Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-06-26
nR. A AND TEE South.

MR. HAYES AND TIE SOUTH.
Col. JIM. Heating, of the Appeal,
had an interview with President
HAYES yesterday, which must have
been very pleasant, judging from
what the latter is reported to have
said. He expressed desire to visit
the South, and We hope he will
come. The people will accord to
him every mark Of respect that is
due the President of the United
States. We will waive all political
differences of opinion, the question
of title to Office and the very re-
membrance of the electoral com
mission for the time being and give
him a genuine, cordial Southern
welcome. Whatever may be said
of his party, Mr.. Hayes is a gentle
man above reproach-an honest,
well-meaning man. He will find
when he comes here that while the
Democrats maintain their organiza-
ton, and are true to their princi-
pies, they give him full credit
for his good intentions and
offer no captious opposition to
the paciGcatory measures he
has adopted. There is a difference
which some DO not seem to per-
ceive between approving Hayes
acts in regard to certain matters
and deserving the Democratic or
Conservative party to become a
Republican. The Southern people
understand this difference to a
nicely and will act upon it when
the right time comes. Meanwhile,
the mere abuse of Hayes is not
much of a test of Democracy, but
on the contrary is not approved by
the intelligent masses. lie is de
facto President, without any act Of
his own except in taking the Office,
and there is no prominent man in
either party but what would have
accepted the presidency under sim
liar circumstances. The conces-
sions to the popular demand for
civil service reform, the honest ad-
ministration of constitutional gov
eminent and recognition Of all the
States as equals in the Union come
with better grace because opposed
by the extremes Of his own party.
Having declared that he will not bea
candidate for reelection he can
afford to let parties take care Of
themselves, and be President Of the
whole country, and not Of one Sec
ton alone. Grant represented and
was the embodiment Of Republican,
policy; Hayes does not, for he has
some respect for the constitution,
and does not use the whole power
Of the government to promote and
maintain his party. He has stolen
some Democratic theories his
party has stolen everything else
and cannot purge itself by spas
modic repentance after being caught
in the act and convicted in the
minds of all honest men. The
Democratic party can afford to wait :
can afford to give Mr.. Hayes the
fullest credit for all that he does in
the line of a patriotic discharge Of
duty; but it cannot afford to trusI
the Republican party. The two
propositions are as unlike as day
and night. This is perfectly under
stood, and will be expressed at the
ballot-box by an increased anC
Overwhelming Democratic majority
and the next time a Democrats
President is elected he will be inau
gurated, army or no army.
PROPOSED CHANGE OF SCHOOL BOOKS
We hold as sound doctrine ant
common sense that very strong rea
sons should exist before a change o
text books is made in publ
schools. School books are NOR
profitable to the publishers thai
any other kind of books; henc.
publishers are continually bringing
out novelties to compete with eacl
other, and agitating the subject o
changes. OF this branch of th.