The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-04-12
What ben Hill Thinks about II.

Senator Ben Hill was interviewed u
Monday by the Atlanta Constitutional.
ist. The reporter asked:
What is your opinion, Mr.. Hill, oil
the new administratiOn-theP President
and his Cabinet
Senator Hill Il think no man ever
came into the presidential Office with
more patriotic intentions than Mr..
Hayes. Without individualizing ex-
OOp.ionO, but taking it as whole,
think, too. that no president ever COM
menced his administration with O bet.
ter cabinet. Whether the President
and his advisers shall be able to dc
what they desire to do-carry their pa.
triOtic intentions into effect is the
great question now to be settled. They
will certainly encounter very serious
difficulties in this work.
Repsrter-What are the difficulties
to which you alluded
Senator Hill-The ultra leaders and
press Of his party are using all their
efforts, both persuasive and threaten
ing, to drive the President from his lib
eral policy altogether. fear too many
of the Southern people and press are
rsady to denounce the President as
treacherous and false because he does
not execute his policy as rapidly as our
n Itural Impotence demands. Some
Republicans are anxious for the con-
tinuance of proscriptive policy to-
wards the South because they hope to
20 90
thus keep the Southern States CONSOLE
dated for the Republican party. fear
some Democrats could be found who
would not object to such proscriptive
policy, because it would be . sweet re-
veDge upon US for refusing to engage
in certain filibustering, as 1t is called,
and would keep the South solid for he
Deu ocratic party. 1t is the old battle
of cross tire frOm extremes, and 1t
will require rare combination of cour-
age, wisdom and firmness TO defy and,
by defyinR, conquer them.
II the President shall fail, bis fail
ure will be caused by too great de-
sire tn please too many men who can
not be pleased with anything wise,
moderate or constitutional. He cannot
too well or too soon learn that it is ut
terly impoliuc to satisfy men with a
patriotic policy Of national healing
who owe oil their prominence to Sec
tional snimosities. 1t is clear to my
mind that the President is good man.
Is he also greati 10 now the question.
To succeed, he must be great, for
weak men with good intentions cannot
safely fight able men with bad inten-
tons. / earnestly hope our Southern
people will give the President time,
and not be too hasty in their condem-
nation.
Reporter-Do you think Southern
Democrats should accept Office from
AIR. Hayesi
Senator Hill certainly do. We
have been justly complaining Of the
bad officers put upon the South by
Grant. II Mr.. Hayes offers to give
the offices to good men, and they do
not accept them, the continuance Of
bad officers will be own own fault.
Reporter-We would like to have
your views on the presidential count
and the history Of that controversy.
Senator Hilton all those questions
prefer to say nothing now. All am
willing to say now may be summed up
in these few words.
The President stands pledged 10 the
most solemn msnner b. give the whole
country q constitutional and non-parti,
san administration. lie is especially
pledged to give Us Of the sou,Aa eorS
civil service and naa-tateFieFeHs>
our local State governments ,r VII
these pledges have BIZ tosuess
nly. IN good ist's and from eon DcGsS,
dasm. II these pledges are NOT re-
- We must zee TO it thst no blame
-.all rest upon rs Of the South. We
must meet the President in . spirit OF
generous confidence While preserv-
ing our own self respect We mast
manifest our cheerful readiness 70 aid
IN restoring honest, constitutional Rov-
eminent. We must not, by 9 hasty or
capnons distrust aid the extreme men
Of bis party in their efforts to drive
him from his patriotic posiuon. We
must give him fair chance full time
and every proper aid and encourare-
ment to redeem his pledges. III be shall
succeed he will make for himself 4
great name, and our whole country will
enter upon q new era Of unexsmnled
prosperity and happinesA II be fail he
shall not beable 70 say We Of the South
caused the failure. This u eli I an
willing ct prsseat to cay.