Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-03-27
Stanton Spectator,
TUESDAY. MARCH q, 1877.
The President $ Policy.

While the public are not indisposed,
says the Bait. Sun, that President Hayes
should proceed with due deliberation IN
shaping his official course in reference
to affairs in South Carolina and Loulsl-
ana. they cannot but be struck with the
fact that thus far his policy has been one
of inaction. Matters in both States stand
Just where President Grant left. them
lust as they have stood since the first of
January-in South Carolina since the
end of November, pending the settle
ment of the presidential question. And
1.-THE situation remains unchanged, with
all its disastrous consequences to the ma
terial interests of the people of the State,
while President Hayes delays action and
casts about for some easy method of es-
cape from the responsibility of taking
any decisive action at all! All the ac-
ton that he is called upon to take is to
withdraw the federal troops from in and
around the State House at Columbia
This he delays doing-not because he
apprehends as the consequence blood
shed and civil strife-nobody fears that
but because such withdrawal will be a
virtual decision in favor of Hampton and
against Chamberlain, the empty fabric
CT whose sham government" will fall
to the ground the moment its military
props are taken from under it. There
rethe President hesitates therefore he
temporizes. First we had tho coaxing
2 letter of his confidential friend and ad
wiser, John Sherman's successor, by the
Presidents wish, as Senator from Ohio,
Stanley Matthews, written to "Gov."
Chamberlain, begging him for peace
sake, for the sake of the party and the
President, to take himself out of the way,
and promising him that he should not
be the loser by the sacrifice. Chamber
lain refused to heed the suggestion of the
letter, although Evarts Endorsed it, and
Blaine shook the letter in the President s
face in the Senate, and asked "who dar-
ed to give such advice ?" Now we have
an invitation addressed by the President
through his private secretary, with the
approval of the cabinet to the rival
"Governors," Hampton and Chamber
lain, to come on and plead their cause
in person, or, ''if reason of weight" re-
strain them from this course, in writing
through some trusted delegate, before
the President. Eere, as in his inaugura
adAro nv hofVov,c CT 10,
lack of appreciation of the true relations
of the federal and State governments,
and of the conditions which limit and
define the scope of federal interference
in the domestic affairs ofany State. A.
aprivate communication the lette
might be well enough, and the views i
r contains are amiably expressed. AS a,
official paper it is one of the most ex
traordinary in the history ofthe country
and to be classed with the no less extraor
binary embassy which the Presiden
proposes to send to Louisiana to trea
with Nichols and Packard. The onl,
difference apparently is, that while IL
sends special mission to Nichols ant
Packard, he invites Hampton ane
Chamberlain to come to him. Anc
when, and if they. come, what them
Are they to plead before him aud his
cabinet asa sort of supplementary Su
preme Court? Or are they expected tt
draw straws for the governorship, or tt
settle thS question by some private ''ar
rangement?" The question-the onl,
question for President Hayes to decide
that of withdrawing the troops, is to,
simple to need all this palaver and fuss
tits only too painfully apparent that tn
President shrinks from the duty Of de
cision-that he is not a man of resolu
ton, but of expedients, and that hi
policy is not one of "yea" or may" bu
of "willy-nilly. shilly-shally"-the pol
icy, in short, oftemporizing and ofweak
ness, not of decision and of firmness.
The path of duty marked out by thu
constitution-the path of non-interfer
ence-lies plain before the President, ano
apparently he fears to take it. He din
terferes" by refusing or delaying action
L