The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-07-16
Hayes and Grantisni.
IN. 7. HorLd.l

During the late Presidential canvass we
repeatedly denounced the pretensions of
the Republican platform as not only false
and fraudulent, but as certain, it HAYES
and Wheeler were declared elected, to pro-
mote such disappointment and angry biek-
ering inside the Republican party itself as
would lead up to another national scandal
like that impeachment which 10 the case of
johnson so mortified all patriotic men.
The nomination of Hayes and the sub
sequent support by the Republican party
of his letter of acceptance were assuming
the letter to have been sineere) unnatural
and in violation of the fundamental ele-
ments of party government. Such duplic-
ity and double-dealing could not fail to
bring about the destruction of the party
attempting 1t.
What was the situation2 Grantism-
I. E., the system of an Executive passively
and corruptly controlled by clique Of SEN
ators usurping executive functions and
debating executive nominations - had
brought the nation to the condition, so
clearly set forth in the Democratic plat
farm adopted at st. Louis. The popular
demand for reform Of this condition not
only enabled the Republican National Con-
vention to defeat Conkling, whom Grant
told the delegates he preferred (even with
this Endorsement by the President Conk-
ling had in reality little more than a ma
jority of the delegates from his own state
of New York;, but also enabled such lead
ers as Blaine and Morton to destroy one
another, and allowed the friends of Hayes
to succeed by what billiard players call
"a scratch" The essence of party govern
ment is a government by leaders, with
voters as sort of background, but none Of
the great Republican leaders sought CT
preferred Hayes as candidate. The
platform adopted at Cincinnati, for which
Ex-Governor Chamberlain now tells the
country that he furnished that part rela-
ting to government in the South, so much
at least was quite inconsistent with the
pretensions of Hayes and the tone of his
subsequent letter of acceptance, The
leading features of that letter were, first,
civil -service reform, to which he solemnly
consecrated himself; secondly, the resto-
ration of constitutional order and fealty in
the South, and, finally, the maintenance OF
an ante beltum sound system of finance on
the basis OF hard gold money. Such an
alliance between the Republican leaders
and Hayes, with his pretensions and his
letter OF acceptance, was monstrous anC
unnatural, and the World so denounced it.
1t did not win with the people, for the
frauds in Florida and Louisiana alone
made it possible for Mr., Hayes to be
placed, in the chair which he now occupies.
As soon as he assembled to the seat Of
power his earliest official acts intensified
and made more intoerable the unnat'
ural association we have pointed out
He called Mr.. Evarts 1.-THE defender Of
Andrew Johnson) and Mr. Schurz to the
high places of his cabinet, than whom M
two men were more distasteful to such de
feated chiefs as Conkling, Blaine and Nor
ton. With Schurz, civil service reform anC
hatred of Grantism had been a specially
although made of no effect in his hands b.
his unwillingness to cooperate with tn
! Democracy. Against Mr.. Evarts the op
/ position of the Republican leaders in New
York had been most bitter. Wheneve
and wherever, during the preceding eiGh
years, be put up his head in Republican
, convention the clubs and stones flew thicl
and fast The suggestion that he shoulC
be made chief justice or even governor o
! New ork was treated with contem ptuou
! derision by CoDkling and the other Repub
these Republican builders rejected has be
n come the head 0fthe administration corner
1t is impossible for Grantism and Have
4 to agree together as to the issues whic
were discussed and 10 regard to whic
n Grantism was beaten 10 the last election
e Hayes saws that freedom of the sout
a from military and carpet bag rule was III
o most prominent issue, and that the peopl
| H. i'll Il L.
4 tentioD. This is perfectly true, but this
y Grantism as represented by Morton, Blain
+ and Chamberlain. still furiously denies
. The last two even assert that the blood
r shirt carried Pennsylvania, Ohio and tn
northwest for Hayes, while he is equal
f positive that his letter of acceptance re
}. pudiating that garment saved the Reput
Z lican party from absolute ruin in thos
q states.
o President Hayes is convinced that tn
:. civil-service reform issue which the Re
e publican platform vaguely limited at, an
which he has brought boldly to the from
O secured large nO-party vote which turne
a the scale in many states, but Grantisr
o claims that civil-service reform was neve
: a serious issue and that the people did nc
f pass upon it.
And, finally, Grantism privately whisper
that,no matter what the Republican issue
were, the voters repudiated them all an
!: voted for the Democratic candidates, an
l. that, as Grant and his friends stole tn
e electoral vote Of Florida and Louisiana j
i order to put Mr.. Hayes where he now is
, common gratitude ought to make hin
II loyal and obedient to Grantism. To thi
g President Hayes replies that he stole n
: states, but only accepted the office whlc
d the two houses of congress declared to b
II his; that if Blaine and Grant and Morto
r really did steal the presidency. that
/ their affair, not his at all; and that, ik
d Tweed aud his gang, they must take tn
d chances of exposure and punishment.
d; 1t seems to US reasonably clear that
c party in such condition of revolt an
:. mutual elimination cannot long survive.
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