Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-09-14
The Administration.

THE Administration of President Hayes
has now held power for half a year. 1t
has been subjected to the severe criticism
which every wide departure from custom
evokes, and that criticism has been pc
culiarly searching in this case, because of
the circumstances attending the inaugu
ration. Party foes have sought, with
more than ordinary eagerness, for every
unguarded point in the srmor. Party
friends, angered by the course of the Ad-
ministration in matters hitherto deemed
vital, and angered the more because, as
they choose to say, the Administration
owed peculiar debt of gratitude to the
party, have criticised with freedom, and
at times an asperity rarely known.
From either direction, the censure has
been the more keen because elections
draw near in States which are doubtful,
and yet very important to party success.
The trained intellects of the ablest oppo.
nents of each class have searched for
vulnerable points, and it is safe to say
that we shall not hear from members of
the next Congress stronger criticisms than
have been made by Gov. Chamberlain,
or Gail Hamilton, or the Western oppo-
dents of resumption on the Republican
side, OF by Democratic journals and
speakers, as to the topics of difference
remaining between the two parties.
What is the resulti
Democratic criticism begins and ends
with one word" Fraud" Those who
are malicious and not at all decent have
tried to make it appear that the Admin
istration not only came into power by
fraudulent bargain, but has behaved, in
pursuance of that bargain, fraudulently
toward the party friends who supported
it, and fraudulently with respect to its
discharge of public duties and its per-
fOrmance of pledges to the country.
This sort of criticism has been damaging
chiefly to those who resort to it. The
country has seen not the slightest trace
of bargain looking to the Inauguration
of Mr.. Hayes, but, on the contrary, has
seen abundant proof that the very per
sons who, had such bargain been made,
must have been parties TO it, have met
with no especial favor. 1t has seen that
neither toward the Southern Democrats
nor toward the Southern Republicans
has there been any trace of departure
from the plain and manly declarations of
the President in his letter of acceptance,
made long before the pretended compact
could have existed. AS to the public
service, it has seen abundant proof of a
sincere desire and determined purpose
to carry out the reforms promised at the
opening of the Presidential campaign,
with regard to the Southern question,
the civil service, and resumption; and
every charge of dereliction on that score
by Democrats is sufficiently met by Re.
publicans who blame the Administration
for having done too we'll, or tried to do
too fully the very things then promised.
AS to the charge of treachery to party,
il is enough that Mr.. Hayes ought to be
President of the whole country and not
of party only; but 1t does not vet ap-
pear that the Republican party deliber-
ately promised prior to the election
things which IL never meant to do, and
which it is treachery for him to attempt.
The shrewdest Democratic opponents see
that such charges against the Admins
tration are empty and suicidal, and have
fallen back upon a general accusation of
misconduct against the Republican party
for bringing into power wrongfully an
unobjectiOnable Administration.
Republican criticism has been more
angry, as is natural. Much Of Il has
been aimed at errors of method and de-
tail, and has been on the whole beneh.
cial. 1t has caused the correction of
some abuses, the retracing of some false
steps, the modification Of some imprac-
ticable notions, but It has also brought
into clear light the earnest and resolute
purpose Of the President to make good