New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-05
PRAYER FOR The PRESIDENT.

| tnc pubic , IllH now.
| PRAYER FOR The PRESIDENT
Those who best know thSPresdent of the
United States will feel the str Ongest and most
comfortable assurance that there was nothing
hypocritical, nothing supcr-sanctimOniOus in
his wish, informally expressed, to DO remem-
bcrcd Yesterday by the American people
gathered for prayer and supplication in the
temples of religion. President Hayes is rot
a man to forget, while, humanity speaking,
he is strong in an earnest purpose to do well,
to act wisely, to spend and to be spent in the
service of the Republic, that his own faith, as
well rs that Of large majority OF his fellow
citizens, recognizes Ruler OF Rulers without
whose assistance, enlightenment, and support,
the deepest designs and wsest policy of States
may end in shallow failure and foolish
ness. The appeal which he made was
TO those who believe as he does. He whose
bcnignity was yesterday invoked is One whose
mower to sustain the right and to bring to
naught the wrong is every day recognized in
all departments Of the Government, in every
court of Justice, and specially by the Execu-
tive when at the proper season he advises the
people to humble themselves because of their
WTOHp-uDlIlp, vi w Si'C Oh'"'N' IVA ="
undestrved mercics 1t matters little that the
trainers of the Constitution excluded from that
instrument the name of the Supreme Being.
Christianity being substantially the religion OF
the land, it is naturally impossible to keep all
allusiOn to it out of the business of the nation;
and in the days of our adversely, OF pestilence,
of famine, of threatened anarchy and civic dis
solution, it has been the custom OF the Presl-
dent to recommend publicly to the body pol
itic that which all teachers of religion recon-
mend privately to all who are beSet by sore
troubles and bercavements and every dark
yIcsstude of life.
Yesterday the special prayer was not for the
nation, but for the man who has been called
TO govern it. The fact reminds us of the diff
culties and pcrplcXities which are awaiting
him-of the selshneSs which will lmpOrtune.
of the greed which will harass, of the ingrati-
tude which will wound, of the misundeTstand-
ings which will discourage, and Of the SLAM
ders which will annoy him. His elevation
brings disappointment too great, and shared
By too many persons to be lightly forgiven.
Already war. cruel. unsparing, and unscrupu-
lous, has been declared against his Adj
ministration. Right or wrong, weak or
aDp, cltHn -H;tlltlt'u VI NfIldi 40 h' hiSh' ~
the enraged hangers-on of the Democratic
party will still spit their venom at him, and
at ali. however innocent, who are of his house
hold For period of four years he can hardly
count upon a single peaceful day, hardly upon
an hour of unalloyed happiness, so bitter Will
be the political hOstiitieS which he must en-
counter and so intricate the task of pacltfca-
ton to whish with an honorable courage he
has devoted himself in the very beginning.
From his enemies he can expect no fairness
bappy above mortals will he be if he is never
wounded in the house of his friends!
Every Sunday, in the formuaries of more
than one church, the President Of the United
States is mentioned, while in the extempOrane-
ous prayers of others he is seldom forgotten.
Outside the sanctuary, IN quiet homes ana III
their busiest haunts, how many have paused
from tneir avocations to utter Ill behalf OF our
new magistrate the hearty but sincere Tod
"bess him ~ If it will bring to him, as 1t can
hardly help bringing strength and encourage
ment he NAV be assured of the best wishes,
such as utter themselves i'll honest prayer, OF
the best portion Of the American people, which
thus far retains its sincere conviction OF his
singlc-lnindcd simplicity of character, OF bis
ability adequate to the place unto which he has
been called, of his earnest love OF country, OF
his modest self-estmate, and of his freedom from
the vices of whatever nature, which do most
easily bcset public men. The confidence
accorded to HIM will not be lightly abandoned
certainly not at the dctatiOn Of angry and
disappointed men, who are incapable OF Judging
fairly, and without inclination so to judge, even
if they were capable loudly as they may talk
of fairness and volubly as they may mouth
words expressive of equity and justice. Their
substantial immortality of purpose and OF pro-
cedure is rebuked by the obseryanceS of yes
terday and the sooner they ale convinced
that the people of this country believe de-
ccncy and order to be as essential in politics
as in religion, the sooner they will relieve the
community from protests which are merely
abusive, and from anger which trembes upon
the verge of treason and is restrained only by
coward!ce from treason itself.