New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-23

stubborn" but he is not quarrclsome, nor NJ
all disposed either TO make or take up an issue
with the party which elected him. lie Is not
welded to his opinions so strongly as 10 smut
his ears to arguments on the other SIDE, ana
we do not believe he has determined to en-
force any policy of his own preference
in the face of his party's disapDroval or oppo-
stion. The Republicans in Congress- too, are
wiser for the experience they have had with
Mr. johnson, and however dissatisfied they
may be with some features of what seems 10
be the Presidents policy, are not anxious 10
force quarrel with him, or magnify TIER dlt-
ferences They are wise enough to dlScrlm-
mate between Mr.. Johnson and Mr.. Hayes,
and TO sec that the latter not having the lnirIuI-
tics of temper and great ambition under which
the former labored would have the advan-
tage in quarrel.
So while no one pretends to deny the fact
that serious differences between the President
and the party in Congress do exist-a fact too
patent to be concealed or neutrality-suspicious.
and patriotic Republicans, who have the inter-
ests of the country and the perpetuity OF the
party at heart. do not apprehend any open
breach between the President and Congress.
OF the two features of the policy of the Adj
ministrati0n which have excited discussion
and criticism, that which relates to South
ern affairs we consider placed beyond
the pale of legitimate discussion. That Issue
has been removed, and whatever men may
think of the wisdom or unwisdom of the policy
by which the settlement was fixed. one thing
is certain: it cannot he revived. Nor Is 1t prac-
teal or pertinent to discuss the question whether
or not the disaffcction or apathy in the Rcpub-
lcan ranks which the recent elections dis
closed grew out Of the course of the Admins
tration upon the Southern question. The pol
icy with regard to the Civil Service, or
rather the methods adopted for enforcing
a Civil Service reform which has been uni
versally demanded, are still open to discussion
and subjects for legitimate criticism. Such dis
cussion, we have reason to believe, the President,
instead of shrinking from, will welcome. The
course of the Administration in regard to APP
pOintmcnts has Ill many respects differed widely
from that of its predecessor. Even if there
has been in practice no such radical change
in the system as might have been ex-
pccted from the somewhat impressive man
ncr in which the new policy has been
announced, the principles upon which
il was proclaimed that appointments were to
be made were so different from those which
Lad governed previous Administrations that,
naturally enough, the politicians took alarm
The order of " discstablishment." which at
once disabled so large and effective force in
politics, increased the apprehensions of Repub-
Iicans who saw in the new order OF things
not so much n movement for political reform,
as a damaging blow to their own party.
1t is upon this question. and, practically,
upon this only that the President and the
most prominent and influential leaders of the
party are at odds. 1t is a difference that
should not be impossible or even difficult TO
adjust anlicably. That some of the early steps
taken in what the President honestly desired
to make a thorough reform were crude and
hastv. we presume the President himself will
frankly admit. 1t must be clear 10 him by
this time, that il is not always safe to
adopt the methods of mere theorists, no
matter how commcndable their purposes or
how plausible their plans. OF course, he sees
that the discstablislmcnt order has been mis-
understood and misconsrued. and has served
very little purpose beyond creating dissatisfac
ton. Indeed, almost all the dissatisfaction in
the party grows not ont of what the President
has done, az what he or his over-zealous
members of the Cabinet have proclaimed
his intention Of dong. There were not
many things in President Grants Ad-
minisrati0n that could be commended to Its
successor, but it did have one quality which
the President and his advisers might profitably
have inflated: it exercised the blessed gift of
silence. II u weak Administration pulled sue
CT ,sfully through eight years of loose rule
lust by the virtue of silence, it seems hard
that through lack of 1t sincere effort for re-
form should fail ut the outset. 1t is much
more important that the President should be
on terms with his party in Congress, than
that the public should be entertained with
proclaim ations concerning his plans of reform.
OTR INDIIN POLICY.