New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-04
yVF DEMONSTRATIONS.

20
The Administration Of President Hayes has
now held power for half year. IL has
boep subjected to the severe criticism which
every wide departure from custom eyokes' ana
that criticism has been peculiarly searching m
this case, because of the circumstances attend
ing the inauguration. Party foes have sought,
with more than ordinary eagemcSs, for every
nguarled point in the armor. Party friends,
angered by the course Of the Administration
in matters hitherto deemed vital, and angcrcd
the more because, as they choose to say the
Administration owed a peculiar debt OF graft
tude to the party, have criticised with free
dom, and at times an aspenty, rarely known.
From either direction, the censure has been
fine more keen because elections draw near IN
States which are doubtful, and yet very i'm
portant to party success. The trained intellects
of the ablest opponents of each class have
searched for vulnerable points, and it is safe
to say that we shall not hear from members
of the next Congress- stronger criticisms than
have been made by Gov. Chamberlain, or Gail
Hamilton, or the Western opponents of rcsump-
ton on the Republican side, or by Democratic
journals and speakers, as to the topics OF dli-
ference remaining between the two parties.
What is the result
Democratic criticism begins and ends with
one word--"Traud" Those who are malicious
and not as all decent have tired to make it
appaar that the Administration not only came
into power by a fraudulent bargain, but has
behaved in pursuance of that bargain, fraud
ulently toward the party friends who supported
it, and fraudulenNy with respect to its dis
charge of public duties and its performance of
pledges to the country. This sort OF criticism
has been damaging chiefly to those who resort
to it. The country has seen not the slightest
trace OF bargain looking to the inauguration
of Mr.. Hayes, but. on the contrary, has seen
abundant proof that the very persons who.
had such a bargain been made must have been
parties to it, have met with no especial favor.
It has seen that, neither toward the Southern
Democrats nor toward the Southern Repub-
leans has there been any trace of depart
ure from the plain and manly declara
tions of the President in his letter Of
acceptance, made long before the pre-
tended compact could have existed. AS to
the public service, it has seen abundant
proof of sincere desire and determined pur-
pose to carry ont the reforms promised at the
opening of the Presidential campaign, with re-
gard to the Southern question, the civil ser
vice; and resumption and every charge of
dereliction on that score by Democrats is suf-
iiciently met by Republicans who blame the
Administration for having done too well. or
tried to do too fully the very things then
promised. As to the charge Of treachery to
party, 1t is enough that Mr.. Hayes ought to be
President of the whole country and not Of
party only; but it does not yet appear that the
Republican party deliberately promised prior
to the election things which it never meant to
do. and which 1t is treachery for him to at
tempt. The ShTewdest Democratic opponents
see that such charges against the Administration
are empty and suicidal and have fallen back
mon a general accusation of misconduct against
the Republican party for bringing into power
wrongfully an unobjectionablc Administration.
Republican criticism has been moIe angry,
"a is natural. Much Of it has been aimed ut
the methods and behavior of certain Drofessed
sponsors or champions Of the Administration,
and has had good effect; much has been aimed
at errors of method and detail and has been
on the whole beneficial. 1t has caused the
correction of some abuses. the retracng of
some false stops, the modification of some
impracticable notions, bat it has also brought
into clear light the earnest and resolute pur-
pose of the President to make good his
pledges. Because of those pledges the place
was given, and the country will not refuse its
confidence 30 long Us the effort to keep them