The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-03-29
Let the PEOPLE be Patient.


base the conclusion that he had made any
promises. They assert that his administra-
ton is shaping in the i:sterest of radical poll
tics, when they have no facts to justify an
inference that he means to depart in the
slightest degree from the line of duty lie
foreshadowel in his letter Of acceptance and
inaugural address. This is rank injustice.
1t testiiies to the partizan malignity of the
lit;le-minded politicians who assume local
leadership, and have managed heretofore to
direct the rank and file. The democratic
press, too. participates in this embittered and
reckless spirit. The true secret of it is. &C
cordinS to our Interpretation, that the lead
ers and the press have discovered, here IN
|. Virginia especially, that the people, who
care nothing for office-wlo do not expect
political favor, and whose interests are in
volved in good government and peace every
where, are disposed to divorce themselves
from machine politics, aud accept or reject
President Hayes and his policy as they may
measure up to these ends. The managers
perceive an evident weakening in the influ-
ence they have heretofore eXerted, and the
| manifestation OF an individuality on the part
| OF the constituent element that threatens
destruction to the close corporation which
has worked so much damage to the Com
| monwealtli. If this were not so, why should
| simultaneous clamor go forth from press
| and leaders against the President, wheE
| there is not single fact to Justify it?
President Hayes has declared that it would
| be one of the most important missions OF his
administration to so adjust the complications
| that have disturbed the South, that peace
would follow, local self-government be Sc
| cured, and the people themselves left free to
direct and control their own affairs as best
seemed to them. lie further declared that it
about the reconciliation of sections and races,
| upon the basis of the laws and Constitution,
| to the end that the strifes of passion and the
hatred OF preiudices might be allayed, and
the energies and rtellects of the people di-
reeted to the restoration CT the prosperity OF
| all the country.
He has been in authority but few weeks.
| He had to select his Cabinet, which at the
outset was antagonized by prominent men Of
both parties; he had to fill near two thou
| sand offices. the commissions to which Iad
expired, and decide between competing
claims, involving delay and nice discrimina-
ton; he had to reorganize, in part, the va
rious departments OF government, in the APP
| pointment to important positions of men
whose views of public policy harmonic with
| his own; he has had to listen to the ten
| thousand applicants for official favor; to re-
ccive the visits of courtesy of thousands more
| OF his felow-citizens; ard, more important
| than all of these. he has had to confront the
outstanding and deep-seatcd complications
affecting two of the States of the Union
| where dual governments assert validity
The questions and the administrative policy
growing out of the difficulties existing in
these States, have engaged the attention of
| the country for years past, without salts
factory solution. and because he has not
blindly i2mped to conclusion, and followed
/ the suggestions Of one OF the parties to the
strife, he is arrai med is being false to his
professions, and untrue TO assurances given.
We are sure the conservative. thoughtful,
and peace-leving minds of the country share
not in this kind of fsnsticism. The sincere
patriotism Of the nation recognizes the mag
Of
be wet-t appreciates the solicitude that
must be felt by the President in determin.
ing, under the command of the laws and the
Constitution, the distinctive action to be
He has been beseged by able and ener-
getic partizans of each of the parties, pre-
Sentlng their cases respectively in different
light, with conflicting statement OF facts and
probable consequences, and urged on either
side to precipitatc action in che interest Of
one side or the other, as the bias of the
pleaders might induce. These gentlemen.
have been equally earnest and doubtless sin
cere in their representations. The President
has not brought in question their COMPARE
tive honesty. He has no. dismissed one side
with indications Of distrust. nor accepted the
other as infallible. He has weighed the rea-
sons and facts, examined the voluminons pa
pers laid before him, and calling to his assist
ance his constitutional advisers--all CT them
statesmen and ambitious to serve their coun
try in the interest of peace, men whose wis
dom and sagacity and elevated character
have attracted the confidence CT the NJtDk
country-le has determined upon the. line-o
duty indicated in the appointment of Com
mission of distinguished gentlemen, selected
for their conservatism, their learning and
their fairness, to visit Louisiana, to carefully
strifes there. and to lay before him and his
Cabinet their conclusions. 1t is in this i'm
partial and patriotic way that he is seeking
to determine basis from which to proceed
with his policy of endeavoring TO reconcile
the sections, restore order and good govern
ment, and consummate the purposes which |
he has declared shall be the aim of his ad-
Can just men find fault with |
him for this? Would it not rather demon
strate a weakness to hastily spring to a con-
,lusion, without the fullest and completest |
that can be obtained, to Justify
lis action? The interests involved are of
such magnitude, Of such ramnifed bearing,
hat the whole country is directly Or ipd-
'ectly implicated in them. First, he has the
anctions Of the laws and the Constitution to
,bserye-he, then, has the peace and pros
,erity CT the entire nation to consider. Could
lie dispose OF these as he would country
'ost-office, or the competing claims for a
econd-class consulate? And it is for the
eason that he docs not rashly precipitate a
onclusion, involving interests so vast and
ital, so complicated, that he is arragned
efore the bar OF public opinion, by demo-
ratio marplots and store-be politicians, for {
aving been false TO the promises upon
rhich he assumed executive authority.
IL is useless, however, to reason with this &
lass OF people. They neither comprehend s
le responsibilities that press upon the Pre-
dent, nor appreciate the motives which {
lust influence his action. He could have no t
her ambition than 60 sec his country peace |
Il and Irresponsible rights OF all SECTIONS
I'd classes saeredly guarded and respected, j