The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-08

''De sure you are IiBut, e"iu Ivy
Crockett, sand then go ahead" President
Hayes has gone ahead with steady, quiet
steps, which is a pretty good proof that he
feels sure that he is right, considering the
opposition he has been SO suddenly called
to confront. In spite of the formidable DEM
onstration of the bull-dozers he sent to the
Senate yesterday the completed list OF his
Cabinet nominations, not Withdrawing
single one of the names which are "a stone
of stumbling and rock of offence" to the
belligerent party chiefs. This evidence OF
frmness and pluck makes an excellent I'M
preston. If the President maintains his
attitude of quiet. invincible determination
he will find the bellicose party chiefs sub
missive enough before the end OF the month.
He must convince them at the outset that
nothing can be extorted from him by men
aces. If he gives an inch they will take an
ELL He will never have moments peace
nor any real authority if men like Blaine
once find that he can be bull-dozed. Thus
far his steadiness of purpose cannot be i'm
peached and it is all the more satisfactory
by the entire absence of buster, selt-asser-
ton or any form of incivility. We should
deeply regret to see the new President lose
his temper or give any symptom that his
equanimity is disturbed by opposition from
republican leaders. It does not suit with
the dignity or the authority Of the Chief
Magistrate to act in spirit of petulance
even under the most provoking circumstan-
ces. He should never descend into the arena
as Andrew johnson so foolishly did, and
handy recriminations with members of the
legislative department APresident who is
sure that he is right can afford to move
straight onward and leave the vindication of
his course to the enlightened public opinion
of the country. We vouch for President
Hayes no further than he has gone; but up
to this time he deserves approval alike for
his steadiness and his dignity.
"Be sure you are right and then go
ahead" The whole body of judicious citi.
zens will think that President Hayes can
afford to 60 ahead on this safe basis. His
proposed Cabinet is right if his inaugural
address was right. The one must be judged
by the other. Nobody has attempted to
show that the proposed Cabinet is not in
harmony with the address. Indeed the fact
that President Hayes selections so strongly
attest the deep sincerity of his inaugural is
the moving cause of disgust and opposition.
If it was a wise inaugural it is a wise Cabi-
net, because the latter is faithful reflection
of the former President Hayes has every
reason to feel sure that he was right in the
address. 1t is the distilled essence ofthe two
party platforms, his own letter of accept
ance, Vice President Wheeler's letter of ac-
ceptance and the two letters Of acceptance
on the democratic side. Those party
documents, three in number on each
side, may be vulnerable enough on the
ground of insincerity but, being bids
for popularity, they are pretty good evil
dence Of what the politicians thought the
great body of the people demanded. The
fact that both platforms and the letters of ac-
ceptance on both sides made substantially
the same professions is a very striking evil
dence of the unity of popular sentiment as
it was then understood by the politicians of
both parties. President Hayes inaugural
cannot be wrong unless republicans and
democrats alike misinterpreted the wishes
of the people at the opening of
the Presidential canvass; and, we re-
peat again, the composition OF the Cabi-
net cannot be wrong if the declarations
OF policy in the inaugural are right Ifever
any President could, on good grounds, feel
sure that he was right and be justified in
going ahead on that assumption it is Presi-
dent Hayes, who is as fully justified by the
letters of acceptance of Mcssrs. Tilden and
Hendricks as he is by his own.
The democratic Senators will stultify
themselves and desert their principles if
they permit the Cabinet nominations to be
beaten. The democrats are strong enough
in this Senate to give Mr.. Hayes
victory over his republican OPP
ponents in every trial of strength,
and they will lower themselves and their
party in public estimation if they do not
come to his rescue when he is assailed for
his patriotic desire to do justice to the
South. The democratic Senators will
stultify themselves if they do not support
President Hayes against the bull-dozers
who assail him for his disposition to con-
cede local self-government to the Southern
States. They may find in Mr.. Tilden's let
ter of acceptance just and indignant de-
nunciation of the idea that officers and
functionaries exist for any other purpose
than the good of the country, of which they
are mere instruments so long as they do
their duty MIR. Tilden, in his letter of &C.
ceptance, secuted the idea that the machin.
cry of official life exists for any other pur-
pose than the public interest. When
President Hayes offers to do for the South
and for the civil service the very things
which Mr. Tilden, in his letter Of accept
ance, pledged himself to promote, the demo