The daily gazette., 1877-03-15
The Hope of the South.

The change of feeling at the South,
from desp0ndency to hope, caused by the
moderate and conciliatory sentiments of
the Presidents inaugural address,, Is al
most miraculous, The entire Southern
press, with the exception of few bitter
partisan sheets, of no circulation and in
fluence (the hired organs of the carpet
baggers), and the great mass of the
Southern people, agree in declaring that
il the President will only act up to the
tmeaning of his fair words, the South
will at once experience revival of all
her depressed and languid interests.
They do not ask nor expect Hayes to
recognize Nichols and Hampton; they
appreciate the political difficulties of the
Presidents position; and they do not re-
gard such recognition as necessary to
relieve the South from her doubt and
distress. They only request that tho
President shall not interpose his opinion
or his patronage or his influence between
the rival governments of the two con-
tested States, but simply let them alone
and withdraw the Federal troops which
are not needed there to preserve the
peace, and which only intensity and pro-
tract the local dissensions. Perhaps the
Southerners are too sanguine in hoping
for such great results of good as direct
consequences of a change of Federal
policy toward their section. Their feel
ings, however, are largely shared at the
North, where the merits of the question
can be impartially and calmly Judged.
At the meetings lately held in New York
and other Northern cities by Republicans,
n 9th 1a laO e n
dent, the greatest stress has been laid
upon his promised pacifcation of the
South-by letting her alone-as the one
thing most conducive to the return of
business prosperity. No public speaker,
and no newspaper of any party in the
North, so far as we are aware, holds a
contrary opinion. The President would
undoubtedly have an overwhelming ma
jority of his fellow-citizens at his back in
standing by the pledges that he has made,
and we hope to see HIM do it. If he did
not quite bring about a millennium at
the South by giving her people the right
of selfgovernment, he could at least re-
store peace and an increase of prosperity
to two Of the Southern States which are
now suffering from a contention that
would cease to exist but for the one
sided interference of the Federal arm.
1t is the belief of the closest obser.
vers of affairs in Louisiana and South
Carolina that il Packard and Chamber
lain were once definitely told that the
President would not recognize them.
and II the regular troops were with
drawn from those States, the dificul-
ties would be almost instantly compos
sed. Neither Packard nor Chamber,
lain has had hearty support even
from the minority which voted for
them. Since the delivery of the in
augural address, which gave no com
fort to either Of the pretenders, their
strength has visibly declined. Great
numbers of voters who sustained them
at the polls are now anxious that they
should retire, and leave this opposi. |
tion, which comprises q majority of all |
the best and most substantial men in
the two States, to take charge of the
local governments. It is mentioned as
fact in Republican papers that
Gov" Packard's authority is not re-
spected outside of the st. Louis Hotel,
in New Orleans (his executive quar-
ters), and he would not be recognized
even there but for the presenc of Gen.
Augur's force in the city. "Gov,"
Chamberlain's standing in South Caro-
lima is equally slippery. He receives
some evidences of respect from his |
partisan friends, but he can collect no |
taxes-all these going into Hampton's |
treasury. Only the moral support of |
the regulars at Columbia enables him |
to keep up a show of state. Both of
these bogus governments would COL
lapse in night without bloodshed or
disturbance OF any kind il President
Hayes would only call off the bayonets
which alone prop them up. 1t would
be bloodless victory for rightful,
honest and frugal government at the
South. 1t would be blessing to the
whole country. And, viewed merely
as a party measure,i it would give to the
organization real popu-
larity and strength which it now lacks.