The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-04-19
WEIGHED AND FOUND WANTING.

The men of South Carolina who turned
the scale in favor of President Hayes,
he says, are abandoned. No doubt the
same feeling is strong IN the hearts OF
Republicans to-day, and they cannot
realize that the sober second thought
will bring any change. Something Is
due to the character of the man who
thus surrenders an untennable post.
Gov. Chamberlain was not the worst
but the best of Southern Republican
Governors. He had tried to do some
thing for the State and for the country,
and it is not largely his fault if his eff
thought comes to him, as to others, it
will be seen that he was trying to make
brick without straw. He wanted to
effect genuine reforms, and yet his only
Instrument was party the local leaders
of which were implacably hostile to
those reforms. He goes down, not be-
because his better purposes are not
appreciated, but because it is felt by
good citizens in South Carolina and
elsewhere that wholesome and peaceful
government cannot be attained through
his party, even with him as its nominal
leader.
'tIt is hard ON the Southern men who
elected Hayes, many will say. This
feeling exists, and must be frankly met.
Members of the Whisky Ring also help
ed to electHayes; is it ''hard on them"
if the Administration refuses to wink at
whisky frauds 2 Thousands of officials
helped to elect Hayes who form part of
the corrupt and demoralizing machine
which any real reform of the civil SER
vice will smash. Selected solely for
political services, held in place solely
by political influence they can expect no
consideration whatever from any admin
istration which tries to manage affairs
for the good of the public and not for
the benefit of individuals or parties. Is
it ''hard on them" if the Government
tries TO do business on strict business
principles In short not one of the re-
forms which the Republican party and
its candidate promised can be effected
without turning the back upon some
class of men who s'helped to elect
Hayes'' The millions who have no
part in peculation and no desire for Of
fee, and who have adhered to the Re-
publican party through all its errors
and defeats, gave it their votes once
more in November because they believe
that its pledges would be redeemed and
the needed reforms would be effected.
Either they must be abandoned or
the men who thought that solemn pledg
es were frauds, and that the new Adj
ministration would forego all reform
rather than abandon" men who helped
to elect Hayes.
The Republican politicians of the
South have had their day. Opportuni-
ties were given them such as to come to
no man twice in lifetime. A most
glorious and most solemn trust was COM
mitted to them when the task of recon-
struction was placed in their hands and
all the power of the United States put
forth to sustain them. How have they
met that trust For years their power
has been absolute; where have they pro-
duced good government? They have
been tried. With rare Exceptions they
have failed disgracefully. Even the
few who have tried to do their best have
been swept away by the current, have
allied themselves with known plumber in
order to secure party success, and have
no chance whatever to hold place or in
f1uence save by connection with politi-
cal combination which hasmade itself
curse to the States in which it exists
and disgrace to the Republican name.
The Republican leaders of the South
cannot complain that twelve years of
trial i'll unrestrained power have not
been enough. Moioritics of 40, 900 in
South Carolina and Louisiana have been
thrown away. Delegations of earnest
Republicans, who own property, pray
for the success of State tickets for which
they did not vote. The Republican
leaders of the South have been tried,
fully and faithfully, and they have
failed.
The duty of the President is not TO
sustain or abandon individuals or par
ties, but to promote the best interest of
the country. "He ''serves his party
best who serves his country best" So
believing, the President finds that the
politicians at the South have
failed. tha5 the policy of force is utterly
powerless to protect the Republican vo-
tiers or to give peace and prosperity to
the country. But one other mode is left
The Southern whites have claimed that
local misrule has made them hostile to
Republicanisn, and that, once rid of To-
cal corruption and tyranny, they are
ready to protect all citizens in all their
rights. 1t is possible to put them to
the test. That they have the power to
do what they promise, no one doubts.
1t Is easy to learn by trial whether they
have the will. How could President.
conscientiously seeking the peace and
prosperity of the whole country, pursue
any other course! The Southern whites
have power to protect all citizens. The
Southern Republicans have been tried,
and have failed. AT last the politicians
of that kind are abandoned, precisely
as bursted gun is thrown aside when a
soldier wants to 10 his duty in the fight.