National Republican., 1877-10-18
"Let Us Have Peace"

The country should have peace, and the
Republican party, which is the party Of the
country, should be at peace within itself.
We are satisfied that the people of the
North, without distinction of party, desire
that the whole nation shall become of one
brotherhood and dwell togethcr in the bonds
Of peace and unity. They have no aims
or ends to answer by continued misunder-
standings divisions and ordinations be
open war with each other. We are fully
convinced that feeling of deep-scated
patriotism leads them, with few if any, ex
ceptiOns, to desire union of hearts and
. union of hands, where heretofore there
have been alterations and bitter and bloody
strife. Under this bond of union every por-
tiOn of the nation can he brought back to
the paths Of peace, mutual respect, frater
nifty and prosperity. Without it we never
can be friends or dwell together as family
Of States under mutuality of interest and
under hope Of prosperity and happiness.
To accomplish this end there must be
concessions. The issues of the war should
be forgotten, and they would have been oh
liberated to-day, il, at the close of that
struggle, the conditions that were involved
In the settlement had been fully respected
in good faith. The organic law of the ma
tiOn was materially changed in the adjust
ment of new questions that had arisen, and
which must be settled therein in the in
terest of future equality and right
among all the people who wear the badge
of citizenship. When settlement day came
and these adjustments were agreed upon
the people Of the North expected that the
situation, which was quite new to the South
would be accepted in good faith, and that
all the guarantees of the Constitution were
to be respected. This much they had q
right to expect, and have asked no more
This much was due to good government
and the interests Of peace and unity;
and when what was due TO the entire
the strong arm of the Government was in
terposed to compel what should have been
yielded voluntarily and with good grace
and soldiers were sent into that section Ia
secure the rights, interests and welfare Ol
all the people against wrong, violence and
disorder. The army would never have en-.
tered the Southern States in u hostile atti'
tudc after the close of the war if their pco,
pie had shown proper respect for the re-
quiremcnts Of the Constitution and tho
rights of all their citizens. They would
have had no opportunity of complaint il
they had not challenged it by line of con
duct that the Government could not sub
nit to in Justice to itself and the people it
h in honor bound to respect and defend.
On entering upon his duties, President
HAYES surveyed the field and determined
In his own mind, and with the full concur
renee of his Cabinet, that he would with
draw the national troops from South Caro-
lima and louisiana and in that way tender
the olive branch to the South in the hope
Of restoring Maternity, peace and concord
where the most turbulent passions of human
nature had held high carnival The senti.
nent of the Republicans of the North was
not fully prepared for this new line Of policy
They distrusted its wisdom and efficiency
lor the reason that they had no confidence