The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-04-05
The Plan Of Pacification.

If the purpose OF the administration,
in its promised conservative course to-
wards the South, was to break the power
of the Democratic party in that section,
the plan has experienced a signal failure.
There was in the inaugural good send
off in the direction Of fairness, SO far rs
words Went, but the act has been delayed
50 long as To beget a suspicion OF insin-
cerity. Blaine's fiery arraignment Of the
administration, the scolding inyective OF
v endell Phillips, with the assaults of the
press representing the extreme ideas OF
the party, caused a halt. The original
scheme may be pushed along, but it will
be slow and timid compared with the
rush that had been arranged as Tor a
Stormng party.
Appearances now indicate that South
Carolina will be turned over to Wade
Hanpton-or rather that the troops will
he withdrawn, and rs 4 necessary con
sequence the bayOnet pTopped chair i'll
Which Chamberlain sits will topple over.
The radical pretender has no strength
olher than the presence OF Federal sol
dierS gives him, in keeping up the merest
show of government. The visit of Wade
Hampton to Washington has had a good
aft m n q
his policy of equal justice to citizens OF
al colors disabusing the minds of many
Who had imbbed preiudices against him
and his supporters. He recently addressed
to the President letter of which the fol
lowing is the substance
| am profoundly convinced OF your sincere desire
10 effect p.cication of the entire country, and
in that effort | propose to cooperate with You
most heartily / reiterate my pledge that GOV
erIior of South Carolina shall administer the law
with equal Justice To all classes and with constant
regard TO the Constitution OF the United States
believing, that such action will furnish the peace
tul yndcation Of the views YOU have announced
in your inaugural regarding the right Of local self
government. Under my administration the bcne
iicent educational system shall be administered
equally to all classes All rights Of personal prop
without reference to race color OF political differ
ences. | desire further to state that if the troops
are withdrawn from the State House. and military
interference shall cease, | guarantee to maintain
my office. and neither nor those associated with
me will seek other redress or assert other rights
than through legal methods and peaceful instru
mentality
But it should be remembered that these
not new, as his inaugural message was
Just as frank us his present talk, and that
he has Il large following Of colored men,
who are as thoroughly devoted to him as
the white citizens are. There can be no
question, we think, Of the ultimate with
dIaWal OF the troops, and the melting
away Of the Chamberlain faction.
The Louisiana NATTER for some reason,
appears to be approached much more eau
tously by the administration, although
the questions TO be determined do not es-
sentially differ from those in South Caro-
lima. But there is one important difference
III the attitudes OF the two states regard
ing the right Of Hayes to his position. His
claim to the electoral vote Of South Car
DINA is conceded, while his right to that
OF Louisiana is seriously doubted by more
than halt the people OF the country. The
dilemma, SO torcibly put by Blaine, in his
appeal in behalf of Kellogg, expresses the
whole matter.
nif # hlp
son. the administration chooses to handle
the Louisiana question much more ten
derby. The treatment of the case takes
the form OF q commission of five, with in
Structons To investigate and report. The
men who have been rendered and have
accepted positions upon this commission
are {. b. Lawrence, Of Chicago, eX-chief
justice OF the state: Wayne McV eaoh, OF
Penn, son-in-law OF Cameron; John NJ.
Harlan, formerly governor OF Kentucky
ex-governor John {. Brown OF Tenn;
and ex-governor Joseph r. Hawley, OF
Conn. The political sentiments of the
commission are mixed. Lawrence and
McNeagh are conservative Republicans.
Harlan is an old fashioned Wing, and has
never been anything else Brown is 4
Democrat, and HaWley is a Republican.
These gentlemen will be instructed simply
to 90 down there and labor to effect a sat
isiactory adjustment of differences. The
commission is we'll made up in respect to
the character of the gentlemen compos-
mo it. The question is whether it ought
To be constituted at all.
We think that the President is to be
credited with an intention to pacify the
in those states. 1t is nat
ural that he should desire the easiest. SAT
esl and least troublesome road to that end.
1t is to be hoped that the purpose may be
But as we remarked at the
outset, the fond anticipations Of disrupt
ing the Democratic party in the process
can no longer be cherished.