New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-27

The Southern Question in the CabiRet.
The interest not alone OF the politicians,
but of all of our people who are concerned
in the welfare of their common country, lie
strained to the top pitch of anxiety with
regard to the disposition to be made of the
questions which yesterday absorbed the at
tention Of the Csbiner, and will again come
before its members to-day. The Southern
situation has undergone some noticeable
changes in the past few days. With the
incoming of President Hayes, the country,
Judging of his future course by his admir-
able-inaugural address, and his no less sd-
mirable letter Of acceptance, united in
the support of his prospective policy
with q unanimity hardly before wit
messed in our history since the days of
Washington. To such IS undertook, how
ever sound their motives, to caVil against
the administrative policy before its features
should be announced, there came back q
| common cry of depreciation that chilled
| into sudden silence. The country was
anxious for q settlement of the Southern
| question--it was deeply DESTROYS of the
burying of the long continued strife, and
/ the thorough pscifcation of sectional
l hatred, and it saw in the patriotic words OF
President Hayes desire equal to their
own. They we're content implicitly to
| trust him with the outlining of the method
by which this settlement should be secured.
|
though the means were as yet invisible to
them.
But the change that has come has come
from the South itself; and it must have been
cause for IS grave anxiety to the President
as it has been to the people. Both had be-
lieved that the South was willing and ready
| to meet US half way in cur desire for pac;fi-
cation, and in our spirit of conclliation.
| But the late tone of their prese; the AFRO
/ CANT demands of the Hampton and Mich
oils representatives; the assassination of
| Weber, shot from the West Feliciaua
courthouse, in broad daylight, while pass
| ing quietly from his Office to his home; the
political murder of John F. Moore, in De
| Soto parish; these and similar occurrences
have given us sudden pause New word
comes up, also, from New Orleans. Gov
ernOr Packard, claiming the right-which
| it would seem that he possesses equally
with NichOlls-of supporting bis govern
ment by the strong arm of those who Fecog-
nize il, has been assembling his cOlOred
militia; and the Southern Democratic press
do not hesitate to urge upon Nichols the
duty Of ''wipfng out the filthy, smallpoxy
horde of thieves and rufians," 30 soon as
the United States troops are removed.
Il is not strange that these tbinRs should
throw . sudden dsmpening upon the hopes
and aIdor of the North. Leading papers
have become suddenly doubtful In their
urge, in repeated editorials, calm but fOret-
fnl in tone, that the United States troops
shall not be removed until we shall have
received clear and unmistakable guarantees
of the course to be pursued by the South
ern leaders. Other journals, NO less re-
spected in their localities, have followed in
the same channel They are not willing to
accept the ambiguous promise of Hampton
and Nichols that no disturbance shall fol-
low uDon the removal of the troODs Aa
the Chicago Journal promptly queries,
.sWho shsll guarantee the guarantorin
IL could not but be that these doubts, so
suddenly and unfortunately arisen, should
have had an echo in the Cabinet itself 1t
we are to accept the accounts which come
to us from all sources, of both parties, as to
yesterdays session, at least four of the
seven members Of the Cabinet were OPP
posed to the present removal of troops. All
united heartily with the Presidentin his de-
/ sire for paclh sation, but Secretaries Sher-
man, McCrary, Thompson and Attorney
General Devens were unwilling to take this
decisive step until assured of disposition
on the parbo of the Southern leaders to deal
| fairly with us in our attempts at q settle
ment, and to respect the rights and priv
legss of Southern Republicans.
The Cabinet resumes consideration of the
mOmentOus question to-day, and it is be-
lieved that hnal decision will be reached.
We can console ourselves that the subject
10 In the hands Of those better informed
than We are, and whose past record is such
as to entitle them TO our full confidence.
Yet the country will wait snxiously for the
result, and will most earnestly hope that
no CONCESSIONS shall be made to the de-
mands of Southern leaders which are not
fully justified by the spirit exhibited upon
their part. Cincinnati Daily Times.