The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-02
Tn. south Carolina Decision.

The south Caroline Decision.
The final action of the President in giving
Governor Hampton. previous to his depar-
ture from Washington, an explicit promise
that he will within few days withdraw the
troops from Columbia and allow the State
free control of its own affairs puts an end
to long period of needless suspense. The
value of this satisfactory decision would
have been enhanced by greater promptness
but justice to the President forbids us to
underrate the difficulties and embarrass-
ments which attended his action. He Is
naturally averse to exciting great storm Of
indignation in his own party. Even now
there is some danger of an impulsive, unre-
iecting meeting among the fanatical faunt-
ers of the bloody shirt The President
hoped to forestall an fmeate in the repub-
lican party against the execution of the pol
icy declared in his letter of acceptance and
inaugural address by inducing Governor
Chamberlain to waive his claims and make
a voluntary retirement When the Presi-
dent found he could not succeed in this
attempt he vindicated his steadiness of pur-
pose by doing what he had fully decided
to do from the beginning. We do not
doubt that order and tranquility will
be preserved in South Carolina; but
it is barely possible that Mr.. Chamberlain
may make an appeal to the republican party
of the country. But should he do so he
will meet with feeble response. The in
telligent part even of the aggressive repub-
licans see that the old game is played out.
They can have no reasonable hope of ever
carrying the country again on the bloody
shirt issue. They made that issue promi-
nent in the late election and in the popular
vote there was majority of quarter of
million against them. They succeeded in
electing Mr. Hayes only because the cleo
toral vote does not correspond to the
popular vote. A very large majority
of the citizens of the United States
are unalterably opposed to military inter-
vention by the federal government to thwart
State independence All the wiser republic
cans see that there is no salvation for their
party if that policy is PERSISTED in. II,
therefore, Mr.. Chamberlain should be SO
injudicious as to make an appeal to the
country it would fall on listless ears. It is
so evident that we have passed into a new
era that we have been surprised at the CROP
ing hesitation of President Hayes in carrying
ont policy which his own judgment
strongly approves and to which he
has long stood publicly committed.
He is in no peril; it is only the
,hn
crazy enough to oppose him that are in dan
ger of being swept down by public senti-
ment. There is no possibility that the
policy of military intervention in the States
can stand.
That was the policy of Grant; but. in
spite of it, every Southern State but two
was wrested from the republicans during
his administration. This great revolution
will not 90 backward. The idea that any
kind or any amount of military interven-
ton could retain South Carolina and Louis
lana in control of the republicans for the
ensuing four years is as ridiculous as the
attempt of Mrs. Darlington to keep back
the rising tide of the Atlantic with her mop.
Even if President Hayes had no need of
Congress to maintain the army he would
lose those two States rs certainly rs Presi-
dent Grant lost all the others. But he is
hedged in by an obstacle which General
Grant did not have to encounter. He will
be permitted to have no army at all if he
does not satisfy Congress at the extra ses-
sion that State governments are no longer
to be interfered with. If he were ever so
much inclined to pursue the old exploded
policy it would be practically impos-
sible against the opposition of demo-
cratic House, which will insist on the same
kind of an army bill as that which was
defeated Mt the last session, unless the
troops are previously withdrawn from
Louisiana as we'll as from South Carolina.
Every republican who meditates an outcry
because the President has decided to with
draw the troops is political lunatic. Even
if the Presidents judgment and conscience
were not opposed to continuing the inter-
vention policy nobody could reasonably
complain of him for not attempting plain
impossibility.
Horse Car Hints.