with joyous and
universal acclaim. After seventeen days of
hesitation and delay we at last hear-what?
alas ! that it is now, at last, still further put
of. We trust the President does not fall
into the error of believing that what the
country expects of him in this Southern bus
iness and what he has promised, is only
favor to the people of the two States. He
has promised, not favor, but justice, to the
people down there. On what excuse can he
delay justice? But they are not alone in
terested. This is matter in which the
whole country is vitality concerned.
When he suffers the people of Louisiana
and South Carolina to enjoy once more what
he SO solemnly promised them, local self
government, then, and not until then, the
nation will know that the war is at last over
then, and not until then. business men will
think in earnest Of new enterprises then,
and not until then, industry will begin to
revive and confidence to be re-established.
Why delay the good time for which every
American who is not demagogue longs?
Governors Hampton and Nichols have
given him the most positive guarantees that
they are able to maintain peace and order,
and that they will do so. The business COM
munity of New Orleans has given him the
same assurance. The people North, East
and West have heartily approved of his
policy. A few unscrupulous demagogues in
his own party alone opposed it ten days
ago, and their opposition was beaten
down at once by the voice of the
nation. But he ought to know that
every days delay makes these demagogues
more dangerous to him and to all
his plans and hopes He ought to know
that until he settles the Southern question
he can do nothing else and that his delay
here imperils all the other reforms he prom
ises. Of what use or authority or force or
consequence is commission Boards are
screens" said Jeremy Bentham. Is there
something to be hidden then? One thing
the President may depend upon-when he
sends commission to Louisiana he pleases
every demagogue who hopes to keep the
Southern question open for another four
years, and he disappoints every man who
wants to see the country back safe under
the shelter of the constitution.