The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-10-03
THE PRESIDENT.

Southern papers and politicians
are becoming just little disgusting
in their adulation of Mr.. Hayes
The fraudulent President cannot open
his lips but a thousand pencils are
ready to declaim upon the wisdom OF
his utterances and thousand tongues
to echo his twaddle. Throughout
his New England tour, and during
his present jaunt, his speeches have
been simply silly, often insuferably
so. Indeed, he ought to have lost all
the reputation he ever had for wis.
dom and craftsmanship, and stand
forth the good natured imbecile be
is. But, instead of that, the press
and politicians, especially those OF
the South, have done nothing for
weeks but slobber over him and quote
his nonsense and palaver about his
magnanimity.
1t is time that this toadyism were
ended; it is time for the people to
Judge Mr.. Hayes by the principles
upon which his administration is
based and the measures which it pur-
sues. The Picayune, yesterday
morning, affirms that Gov. Hampton's
courtesies to the President "admit
that Hayes may be innocent Of the
fraud that decided his case" that
"our present political status is due
to his good will" that we owe Mr..
Hayes debt Of gratitude. These
propositions are as silly as some of
the Presidents gable in New Eng
land. Gov. Hampton has said moth
ing to intimate that Mr.. Hayes may
be innocent of the fraud which deci-
ded his case. Gov. Hampton could
not have been so weak as to do such
a thing as that.
There is not an intelligent man in
the United Sales.--future is scarcely
a woman or child-who does not
know that Hayes was made President
by fraud. There are many who de-
ny the fact; there are others, like
the Picayune, who would smooth
over the disgraceful business. But
Mr.. Hayes, with all the balance of
the country, knows exactly how he
was made President; he knows that
he was defeated fairly in the election
and that he obtained the office
through a process of forgery, perjury
and violence, and he must feel an IN
utterahle contempt for those who
credit him with the innocence of the
sucking babe. Mr.. Hayes maudlin
partisans and admirers had better
drop that line of defense. 1t would
be more creditable to them and to
him to defend him upon the ground
that, ambitious as Caesar or Richard.
or other usurpers, he accomplished
through the bullyism of some, and
the bold and open perjury of others
of his supporters what those men &C
complished, some by arms, and 9TH
ers by murder and diplomacy.
The allegation that our present
status is due to Mr.. Hayes good
will, and that we owe him debt of
gratitude, is false in fact and vicious
in morals. Mr.. Hayes was and is as
much of a Republican as Grant or
Morton. He ran for the Presidency
on the platform of the Republican
party, read and interpreted in the
light Of Grantism. No we'll inform
ed man doubts that if Hayes had
been fairly elected on the Republican
platform through canvass managed
by Morton, Blaine, Cameron, Chan
dler, and the Federal army, he would
have carried out the policy of Grant.
But the election went against Hayes;
the people by vast majority pro-
nounced against Grantism; indeed,
they pronounced against it so en-
phatically that Grant, stolid, regard
less of public sentiment, resolute as
he was, took steps in the later days
of his lll-spent term to reverse his
policy. If Hayes had attempted to
enforce Grants policy he would have
been upset by revolution. He held
his place through compromise be-
tween the cowardice of the Eastern
Democrats and the prudence of the
Republican conspirators-the Demo
Gratis consenting to the triumph Of
the fraud, and Hayes agreeing, for
the Presidency, to accept the South
ern policy of the Democrats.
Where the debt of gratitude comes
in we cannot see. Hayes owes much
to the forbearance of the South,
while be has given the South moth
ing but what the country forced from
hin, 70 o,;vo. notb;nr hpt 1vbat ho