The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-04-12
THE KKNOSHA TELEGRAPH,
KENOSHA, WIS, APRIL y, 1877.
THE PRESIDENTS PEACE POLICY.

lima and LoaGiSjan0.-A7ad 2O7to aOjIl
be. q0ith or 2OitboMt justice?
The Presidents peace policy, if it can
be carried out successfully without in
Justice, will commend itself to every
Republican. The President is @ sound
Republican, loves peace, and hopes by
his peace policy, to bring about recon
-ciliation and peace between the politi-
cal parties and races in the Southern
States, and to secure the rights Of life,
liberty, suffrage, property and the pur-
suit Of happiness to the negro equally
with the white man. Every Republi-
can and Patriot will approve Of such
q policy as far as it can be carried into
execution without injustice.
When President Hayes came into
Office there were two Governors and
two Legislatures, OF what claimed to
be such, in South Carolina and Louis
lana, and two Supreme Courts, or what
claimed to be such, in Louisiana. In
each of the States United States troops
were placed at the Capitals and III the
State Houses to preserve the peace, and
it had not been decided which was the
legal Governor Of either State OF which
was in rebellion.
Under the circumstances, on coming
into office, it seemed to be the duty OF
the President to determine,
1. Which is the legal Governor Of
each State?
2. Which is in rebellion against the
legal Governor Of the State, and 3. Has
the President been called upon legally
to support the legal Governor and to
subdue the rebellion? Either one or
the other Of the claimants to the Gov
ernorship in each State was elected,
and if he has qualified he is the legal
Governor of the State. And, if the
President has been legally called upon
10y the legal Governor or legal Legisla-
ture for assistance, no peace policy and
no peace compromise in favor OF the
opposing claimant, can relieve the Pres
ident from his obligation and duty to
furnish the assistance. Even as the
case now stands in South Carolina,
Chamberlain having surrendered the
Executive Chamber and the Executive
records and papers to Hampton, if Cham
berlain is the legal Governor and the
President has been legally called upon
for assistance he is not relieved from
his obligation and duty to furnish it.
That the Returning Board of South
Carolina returned Chamberlain elected
Governor Of the State is unqu9stiOna-
BILE. And the Legislature, having a
quorum Of each House, SO claimed by
Chamberlain, confirmed the returns of
the Returning Board, declaring Cham
berlain elected. The Supreme Court
of South Carolina had some action in
relation to the returns Of the Returning
Board, but as far as we know or believe
it never decided that Chamberlain was
not elected and that Hampton was
elected Governor Of South Carolina.
What information the President and
his advisers may have which we have
not which may enable them to come to
different conclusion we do not know.
And, from the information which we
have, we can not see why Chamberlain
is not now the legal Governor Of South
Carolina and entitled to the support Of
the President to subdue the rebellion.
But whether the legal Governor and
entitled to support or not, The will not
be recognized and will not be furnished
support. Wade Hampton has become
the Governor de f0ct0 and will be rec
Ognized by the President.
Notwithstanding Chamberlain, in
closing his address to the Republicans
Of South Carolina, devoutly prays that
events may vindicate the wisdom
of the Presidents action and
that peace, justice, freedom and pros
perity may hereafter be the por-
ton Of every citizen Of South Caro-
lima, his faith that it would so result,
may not have been very strong. In his
inaugural address, remarkable for it's
earnestness and pathos, he said:
IF we fail now our Government, the
legal Government of South Carolina,
will no longer rest upon the consent Of
the governed. If our opponents
triumph, l care not under what legal
forms, we shall witness the overthrow
of free Government in our State. My
chief anxiety is that [ may have the
frmness and wisdom to act in a man
ner worthy Of the great interests COM
mitted to my keeping"
That Chamberlain believes himself
to be the legal Governor of South
Carolina, and is forced to abandon the
struggle for the Office, and that in doing
SO he is acting for the best interest of
the people of South Carolina, is unques-
tionable. Whether, in abandoning the
struggle when he did, was best, may
admit of some question.
The Louisiana Commissioners are
making some progress, but their inves-
LEGATIONS have not been very satisfac-
tory. When they are through they
will report to the President who in
their opinion is Governor of Louisiana,
or that they are not able to find out.
If they report in favor of one of the
claimants the President will recognize
him as Governor if he approves of
their report. If they do not report in
favor Of either he will recognize which