New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-04-07
RAVES POLICY.

We have once before had President
who began his official career with per-
sonal policy. The result was hardly such
as to invite imitation, nor does the present
condition of the country offer q suitable
occasion for another egotistic experiment
in craftsmanship. The question now in
volved in the Louisiana dilemma is not
which of the two rival claimants to its
gubernatorial chair would be most accept
able to any particular class of its citizens,
but which of the two was legally elected.
Whichever course the President may final
ly conclude to adopt-whether to fulfill
the pledges made in his name to the Lou
isiana leaders by one SCI of his friends, or
those volunteered to the Republicans by
another set; whether to be guided by law,
equity and consistency, or by what may
seem to him policy-he can not relieve
himself from trouble, can not please every
body, can not shift the responsibility of
his acts upon other shoulders. His
policy should be to do right,
and let consequences take care
of themselves. What if his recognition
of Governor Packard as the legally
elected executive of this State should
cause him ''to begin his presidency with
both branches of Congress against him,
quo ,oarrantO proceedings over his head,
and war of races shaking the earth like
a volcano under his feet?" He must en-
counter manfully the difficulties incident
to the high position which he has &C.
cepted, and will make nothing but fur.
Their trouble by bargaining, shifting, COM
promising, Sinking What advantage
will it be to gain the solid South and lose
the Republican North? There is not,
there can not be political dilemma in
which there is not plainly right and 9
wrong side. Both sides may present dif.
ficulties, and the adoption of either be
followed by unpleasant consequences; but
those entailed by supporting the cause Of
justice will gradually disappear, or will
springing from the enforced establish.
ment of wrong will grow worse and worse
until some great convulsion of the body
polite, with violent throes, with blood
and death and horror shall set things right
again. The shotgun method finaugurating
administrations can never find favor with
the majority of citizens in this country,
1t is un-AmeEican, and its recognition by
the general government as authoritative
would be the severest blow which our in
situations have ever yet received. Its ap-
parent success in South Carolina has
already raised shout of fierce triumph or
the part of its supporters possibly pre-
mature shout-and has encouraged then
to expect the same result in this State
But let them beware. Violence begeti
violence, and President Hayes must know
that it is not by supporting the shotgun
government of the Democratic minority il
this STATE that genuine paciication is Il
be produced.
We are inclined, therefore, TO bellev
that the intentions of the President hav
been misunderstood, and that his seem
ingly unaccountable delays in the settle
ment of our difficulties arise more from
mistaken notion Of the possibilities o
the situation than from any deliberate in
tention to support violence and wrong 70
the sake Of any probable personal advah
taga.