The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-08-21
SECRETARY SHERMAN ON THE "soUTH-
ERIN POLICY

We have already published the full text
of Secretary Sherman's speech delivered at
Mansfield, Ohio, Saturday but docu-
ment, if we may call political speech
document, prepared with so much care and
coming from the source it did, is entitled
to more than passing notice. Although
he disclaims all authority to speak for the
president save to set at rest the silly story
stsrted by some Of the journals who are
disgruntled with the course pursued by the
administration, and out of which some of
our Vermont contemporaries took 80 much
comfort, to the effect that the presidents
wishes dictated the Ohio nominations-and
only claimed to speak for himself as an
occupies in the cabinet, and from his
known personal and confidential relations
with the president, we are at liberty to as
sumo that he expresses the views of the ad-
miuistrstion.
Nothing could he clearer or more salts
factory than his exposition of the presi-
dents southern policy-we presume that
we shall keep on calling it "policy" to
the end of time, although it would appear
that there was no "policy" about it, simply
a return to constitutional methods. When
he came into Office he found Chamberlain
and Hampton each claiming to have been
elected governor of South Carolina, with
the controlling question decided in favor of
Hampton by republican court, and tho
constitution and laws declaring that the
legislature should decide all such cases of
contested election. President Grant had
declined to interfere, save to preserve the
peace, and President Hayes, after patient
hearing, decided that case was not pre-
sented which, under the constitution and
laws, would justify the use of the army,
and the troops were thereupon withdrawn
from the state house. The result was that
Chamberlain abandoned the contest and
left the slate and the legislature settled
the contest according to the constitution
and laws of South Carolina and the decis-
sions of the highest courts.
The case OF Louisiana was somewhat diff
ferent, although essentially the same.
Packard and Nichols were each claiming
to have been elected governor, and 1t be-
longed to the legislature alone to decide the
contest. The returning board of Louisiana
OF the president of the United States had
nothing to do with the contest. There
were two bodies, ench claiming to be the
legal legislature of Louisiana, but neither
consisting of regular members enough to
constitute legal and constitutional body.
The presidents efforts were directed
toward securing one legal legislature-an
there was unquestionAbly such body
elected in Novembor-which should bI
recognized as representing the sovereigI
will Of the people of Louisiana. The Of
fort was crowned with success, such
legislature convened, the troops were with
drawn, the gubernatorial contest was de
clded, and peace has since reigned through
out the state.
The whole question in both states was
as We have SO often claimed, merely one o
a contested election, and the president hal
no more right to interfere than he woul'
have in contest over the office of munic
ipal judge in Rutland. AS Secretary Sher
man says, the president "hss not the shad
COW OF a right to interpose the power o
the army in this contest, and his attemp
would have been rash and sbort!ye, a
well as without legal right"
This, to be sure is all as thrice toll
tale. and we only allude to 1t because 1t
the first authoritative statement of the vic,
the president took Of the matter. We hsv
referred to this branch Of the speech 70