Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-08-24
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PUBLISHED DAILY AND TREwEEKLY By
EDGAR SNOWDEN-
FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST "a, 1877.
IfPostmaster General Key be not clean daft.

If Postmaster General Key be not clean daft
as his late speeches seem to indicate, the al.
most unanimous condemnation With which
those speeches are received, not only 10 the
South but all over the country, must make
him rue the moment 10 which be accepted the
Invitation to accompany the President Gu his
trip to the North. 10 one Of the speeches al
luded to he said she was almost ready to call
himself New EogIander. We do not thiok
the people of New England have any cause to
be at all compimentcd by his Appropriated
kipshp, and, judging from what some Of the
papers of that section say about him, they are
very much OF our opinion on that subject at least.
He may be almost New Eoglander, indeed,
tut not that SORT Of New Highlander who is
respected at home and honored abroad. The
New York Herald speaks of him as follows -
Considering how much of the value of these
admirable fraternal demonstrations consists 10
the impression they make upon the South. it
is to be regretted that Postmaster General Key
did not better understand his part. Mr.. Key
is the only member of the Presidential party
that has bluudered President Hayes has
taken pains to Introduce him at every place
and put him forward 10 make brief speech;
but 90 two occasions be has acted like an un-
skilful player at whist who trumps his partners
tricks. 1t was the evident purpose OF The Pres.
ident to exhibit MIR. Key as proof Of bis mag
naDimity in appointing ao ex rebeland demo
crat who voted against him to place in his
Cabinet. But the obtuse Mr.. Key did not uu-
. c. m
him that Mr.. Hayes, while addressing the
North was really appealing to the South. His
mental horizon did not extend beyond the New
England mountains, and he acted on the fool
ish assumption that the President was trying
to Justify himself to the extreme Northern re-
puboans Mr.. Key accordingly exhibited
himself on the stool of repentance. At Ben
niugton be described himself as one of the
"erring brethren"-a want of manliness which
has provoked the derision of the Southern
press. Secretary McCrary, who has more po-
litical sense, has explained away this express
sion OF MIR. Key by saying that he was present
at Bennington and that the Postmaster Gener.
al used the expression in evident jest, and that
it was greeted with a good humored laugh.
This explanation might be accepted if Mr.. Key
had not put his foot 10 little deeper at Lake
Winnipiseogee yesterday, when he applied to
himself the lines 10 DR.. Watts hymn
Ana while the lamp holds out to burn
The vilest sinner may return.
The impression which such abject utterances
tend to make at the South is that the President
overlooks participation in the rebellion only on
condition that Southern citizens will humiliate
themselves. 1t is quite certain that neither
Mr.. Hayes nor wise members Of his Cabinet
wish to diffuse such an idea MI. Evarts, who
never loses his head, put the position of the
South 10 it's true light 10 the terSe little sleecb
be made day before yesterday 1.-THE strong
men of both sections met; no cowardice was
shown on either side; they fought for principles
they had long learned to revere. The great
contest between DaoicI Webster, of your State,
aud Calhoun, of the South worked into the
feelings Of the people until there was 90 way
out of the difficulty but var This just oe
of remark implies DO humiliation Of the South.
Both sections fought for principles they had
long learned to revere The fortune of arms
was against the South, and all that is expected
of it is maoy submission to the resistless logic
of events. The Southern people can accept
this view as consistent With their selfrespect
and their pride Of character, and we trust they
will receive it from the mouth Of MIR. Evarts as
a Sufficient antdote to the ahject and craven ex
preston of the Postmaster General. Neither
MIR. Hayes nor the Northern members of his
Cabinet ask the South to renounce its manhood
and exhibit itself on the stool OF repentance. a
frank and sincere acceptance of the political re-
suits of the war is all that is expected. There
is no reason why men should humiiate them
selves for having fought in cause which they
believed to be right. In spite of the bunders
of MIR. Key this mountain tour of the President
will convince the South that he is its generous
friend, and that be exacts no conditions ncom-
patible with its sclf-respect. We believe that
Southern members Of Congress will give Chi
valric support to the President 10 all measures
conceived in the spirit of bis recent utterances.
The so.called "Workiagmen" IF Baltimore,
like those of this city, are deliberately driving
away from them class of voters whose charac.
teristic want Of foresight, ignorance, and desire
to make living without working for it, would
induce them to rally in large numbers to their
support were anything like fair division of
supposed profits held out to them. We allude,
of course, to the negroes, who, no matter who
elsein this country the demagogues may attempt
arbitrarily. and without reason, to exclude from
the list of workingmen, must certainly come
under that designation. Communism offers
peculiar and special attractions to the negroes,
but they cannot be expected to join party that
declares it wants nothing to do with them. At
the so-caled 'workingmens" meeting ia Bal
timore, last night, when aresolution was offered
inviting the cooperation of the colored men
who would pledge themselves to support the
very stormy scene ensusd. The
says: ''The opposition to the resolu.
ton was of the most determined character, and
It was evident that an unlocked for element had
arisen, for the existence of which no provision
had been made. The resolution was finally
indefinitely, and the meeting broke
up without having accomplished anything lead.
ing toward progress. The negroes have been
4 long time learning that the democratic party
is the poor mans best and truest friend, but