The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-17
The PRECEDENT and the Republican
Party.

meets the republican leaders mean to open
q war on the President. They are greatly
dissatisfied with his Cabinet. and there Is
an unconcealed intention to force Mr. Hayes
to dismiss Messrs Evarts, Schurz and Key,
and put into their places men more accept
able to those who call themselves the lead.
ers of the party, and who do not conceal
from their friends that if they had imagined
Mr. Hayes would put such men as these In
his Cabinet, or would pursue policy such
as he has begun, they would have taken
very slight interest in the Presidential cleo
tion They say that the Presidents policy
is ruinous to the party; that the Cabinet
does not represent the party; that the
fall elections will probably so against
the party; that this will be con-
domination of the Presidents policy,
q change in policy and the dismissal from
the Cabinet Of those members who most
directly and conspicuously represent that
policy--the three gentlemen we have
named.
Now, as TO the fall elections, it would not
surprise us if the republicans lose them
In Ohio, for instance, the Communistic
plank in their platform, and the Com
munistic speeches of their candidate, West,
and of Mr.. Stanley Matthews certainly
deserve defeat It was bad enough to
put a piece of rank dcmagoguery into
the platform, but when both West
and Matthews opened the canvass by cram
ming their Communistic rant down the
throats of the voters we were not surprised
to notice that huge disgust seized upon
the intelligent people of Ohio. New York
is generally believed to be certain for the
democrats /; New Jersey it is admitted they
can cayry if they make a respectable noni-
nation. But for all this the Presidents
policy is in nowise responsible. The truth
is that the republican party is torn by
factions at enmity with each other and
while it is weakened by these intestine dis
putes the people have by no means for
gotten or forgiven the violent, unscrupu-
lous and unconstitutional methods prac-
tised by the republican leaders in the last
election and during the winter; and they
will try to punish these politicians at the
fall elections for their misconduct.
That is the real danger to the republican
party, and the one thing which stands be-
tween them and disastrous overthrow at
this moment is the Presidents policy.
That which is SO bitterly hated by the re-
publican leaders is universally acceptable
to the people. These see that Mr. Hayes
has given peace and rest to the country
by his Southern policy; they see that
he is honestly, though very slowly,
striving to purify the public service and re-
duce expenditures; and there is not the
least doubt that if in any State the republi-
cans this fall escape defeat it will be because
the voters condone the misconduct Of the
republican leaders because of their salts
faction with the Presidents policy and with
his Cabinet, or that part Of it which most
definitely represents that policy.
If any one doubts this we ask him to
consider for u moment what would have
been the condition of the public mind
to-day if Mr. Hayes had put into his Cabi-
net such men as Chandler, Don Cameron
and Blaine, or their representatives, and
have recommended? Will any sane man
pretend that in such case the republicans
could hope to. carry single State this
fall? Is it not certain that they
would have encountered storm Of
indignation which would have swept
them from power in every Northern
State and in every Southern State too
which was not controlled by the army under
the command of federal marshals? 1t is the
Presidents policy, and that alone-the
policy represented in the Cabinet by Messrs.
Evarts. Schurz and Key, and for the faith
are the main guarantee to the public
which gives the republicans even chance
for an election anywhere this fall. Without
that they would be everywhere left in a con-
temptible minority.
Suppose, to look at the matter from an
other side the republican leaders had at
once heartily and sincerely accepted the
Presidents policy had gathered enthusi-
asfically about him and his Cabinet, as the
true representatives of republicanism
had supported him with zeal in all his
measures, is it not clear rs day that the
party would have been strong to-day
that its offences, grave as they were,
would have been forgotten, and its
leaders taken anew into confidence and
favor by the people? But everywhere
the republican leaders have either opposed
the Presidents policy or given it q luke
warm, halfway approval, as that in Ohio.
What is the result? Some republicans conf
plain Off "solid South y but what can they
expect? The South sees the Presidents
own party disowning him and his policy it
does not know but the elections of next
year may put men like Blaine, Cameron,
Butler, Wade, Chandler, again in power.
Every interest of the Southern people,
under such circumstances, forces them to