The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-03-29
Correspondence.

patience, [ feel constrained to say a few
words las an original Union man and Re
publican) upon what is upon every ones
lips e., the policy which the new admin
istration intends to pursue upon the South
ern question. AS you are aware, am
Southern man by birth and residence, and
have never resided outside of the slave
States. Therefore, shall claim to speak as
Southern Republican, but only for myself,
as have not consulted any one. One thing
I am sure of the loyal men OF this nation
labored through four years Of bloody war,
and spent five billions of money, to keep
the South the territory, and the people, IN
the Union. Another Fact feel sure of: now
that this has been accomplished, every one
of them desires that an era OF good feeling
shall ensue, and that hereafter we may liter
ally have "no North, no South, no East, no
West" but only one country, and that IN
separable and indivsible. And | must be-i
lieye that any course which is at all caleu-
lated to produce 4 contamination so desirable
will meet the hearty approval OF all men
South who love their government. AS un-
derstand it, Southern Republicans have al
ways desired most to bring their States into
harmony with the lew condition OF things,
and to remove from the minds of the white
| people OF the South any prejudices which
| may exist towards the people OF the other
sections OF the Union. Now, this is pre-
cisely what President Hayes INTENDS to do.
By what means he intends to do it, has not
been officially announced in so many words.
| But the country is not much in doubt us to
what this policy is. The selection OF Mr.
Kew as a member of his Cabinet makes IL
quite evident that in making appointments
TO office in the South the Presiden5 has iald
party aside, and will in every case ibesgov-
erned by the merits OF the applicants. This,
to strict partisans, seems hard, but whenthe
condition OF the people and parties are coil
sidered, it does not appear go rough. Ear
ties South and North are differently divided.
| In the South, it is race; in the North, gov
ornamental policy, or desire OF the outs to
oct IN. Naturally, the South was entitled
to a representative in the Cabinet. NO
doubt there are pronounced Republicans in
the South who could have filed any OF the
Cabinet portfolios. The selection OF airy OF
them would not in the least have broken
down the race prejudice which is the divid-
ing line of parties in the South. On the con-
trary, it would have deepened and strength
ened it, by first, keeping up the preseni
party lines, and, second, by placing IN the
Cabinet an avowed advocate of the policy
which for tae past twelve years has not only
sieually failed to restore good fellowship be
tween the two great sections, but has also
failed to even secure order or preserve the
life of the citizen. This sad fact is well
known to colored and white Republicans
who have suffered at the hands OF Southern
roughs, And though some OF the govern
ments in the South have been in the hand'
l of Republican officials, no one has been, OF
Mean be. punished for these Wholesale wrongs
| On the other hand, the selection OF Mr.. hey
for Cabinet position removes all ground To-
cayil. and demonstrates that the new depar
ture is in the interest Of no party or clique
but simply for the pacification OF the couh
try. This policy places the new administra
ton upon high ground, and shows that 1t IA
no concealments to make. Neither can i
be charged successfully that it is an attemp
to bug support through official patronage
No one is better aware Of the high characte
Of Southern statesmen than Mr.. Hayes. AM
no one is more fully convinced than he tina
any attempt to substitute the Southern lead
ers, or even followers, would prove q Oils
astrous failure. Not only would it nc
strengthen the Republican party IN tn
South, but it would render his ADMINISTERS
ton by-word and a reproach everywhere
But right-minded men, and they do not be
long to any special locality or race OF party
but to all sections, races, and parties, VII
hail with open-mouthed JOY genuine al
tempt to remove the barriers which no'
| separate the North and South, and which, t
, all intents and purposes, make them tw
peoples, in whose bosoms bitterness and Ina
tired are cherished. This is the design
President Hayes Southern policy. The firs
step is the non-partisan character OF tn
Cabinet; and this is no doubt to be followe
, by a similar course in all appointments
the South. This, of itself, might be con
strued into desire to propitiate men, an
, even the people of the South, but when it
!, supplemented by the further act of leavin
7 all the State governments there to stand
, fall without the aid Of United States troop
i it is apparent to all men OF sense that tn
, President is alone DESTROYS of giving the pei
, pie of the South an opportunity to sho
whether they have the willingness and pov
er to institute such reforms as will kee
their governments in harmony with the IT
5 cent amendments to the Federal Constit
ton and preserve and protect property al
, persons in all their rights. Ii the South w
! accept this offer in the spirit in which it
rendered, and will, on their part, bury Il
! bloody shirt, before the term for which N
$ Hayes has been elected expires, the rebellit
+ will only be thing of memory. And fro
what have said, do not want it to be
ferred that have forgotten the colored pc
pie. am looking to their good. They a
a part, and large part, too, of the peoE
2 down South, and must not be overlOoke
It 1t is for their sakes that desire a change
, patty lines. Not only will their freedom
. an accomplished fact, but their caUal and p
litical equality aoi1 be assured. aAs part,
y ao,o erist, this IS an smpossibitity. A W
is of races has for some time existed in t
s. South. 1t matters not whose fault this is:
70 is the fact, and with that fact we have
J. deal. AS parties are now, nothing but
y large standing army can secure them an u
s trammeled enjoyment of their civil and p
!, ltical rights; and the party that favors SUI
- a policy cannot carry State in the Unio
And even if such policy was popular at t
d North, and could be enforced, it is destrl
# five to their material interests. 1t paraly1
= industry, foments discard, retards the dev
:, opment and settlement of the country, be
~ North and South, and compels hundreds a
| thousands to eat the bread OF idleness. 1
IL colored people are almost entirely lahore
- Labor is their best friend; enforced idlen'
~ their worst foe. And while it is true tt
4 in this war of races the whites will contin
r. in the future, as they have in the past. to
IT, the victors, they are ready to cry quits
ii | they, too, are injured. not only i'll fortul
W but in fame. They are, therefore, ripe TO
l change that will bring peace and encours
ne industry and enterprise.
- Such being my opinions, feel T but j.
20 to urge those who have the South as q p
= of the Union, and desire its peace and pr
L -