The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-05-23
FEDERAL PATRONAGE IN THE
SOUTH.

ted Republicans to fiht the Administra-
ton, he will be compelled to use his
official patronage in such way as to give
him strength in his own party; where
as, should Southern Democrats wisely
extend him a support, he will be able
to deal his patronage to them literally,
and revolutionize the system of Federal
patronage which has existed since the
war. Southern Democrats now have
the power to redeem the Soath if they
see proper to use it. The President is
firm and determined in his Southern
policy, If the South will give him the
support that is necessary to carry it out. !
The above extract token from a
letter of Mr.. Key to his brother,
which we end in the New Yock Sun
with it's comments would seem TO be
bid on the part of Mr.. Hayes for
Southern support in return for Fed
eral patronage, and the following
from the Washington dispatches of
the New Orleans Times, if true,
would 60 to show that he had chang
ed his mind:
The Star says the President has ,cx-
pressed his determination that his
course in the adjustment Of the political
questions in Louisiana shall not bias
his action in regard to the Federal pat
ronage in that State. He has assured
Governor Kellogg and other Republic
cans in Louisiana, and has given direc-
tons in the different executive depart
ments, that all appointments must be
made within the limits Of the Republic
can party. The Republicans in that
State are much elated at this determi-
nation, and say that although they con-
slider he withdrawal of the troops and
interference of the commission a mis-
take, they have still chance to main
tain the organization Of the Republican
party. 1t is thought that the rule pro-
missed in Louisiana will be extended to
Other sections.
We know of no one in the South
who ever expected Mr.. Hayes to give
his patronage in that section to the
Democrats or even to divide it with
them since the famous letter of Post
Master General Key, of Tennessee,
wherein he expressly declared that
he would appoint only Republicans
to Office. AS for ourselves we have
never been fooled by Mr.. Hayes nor
have we ever understood his "South
ern policy" to include the giving of
any offices to Southern Democrats
Indeed, we are Of those who think
that it would be disreputable for any
Southern man to take Office under
Mr.. Hayes at the sacrifice of prInci-
pie. We did not permit ourselves to
think that the millinium had come
because fraudulently chosen Presi-
dent had promised in his Inaugural
address to carry out the bargain he
made beforehand and because he had
given one man from the South q
place in his Cabinet. We were not
thrown off our balance by his liberal
promises nor did we even permit
ourselves to believe that he would
do more for the South than Mr.. Til,
den "would have dared to DO" We
have not expected any of his patron
age for the South, and now find our.
selves among those who are blessed
by reason Of their having hoped for
nothing and are not disappointed
The whole subject seems to have
been greatly Inexperienced, if we
at all understand the attitude of the
Northern Democrats in Congress al
the time of the Electoral Commission
The complications growing out O
the disputed election of President
was about to involve the country ir
a Civil War. The. time had come
when the question in favor of wa
must be settled. The South wa
then as she is now, in no condition
for q war, nor would she have beer
Justified, if she had been able tt
stand the consequences of war sue
cessful war, in relying upon any suf
ticient support in the North to ena
BILE him to maintain a stand firmly
taken on a question of principle
She could better afford to submit tt
a fraudulent President than she coult
to 60 to war to inaugurate an hon
estly elected one. Her representa-
tives agreed to the Electoral Com
mission because it avoided a war
There were at that that but two
Southern States overridden by Fede
raj bayonets,, and after the Electora
Commission had decided in favor O
Hayes, they made the best bargain
with him they could in the interes'
of those two down trodden Southern
States. They asked only for justice
and Mr.. Hayes promised to give it tc
them. We understand that the bar
gain went this far and no further, and
that there was promise on the one
hand and hope on the other that q
Republican President should give any
of his patronage to the Democrats.
We should have opposed any such