The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-30
But Half Right.

We have no fears TINT inc iIcstueho va
che United States will refuse TO recognize
WAns HAMPTON as Governor Of South Caro-
,na Governor HAMPTON himself has little
II anv doubt, we presume. He has not
zone 20 Washington to plead his cause be-
fore . NAroLsoN who can set up and depose
kings at will, but to confer with his equal.
His visit is oncof courtesy. Being invited
to call upon the President, he decided that
il was his duty to do so. He loses none OF
his dignity by so doing. He does not M
patr his title to his office, He does not
make unmanly concessions. He simply re-
cocnizes "the situation" rs it Is, ana
does what he deems best for the Sn"se
of good government, and the people
o.. South Carolina. IL he hao hao
less confidence in the perfectnesS or MS
title "a tho Office OF Governor, he might have
refused 10 so. II he had had any ioes OF
surrenderiug his office unless compelled so
to do nv superior force, ne might have re-
fused 10 so. II he had been ovcr-Sensitive,
he might have refused TO go. Ii he had con-
suited the whims OF superServiceab'c friends
o, his own personal convenience rather
than lac welfare OF the people OF South Ca
rolina, he might have refused to go. But
being a statesman-Shat is, a public man
WHO knows how TO use to the best adfan-
tars the circumstances Of the moment;
being confident that he Is the lawful Gov
ernor @; South Carolina; being determined
to hold his office until diSposscssed by the
arm o. the United States: looking upon
himself as the servant Of the people OF his
State, and not As q ruler by divine right, he
concluded that it was best for his country
tina: he should beard the lion in bis den.
tho DouGI A. i'll his hail." and let the Presi-
dent know brvond doubt that lie (WADE
H.seroN) proposed and purroScd to be Gov
crncr Of South Carolina during the current
term. And. as We have said, he will ac-
complsh the object OF his visit. He viii
LOOK HAYES in the eye and tell Kim what TO
expect and HAYES will proclaim it upon
the hou>e-tops that this lconine man is the
rigb::u! Executive OF the Palmetto State.
The doctrine so frequently set forth in
this ;laper that the President has nothing
10 do with preserving the peace in any State
unless called upon in the manner prescribed
in the Federal Constitution. and that he
canno: then Interfere unless it i clear that
the Legislature or the Governor calling
upon h;rn Is the constitutional legislature or
Governor. i not y new doctrine. II is
cardinal feature Of the teachings oi the
strict constructionist>. Il is destined u be
accented throughout the country, ii the
country l. to remain free. Home-rGie is
the rule of friends. Rule from Washington
is the rule OF enemies. Theory and exam
ple teach Us this truth, and it has pcnetra-
ted the Uranium OF at least one OF the MEM
b,rs OF Mr.. HAYEs's Cabinet, though these
are all supposed to belong to the conSolida-
zionist party. The Lyach5urg Fifginian-
indisputaole authority-sayS
"Just where the right OF the Federal
Government, or, il you please, the Presi-
dent OF the United States, to determine er
cdthedra, who is the Governor OF a State
begins is question we heard put to MEN,
Der of Mr.. Hayes'S Cabinet last week. And
the Secretary frankly avowed that he did
not think it competent for the President to
decide such q question, adding that the less
the Federal Government has to do with
such matters, apart from the constitutional
obligation to see that every State has re-
publican form Of government, the better.
He remarked, further, that If he were the
sole arbiter in the case he would withdraw
the troops and leave the people concerned
10 settle the matter between themselves"
This comes up to our idea exactly. We
woHid fain indulge the belief that it was
Mr.. EvARTs who said it. Hc "did not
think it competent for the President to de-
eide" who is Governor OF State under
such circumstances as exist in Louisiana.
VIII Mr.. HAYES take the advice OF this
member OF his political family: We fear
not We fear that he intends to be only
hall right; that as he appointed KEY one
week and FRED. DOUGLASS the next to in.
portant Offices, 80 he will not recognize
NICHOLS, but HAMPTON only. He will
''split the difference so to speak. He will
compromise, as in the. ease OF the Metro
politan and the Foundry churches-goins
to one one Sunday, and to the other TIT
next. If he does, he will commit grea
bIunder. He will destroy the fine fabric tha
his inaugural erected as i'll day. He will fine
1t impossible to satisfy the southern people
by any act of injustice. More: he vii
compel the people OF Louisiana to take ~
arms against PACKARD as 4 means OF Kidding
themselves OF his hateful presence and hi;
intolerabe government; and they will dc
this with the intent to bring down upor
themselves military government. Such q
people, so determined, so fully sensible Of
their wrongs, so bent upon freeing them,
! selves, cannot be moved by appeals, fright
ened by threats, nor seduced by official pa
tronage. II Mr.. HAYES decides to be only
hall right, he might as well be written down
at once as a failure rs q President There
would be no craftsmanship in such course