The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1877-04-19
Talk fr0tei Hayes

WASHINGTON, April Is -President
Hayes said yesterday, in the course OF
conversation, that he had no conceal>
ments regarding his Southern policy,
which, however, had been foreslladowed
in oral and written utterances. and in
this connection he adverted to the
s~guhernatorial campaign in Ohio in
1876, whieh@reoufted III his election
over Gov. Allen. the people OF the
State, having full knowledge OF mis-
sentiments Of national questions in
Gliding, Of course, those which related
to the South.
The opening speech Of a ~gnbernatori-
al candidate is generally considered to
be the keynote of the campaign, and
in his speech as early as the 3lst Of
July in that year at Marion, he freely
and distinctly expressed his opinions.
This speech was published at length III
all the Republican, and many other
newspapers, and, therefore, his views
were generally known. In that speech,
after congratulating his fellow>citlzens
on tie complete triumph over those
who sought to destroy the grand re
suits of the war, he alluded to the COM
ing together again of Northern and
Southern men in a spirit OF harmony
and friendship, including those who
had fought against one another; and as
a prominent feature in this evidence OF
good feeling he, on that occasion,
spoke of the kindly manner in which
Vice-President Wilson was received on
his visit to the South. In this era OF
good feeling and reconciliation, he
further said, there were still persons
who talked of bayonets, and also sought
to revive the preiudices of the past.
This was much to be regretted. But
there was enough to fill every heart
with gratitude, tne house being no
longer divided, and the inhabitants hay
ing a fair start in the race for life. In
this, and in all his other speeches, he
earnestly condemned the re-opening of
the old issues between the North end
the South, assuming that the time had
come for complete reconciliation. The
President, in further conversation, res
ferred to the facts that the national
Republican convention, which nominal
ed him for the Presidency, passed q
resolution sacredly %pledgiug the Re
DuOJlCdu pafby u pfObeCt Cfeiy SIoiHeh
Of the United States in all his civil and
political rights, aud declaring that the
permanent paciication of the South
Should be effected by removing all
causes of discord. The spirit of the
resolution was i'll perfect accord with
his own views previously expressed, and
he repeated them in his letter of accept
ance OF the nomination, and more fully
elaborated them in his inaugural ad-
dress, consistently maintaining the poll
cy Of reconciliation and local self>gov-
ernment, apart from military support,
and when he entered upon the duties
of the Presidency he intended that this
policy should not be onee-of sentiment
merely, but of actual administration.
He spoke with emphasis when he said:
"My belief is. this course tends to give
good government to the South; it tends
to secure peace between the sections
and between the races and parties at
the South, ard it tends to secure the
rights, interests aud safety of the color
ed people, therefore. l am in favor OF
the policy. | do not know whether l
shall succeed in carrying it out, be-
cause there are Northern and South>
ern men who, in various ways, may pos
sibly thwart me, but of one thing | am
confident, namely: I think it my duty
to try to carry out the policy, and I am
going to do it."