The Portland daily press., 1877-03-05
Editorial Correspondence of the Albany Journal
The Southern Question.
The Spirit of the Southern Men-Hayes
and the south-The Policy of the Future.


WASHINGTON, Feb. 9th.
The most Interesting phase of the great dra-
ma now being played on this broad national
stage is the course of the Southern men-the
most important problsm in tho s.s.es.aa.sA;,
OF the hour IS the Southern question. Tue big
men of the South acting with the wise men of
| the Republican party have saved the country
from turmoil and disaster The large brains
shall say the sound hearts?-of Ben. Hill,
Lamar, Randall. Gibson, John Hancock and
their followers have been a strong leverage of
the right. They have been for peace. They
heartily supported the electoral bill. They
promptly accepted the result of the arbitration.
They have defeated the filibusters. They have
shown moderation, craftsmanship and patriot
ism. To the patriots Of the North this honora-
BILE action of the brains of the South is some
thing of a phenomenon. 1T was said of the
Princes of the House Of Savoy that geography
did not permit them to be honest men," We of
the North have felt-and four years of bitter
war and ten years of stormy conflict have done
much to justify it-that there was something in
the geography of the South which made it
neither honest nor loyal. What, then is the
meaning OF this new manifestation? Is it sim
cere? Are these men in earnest? What are
their motives? What is the philosophy of their
movement? To my mind this is the most alb
sorbing and significant question of the hour.
Let me try to indicate hastily and imperfectly,
the rationale Of the development.
| These Southern leaders we're sincerely for
Tilden. They supported him before the elec-
ton and sustained him after it. They wanted
him in the Presidential chair not because ali of
them were heartily in sympathy with his af1li-
ations-for, while many were, some were net
but because the force of political events and
tendencies brought them together But above
all they desired peace. Their section had suf-
fered the scourge of war, and they wanted 10
more of the deadly blight. Ben Hill spoke
their feeling in his epigram about the conserv-
ative influence of fifteen-inch she'll Some
OF them might not have been unwilling that
the cup which the South had drained should be
pressed to the lips of the North, if the bitter
dregs could end there. But most of them were
earnestly for peace everywhere, and they espe-
cially despised the incendiary efforts of those
reckless and violent Northern Democrats who
had once deceived and misled them-luring
them into the pitfall and then leaving them.
When threats of conflict over the Presidential
result filled the air, these Southern men halted.
That marked the first line of division. They
were for the Inauguration of Tilden, if it could
come of right, but they insisted upon a peacea.
Bile settlement. When the Electoral bill was
reported they accepted it as a fair, wise and
of the Northern Democrats were disposed to re-
volt, but the attitude of the Southern Demo-
Gratis, together with hopes of the fifth judge
induced them to yield. The arbitration estab.
lished the title of Hayes and these men, true to
| their course throughout the winter, promptly
accepted it.
Meanwhile the obstructive course OF the rev.
olutionsts widened the breach. Then came the
domning revelation of Tilden's obliquty in the
| Oregon matter, and that made every high
minded Democrat hang his head in shame.
Whatever else may be said of them, the best
| men OF the South, with its old tradiuons have
| sense OF personal honor, and they were dis
| gusted as the mask was torn from the sham of
Grafhercy Park. Events had now reached q
point where the issue was Hayes or anarchy,
and these men were against anarchy. On every
| lawful ground Hayes was inevitable. and
l they wisely determined to accept the inevi-
| table. In this course they were undoubt-
edly encouraged by faith in the wisdom
l and justice OF Hayes and by the belief that he
would a1opt literal policy towards the South.
| His letter OF acceptance was satisfactory, and
his friends confirmed its assurances. There
| was no unworthy suggestion on either part,
but simply growing mutual perception of
gratifying moderation on the one side and
l statesmanlike Iberality on the other. And so
the Republicans who stand by the law, the
sensible Democrats of the North who see that
| this revolutionary effort is runous to their
party, and the better Democrats Of the South
| who want tranquility unite against the Tilden
filibusters and complete the count.
Thus the inspiration of the steady movement
/ We have seen among the strong men of the
South is simply this: First, peace; second,
acceptance of law; third, belief in wiser Re-
l pnblcanism and faith in policy which will
l give ORDER reconciliation and prosperity TO the
l South. The first grand fruit we have Seen is
the now certain and peaceful Inauguration of
l President Hayes After that everything is
| possible. We must not however, assume too
| much. 1t will be time enough to go along with
l the gradual development. Democrats are
| Democrats still But the hour and the result
unquestionably open up noble opportunity.
| First of all we must fully and frankly recog-
i nize the thoroughly honorable bearing of the
Southern men through all this controversy. L
do not say "recognlze" in the sense of acting as
if there were bargain, for there is none, but
in the sense of freely acknowledging aud justly
appreciatng it. They have come to us-we
can go forward to meet them. They have
| shown confidence in our purpose--we are war
| ranted in showing more confidence in their dis
| position. The time has come for broader and
| higher policy in the South. The mel we have
distrusted and antagonized themselves offer the
| hand of friendship and we can well accept ID.
There must indeed be no Abandonment of
the high Republican position. A Frenchman
| said to the Minister, Colbert: "You found the
| have overturned it on the other" We must
not make such mistake here. There must be
| no rushing from one extreme TO the other.
The equal rights of all must be uncompromis-
4
blacks must be absolutely secured. But with
such guarantees of justice to the blacks, we
ought TO do full justice to the whites The ad-
ministration can fill tho federal offices of the
| South with better class of men. 1t can let
that government sand which the popular
| will shall sustain. 1t can do much towards
breaking down the colo- line. In the times
through which we have passed much that was
abnormal and repugnant has been justified.
But this condition of things cannot always be
perpetuated. If governments cannot stand un-
| less they rest upon bayonets, they must 90
| down Life and rights must be protected even
| with force if necessary; but forms alone have
no claim to such support. The South needs
| peace, reconciliation, development and pros
perity. This is the grand work before Presi-
| dent Hayes, and fortunately he fully appreci-
| ates it. As Lincoln was raised up to carry the
| country through the crisis of war, as Grant was
raised up to establish the full fruits of freedom,
| so it seems to be the great mission of Hayes to
| reconcile the sections, build up the waste
places of the South and restore prosperity TO
| the whole land.
In political as well as national sense
| there are large possibilities in the situation.
| MANY Republicans have feared that the pecu-
| liar circumstances of the success would involve
| a great risk for the future. Instead of that,
the party never had grander opportunity.
| The true policy of the hour will be the finest
| political stroke. 1t may be rather too much to
| say that the Democratic party of the South can
| be split in twain, but with wise management q
| very large segment may be cut off. The time
and the conditions are for it. The conflict over
the count has sown the seeds of dissension
among the Democracy which can soon be RI
pened into an open rupture. The antecedents
and natural impulses OF many of the Southern
| men have done much towards bringing them to
this point. They have followed the Democratic
party without being real Democrats. A distin-
guished Republican leader of the House told me
| yesterday what one of the most conspicuous OF
these Southern men, now elevated to the Sen
ate, said to him year ago. SAID he; "Ine
crime charge upon the Republicans Lie 9ys, s that
they have forced forty thousand old Wings in
| INV state to act with the Democratic psrty.
with which we have no natural sympathy"
That expresses the sentiment of many. BY
following this thread, we can unravel the Dem
ocratic web in the South, and four years hence
| carry several of the Southern states. Presi-
dent Hayes and the Republican leaders clearly
grasp this truth. Ii the letter of acceptance OF
last June had been written yesterday, it could
not have been better fitted to the present op-
| portunity. 1t showed deep reflection clear in