The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-03-12
THE LaBEaAL VIEW OF THE CASE,

We present this morning o communi-
cation headed "The Liberal.C onserva-
tive View Of the Situation" by on expe-
rienced and we'll known Journalist.
This statement Of the situation Ia not
new one. though 1t Is adroitly put. Il
Ii needless to say that We disagree with
nearly every line Of the article and that
we give 1t q place in the DEMOCRAT only
because II represents the views OF q por-
tion. though very small portion, OF the
community.
Even II the candidacy Of Hayes and
Greeley had been based. as the writer
claims, on the same theory, there was
no reason why the Democrats should
have repeated In 1876 the folly they
committed In 1879. Consistency should
not be the first purpose of men or par
ties: there Id u vice OF consistency as
well as a virtue Of consistency, and the
vice of consistency Is In committing
folly because one has committed q folly
before. The Liberal movement OF 1879
brought upon the Democracy, nay,
worse, upon the country, disaster.
shame and humiliation. II our corre-
spondent can point to q single good
that came from the miserable fiasco OF
1872 we should be glad to have him do
ID. The compromise, fusion, surren-
der. or whatever else 1t may be termed,
az that canvass, like all other compre-
misses, resulted in disgraoeful defeat.
But the Hayes and Wheeler ticket
and party stood by no means In the
same attitude to the South that the
Greeley and Brown ticket stood. The
latter promised us local self-govern-
ment: emancipation from carpet-bag-
Gerry and the military. and invited us to
un alliance against the Republican par
til. There were many reasonable argu-
merlts to induce us to accept that ALI
ance, and disastrous as 1t proved. we can
not censure any one who was led into 1t
and who helped to lead others into 1t.
Hayes stosd in no such ceiation to the
South or the Democracy. Notwith-
standing what our correspondent as
sumes, 1t is matter Of history that Hayes
owed his nomination. net Go the conser-
vative men of his party, but, more than
to any other man. to DON Cameron. one
OF the most extreme and unscrupuloxs
bloody shirt haters OF the South. .
It il also matter of history that neither
Schurz nor Matthews ran the Hayes
canvass. So bitter and vindictive was
that canvass, that even Mr.. Conhiing
took little or no part In 1t, though its
fierce and perseccuting spirit dragged
w. AZ. Evarts down into the slush OF
bloody-shirtism Such Gendish hates
OF the South-such Eliza Pinkstonish
statesmen-as Jim Blaine. Bob Inger-
soil. Whisky Chandler and Clerical Err.
ror Stoughton conducted the canvass
from the nomination to the fraudulen,
counting In.
From the hour that the nomination
Of Hayes was announced until the crea
zion OF the Electoral Commission. there
was no time when any Southern mai
could have joined in his support with
out kissing the hand that was raised t.
smite him; and, considering the char
acter OF that canvass and the characte
of Mr.. Hayes title to the Presidency
we do not well see how any Southern
man can regret that he did not ioinin il
If Mr.. Hayes shall faithfully carry GU
Southern policy he has indicated
hlI Southern men, not positively Insane
kill support it. But the fact remain
nt. il the men who have desired t
Nv on political contest. lwaged D
spther side with tho ferocity Of hate
n nth the evident purpose TO desfro
<xterminate,) in the cencliiator
hpromising temper Indicated q
med correspondent, had cor
= politics, no Republican ad
IN would hare ever beel
the reasonable and just att
Hayes ii now promising I