Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-04-20
The President,s Views.

WAsHINeToE, April IS.
President Hayes said yesterday, in the
course Of conversation, that be had no
concealments regarding his Southern pol.
icy, which, however, had been foreshad.
owed in oral and written utterances, and
in this connection he adverted to the
gubernatorial campaign in Ohio in 1875,
which resulted in his election over Gov.
Allen, the people of that State having
full knowledge of his sentiments on ma
tional questions, including, of course,
those which related to the South. The
opening speech Of the gubernatorial can
didate is generally considered to be the
key note of the campaign, and in such
speech, as early as the 31st of
July, that year, at Marion, he freely
and distinctly expressed his opinions.
This speech was published at length in
all the Republican and many other news
papers, and therefore his views were
generally known. In that speech, after
coDgratulating his fellow-citizens on the
complete triumph over those who sought
to destroy the Union and grand results
of the war, he alluded to the coming to-
getheragain of the Northern and Southern
men in a spirit of harmony and friend
ship, including those who had fought
against one another, and as a prominent
feature in this evidence of good feel
ing he, on that occasion, spoke of the
kindly manner in which Vice.President
Wilson was received on his visit to the
South. In this era of good feeling ana
reconciliation, he further said, there were
still persons who talked of bayonets, and
who sought to revive the prejudices of
the past. This was much to be regretted,
but there was enough to fill every heart
with gratitude, the house being no
longer divided, and all the inhabitants
having fair start in the race for life.
In this and in all his other speeches, he
earnestly condemned the reopening of
old issues between the North and South,
assuming that the time had come for
complete reconciliation.
The President in further conversation
referred to the fact that the National
Republican Convention which nominated
him for the Presidency passed resolu-
ton sacredly pledging the Republican
party to protect every citizen of the
United States in all his civil and political
rights, and declaring that the permanent
pacification of the South should be eff
fected by removing the causes of discord.
The spirit of this resolution was in per-
feet accord with his own views previous
ly expressed, and he repeated them in
his letter of acceptance of the nomina-
tion, and more fully elaborated them in
his inaugural address, consistently main
tanning the policy of reconciliation and
of local self-government apart from mill
tary support; and when he entered upon
the duties of the Presidency he intended
that this policy should not be one of
sentiment merely, but of actual admin
istration.
He spoke with emphasis when be said:
My belief is, this course tends to give
good government to the South. 1t tends
to secure peace between the sections and
between the races and parties at the
South, and it tends to secure the rights,
interests and safety of the colored peo-
pie. Therefore am in favor of the
policy. do not know whether l shall
succeed in carrying it out, because there
are Northern and Southern men who in
various ways may possibly thwart me;
but of one thing am confident, namely:
think it my duty to try to carry out the
policy, and | am going to try TO do it,"