The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-04-21
PRESIDENTS SOUTHERN POLICY.

COO
The measures employed for the pacif-
cation of the Southern States, more es-
pecially of Louisiana and South Caro-
lima, haye been commonly designated as
the Presidents policy. Why those
measures should be SO denominated is
rot very clear. The fact is. those meas
ures, SO far as prosecuted, have not been
such as to determine any fixed policy.
They have been thus far merely ancil-
larry in their nature. They are simply
Clnbryotlc. To what prescribed policy,
:Is definite course of action, those an
cillary steps would ultimately lead, has
not been declared nor revealed, except
10 show that every measure of peace
would be exhausted before any other
course would be adopted. But this
rould not be construed as settling any
leterminate policy.
The only definite act performed by the
President bearing upon this matter was
the order to withdraw the United States
troops, nineteen men all told, from the
South Carolina State-house, where they
had been placed by the order Of the for
mer Administration. But this act did
not, by any means, amount to q recog-
milton of any one as the Governor of that
State. 1t was no more than a recognition
of the fact admitted by men of all par
ties, that the President could not in any
manner interfere with the domestic af-
1airs of any State, unless actual violence
or insurrection existed beyond the pow
er Of the State authorities to control.
That fact has never been questioned,
and can not be.
The circumstance that, by reason of
such withdrawal of troops, Gov. Cham
berlain yielded his pretensions to Guber-
material authority, the President was in
no manner responsible for. II the wrong
man was peaceably installed as the Gov.
erhor, and his authority accepted by the
people of that State, it was none of the
Presidents business. II no violence
existed there, he had no right nor au-
thority to interfere. This is matter OF
Constitutional provision, not matter of
Presidential policy. And yet certain
politicians OF the Republican school,
as well as some portions OF the public
press of both parties, have pronounced
this a line of policy tending to the
ultimate purpose Of turning over
the State Government to the control
OF the Democrats. Some of these Re-
publicans have gone SO far as to declare
that the President had "sold out their
party;" while Democrats have sneered
at him for having abandoned his friends.
Neither of these views is either just or
true. A matter of duty determined by
a Constitutional obligation can never be
construed as matter Of policy that
may be adopted or discarded at pleas
ure. That the performance of this duty
should have resulted in the accession
OF a Democratic Governor to authority,
the President may have regretted; but
that regret could not change the line Of
duty.
In the Louisiana case, again, the Pres
tdent had not until yesterday even taken
single step declaratory Of his ultimate
policy. He simply instituted commits
sion 10 visit that State and inquire into
the condition of things and report there
op. The specific instructions issued to
them 20 no farther than this. And, as it is
now found that the public peace was not
Immediately threatened, and the Presi.
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