The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-19
HAYES SOUTHERN POLICY.
OPINIONS OF DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS
OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
Letter from Gen. J. B. Kershaw.
CAMDEN. S, c., April IL, 1877.

1leSSrS. I70yt O. Co., ANDERSON, -. u:
DEAR S1Rs-Your favor of the 7th
inst. is before me, requesting my views
upon the political questions of the day,
and particularly as to the Southern poll
cy of Mr.. Hayes, the propriety Of Demo
Gratis seeking Or accepting Office under
him, and the result upon the destiny of
the two national parties from this change
in the policy ofthe Republican party.
Most of your questions are answered in
the following extract from letter written
some ten days ago in response to similar
inquiry from the gentlemen of the
Augusta Chronicle and C0nstitutionalist,
which, as it has not appeared in any of
the papers of this State, so far as know,
and has been rather inaccurately de-
scribed in the only mention it has re.
ceived that met my eye, beg leave to
reproduce:
''The acceptance and exercise of pub.
lie Office by citizen should only be de-
termined by a consideration, first, of the
interests of the public, and next, of those
of the individual. If, after due reference
to these points, it is clear that the public
good would be promoted, and the private
interests OF the individual would not be
unduly sacrificed, it is impossible to sup
pose a case in which it would not be
proper to accept such Office.
'To hold that one should not accept
Office at the hands of party to which he
had been politically opposed, would be
to admit that the public would be
better served by a member of such party,
and to approve policy that has cursed
and degraded the country, whose maxim
is to the victor belong the spoila,'
maxim whose fundamental vice is, that
it substitutes as q motive, the greed of
gain for the love of country, and consid-
ers public Office with reference to its
emo1ument of the holder, rather than to
its duties to the public.
"It is considered that these principles
exclude all those cares which involve in
the acceptance of Office, degrading or dis
honorable conditions, express or implied.
If, for instance, Office was rendered by
Mr.. Hayes, and accepted by one Of US
with an understanding that the holder
should use the Office to strengthen or sup
port Mr.. Hayes politically, while his pol.
icy was really hostile to our people and
injurious to the public interests; or, if
the acceptance of the Office by an indi-
vidual would, of itself, strengthen the
administration whose policy was adverse
to the interests of society, it should be
refused, because it is not compatible with
the public interests ia any case, that
citizen should permit himself to give
strength to government which employs
that strength to injure the people. :.
''To apply these principles practically
and to answer for myself, I would not
seek or accept Office under Mr.. Hayes 80
long as he maintains a guard of soldiers
in the State House at Columbia, in vio-
lation of the constitution and laws of the
United States and of this State, and of
the rights of the people of South Carroll.
ma, unless with the distinct pledge that
this unlawful exercise of military power
should cease within such time as would
practically avoid the incompatibility Of
holding Office under q President whom
my duty as g citizen required that |
should oppose and denounce as a tyrani-
cal usurper of arbitrary and unconstitu-
tional powers.
eff, on the other hand, Mr.. Hayes did
Withdraw these troops and administered
his Office as q Republican within the
limits of his constitutional powers with
simple justice, even without any special
kindness or favor to our people, l would
accept Office under him.
"Lastly, if the administration of Mr..
Hayes was kindly and liberal towards us
and tended to restore peace, order and
good government to the South, with it's
attendant blessings of prosperity and hap
piness, I weuld give his administration a
hearty support whether an oftice-holder
or not.
"My party allegiance is subordinate to
nay, is founded upon my love to my
State and country. I shall always link
nv political fortunes with that party
which in my judgment best promotes the
welfare of the country. My test of the
effect of public measures upon the conn
try is found in their effect upon the State
of which I am citizen. Whatever is
best for my State, is best for all, under
our system, and vice versa.
"My opinion, therefore, is clear and de-
cided, that should President Hayes sim
cerely administer the functions of his
Office in accordance with the principles
avowed in his inaugural address, (which
T am still unwilling to doubt) We ought
by all means cordially and earnestly to
support such administration, let the re-
suits upon present party organizations
lead whittier they would"
In the views then expressed l am
amply confirmed by subsequent events.
Mr.: Hayes has justified the favorable an
ticipations then entertained, and, as
consequence, South Carolina stands to-
day, 'ransomed, redeemed and disen-
thralled." with her noblest son at the
helm of State. he whose utterances are
as words of inspired wisdom, has declared
in his own manly and patriotic style of
eloquence, that stirs the blood and fires
the heart of every true Carolinian as the
bugle call of honor and duty, his purpose
to support Mr. Hayes in his present poll
cy, in these memorable words:
"As long as he will follow out in good
faith the policy indicated in his inaugu-
raj, if he will do equal justice to all Sec
tions of the country, and see that the
laws are enforced in Massachusetts, as in
South Carolina, in Louisiana as in Ohio,
if he will carry out in good faith all the
pledges he has made, and be a constitu-
tional President, recognizing no party,
race or section-so long will l support
him. L have not fought this fight in South
Carolina, now to let party affiliations keep
me from anything that will promote the
good of South Carolina."