New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-22
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
PRESIDENT AND PARTY.
CRITICISMS OF REPUBLICAN LEADERS,


tFRoh A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUsEl
WASHINGTON. Oct. 2l.-In a recent letter, on cur
rent opinion among Republican Congressman as TO
the future of their party alluded to their feeling
toward the President. The chief feature of tho
political situation continues to be the offended and
distrustfu attitude Of large majority of active party
men on the Republican side Of both the Senate and
the House. This fact, which no observant man can
spend day at the Capitol without perceiving is
my excuse for returning to the subject, and dwell
ing upon il more fully than before The great mass
of intelligent, Notwithstanding people throughout
the country have been thought lat least before tho
Ohio election since 10 trust and like President
Hayes but it plain that the representatives of his
party in Congress do not trust him. aud their crii-
cisms upon him Of such nature as reveal a
growing dislike. Here is curious phenomenon.
Are the people right, has there been general
misapprehension as to what people Think
or are the politicians right Perhaps to certain
extent they both right-the people in tho
faith they believed still to cherish, that
the President is trying TO act for the good Of
the country, without regard to party, and the poll
tcians in their opinion that he seriously damaging
the Republican organization.
One thing certain, however; the President is for
the moment almost as much out of accord with his
party in Congress as Andrew johnson was in tho
first year of his separation from the Republicans
and before lie had thrown himself fully into the
of the Democrats. To some extent this is the fault
of the Congressman They have been too ready to
load upon President Hayes responsibility for lost
pagns which did not wholly belong to him. They have
magnicd the effect of Administrative acts which
they did not approve, and they have shown an un-
willingness to aid in eecting reforms which the pub
lie imperatively demands. They have been supcious
| of the Liberal Republican element which Mr.. Hayes
took into favor, and angry at the attempt TO change
| the old custom which made Congressman the dspen-
of Office and patronage in their States and DIS
tricts. But the President may be fairly criticised,
also. When he first came to the White House he
thought to he exceedingly approachable-the sort Of
/ man, in short who welcomed and weighed advice.
| lie Is still apprOachablc but the complaint is made
that while you can get at him socially, YOU cannot
| irteectualy-that is, You cannot feel that you arc
| impressng your ideas upon his mind with any
! chance of modifying his judgment. Congressman
and other party leaders complain that he does not
| Invite advce-that nobOdys opinion is asked-that
even his old personal friends not taken into his
counsel IN reference to matters IN which they are
concerned aud have to suppose they ought 10
be consulted. This has had marked tendency 10 in
crease the feeling Of GOODNESS among leading Senators
and Representatives. l know one Congressman who
has been acquainted with Mr.. Hayes for twenty
| years, and who in the critical moment last Winter,
took the step which probably brought about his
peaceabe Inauguration. who says that the President
has never a single occasion asked his advice
! since he went INTO the White House. Another Re.
publican Of great emnence, said to me lately All
the important appointments in my State were
! made without a word of consultation with my
| colleagues or myself. We did not want to
dictate the appointments. We would not have
felt aglrieyed II our collective advice had been dsre
81 ,rt ,s~t..,
much as aled TO give friendly opinion on the sub
ject." Stl another prominent Representative re-
| marked yesterday: " Not a single appointment has
| been made by President Hayes Oh my recommends
| ton, and yet | supposed l had much influence
| with him as anybody. don't much for this,
but lOnt like the feeling of being showed of and
held at arms length, a. if my advice not wanted
and / had no right to offer it," Another quotation
will suffice: g feel" SAID a Ncw-YorS Congress
man, a. though the President thought my Office Of
Representative a sort of disgrace, at least
barrier to his confidence. dou't 20 near him, be-
cause | believe he doesn't want to me-"
Ia the talk among Republicans 1T the Capitol ono
man injuries Of another if the President con-
suits with him, and after weeks exchange Of eX-
pcrience and information this point all around,
the conclusion is that he does not consult with any
prominent Republicans, unless it be Senator Stanley
| Matthews and nobody knows whether that gentle
| man is now upon any more confidential footing at
! the White House than his colleagues. The question
naturally arises and is asked with some ALARM with
| whom then does the President cOnsultf Not with
us Republicans, it would seem. Is he asking advice
OF the Democrats :" IL is not explicitly charged that
| hel finding his political cOunse0rs among the DEM
ocratic leaders but every circumstance that looks
| ike scrap of evidence in that direction is made
| the most of by suspicious Congressman. They
cannot imagine that President HAYES is running tho
Government alone with only the advice he gets from
his Cabinet and the fact that he does not seek tho
views of his own party seems almost conclusive to
their minds that he is turning toward the other
party If the President during the next fortnight,
| could invite twenty thirty prominent Republican
Senators and Representatives to call upon him, and
could spend half an hour with each III friendly chat
on the political situation, and his plans and hopes
| for the future he might do something toward al
| LAYING the apprehension that he is deliberately
| building up a barrier between himself and lis
| party.
| Now that am upon the theme of Congressional
criticism of the Administration, may as well gIyo
the worst that is said before | close the chapter.
The charge is frequently made that there have been
more personal appointments under President Hayes,
than under General Grant. OF course the statement
! is exaggerated, but il is not without foundation.
| The most important specifications that are made TO
sustain the charge, are that the first prominent
politician who pushed Hayes forward for the nonl-
| nation Is in the Cabinet; that the best European
mission was given to the politician who arranged
! the Hayes canvass in the Cincinnati Convention
| that two of the lawyers who defended Mr.. Hayes
! right to the Presidency before the Electoral Com
mission are Cabinet members: third in a foreign
mission and fourth just named for another foreign