The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-04-13
GleQntelliqetrtrr.
The Southern situation.


Senator Patterson, Of South Carolina,
is reported in this mornings dispatches
as saying that he is now prepared to give
the President Roland for his Oliver by
voting to admit Butler to seat in the u.
S,senale iromthnt State. Not only this,
but he is further prepared to admit the
Democratic Senators from Louisiana, He
seems to be ready, as far IA id him lies,
to change the complexion Of the Senate,
and thus give the President Congress
that will be in harmony with his South.
ern policy.
There was au inIimalion Immediately
after the inauguration that in ease the
President acknowledged Hampton and
Nichols it would be in accordance with
the eternal fitness OF things for all the
Republican members from the South to
resign and let the purely Southern ele.
ment succeed fully to power, not only in
the State Governments OF that section
but likewise in both houses Of Congress-
ThiS programme, ii it was ever seriously
entertained, Is not likely to be carried
out, but it is something more than
straw and shows the current Of feeling in
regard TO the Presidents policy among
the Southern office holding Republicaps,
Senator Blnine's suppression Of opinion
as reported this morning, i. another
straw He virtually repeats and rcailirms
his speech in the Senate, taking the
ground that Packard is just as much
Governor Of louisiana as Hayes is
President Of the United States. From
this it would seem that Mr.. Blaine has
not been Modified since his speech, as
was reported, but Is. Just as much
bent as ever on maintaining the
absolute oneness Of the Presidency with
the Packard government, Whether he
now re-proclaims his opinion in order to
influence the verdict OF the Commission
sitting in Louisiana, or to again warn the
Presidentto beware OF putting down his
foot irrevocably is not yet manifest. lie
no doubt has an eye to results Of come
kind.
From this statement OF the case il is
easy enough to see that the President oc.
cupies very embarrassing position.
There il, Of course, a 5emblance Of
strength in the argument used by Mr..
Blaine, and the position assumed by Sen.
ator Patterson. And yet this position Is
more plausible than tenable. The Presi-
dent simply takes the position in with.
drawing troops from the South Caro-
lima State House that he can do so con.
sisteutly with the public peace and safety
and that it is not for him to permanently
support the claims OF either Of the
rival governments by armed inerven-
ton. Their recourse is to the tribu.
nails OF the State. Gen. Grant sent
troops to South Carolina at the request
OF the duly recognized Governor, in
keeping with resolution offered in Con.
gress by the Hon. Scott Lord, Democrat,
and passed by n Democratic House, To
stop murder and riot, and secure to
citizens, otherwise helpless, the exer.
else OF the elective franchise. That
protection ia no longer necessary
in the Judgment Of the President.
There is no danger OF outbreak
between the two governments. The war
spirit has cooled down to 4 level where
it is no longer aggressive. And thus
peace has been preserved and assured tc
the people Of South Carolina aa far as il
ia proper for the Federal government tt
institute safeguards to that end,
Those who contend that the Fedora
government should do more than this
must contend that it should remain il
virtual perpetual charge OF the Soutl
Carolina State House; that, in othel
words, martial law should hold sway in
definitely in the State-a position tha
no believer in our form OF government
ought TO be willing to take. The United
States government guarantees simply ;
republican form OF government to ever!
State, and TO this end guarantees i
against domestic insurrection an,
foreign invasion, but further than
this she does not go. Whenever peac,
and safety is so far assured in any Stat
that the courts can make themselves iel
and obeyed, the mission OF the Fedora
Government is at an end. 1t is not tn
province OF the President as Commander
in.chiet to go behind this sale limit.