Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-07-05
The Presidents Policy.

Speeches at the 9TH OF July celebration at
Woodstock, CoaD., yesterday.
Mr. Chamberlain devoted his entire address
to au arrgigDment and denunciatiOn OF the pol
icy oi President Hayes. This policy be optic.
miscd as follows -
"Iu point of physical or external fact it con-
sists in Withdrawing the military forces OF the
United States from the points 10 South Caro-
lima and Louisiana where they had been Pre-
yiousy stationed for the protection and sup.
nort of the lawful governments OF those States.
lin point of Immediate toreseen and intend
ed consequence, it consists in the overthrow
and destruction Of those State governments,
and the substitution in their stead OF certain
other organizations called State governments.
"In point Of actual present results. it consists
10 the abandonment of Southern republicans,
and especially the colored race. to The control
aud rule not only Of the democratic party, but
Of that class at the South which regarded
slavery as divine institution, which waged four
years Of destructive war for its perpetuation,
which steadily opposed citizenship and suffrage
| for the uegro-iu word, class whose tradi.
tious, principles and history are opposed 10
every step and feature Of what republicans call
cur national progress since 1860.
I'm point of general political and moral sig
| niGcaucs it consists 10 the proclamation to the
country and the world that the will of the ma
| iori;v Of the voters of State, lawfully aud
| regularly expressed, is 90 longer the ruling
! power in our States, and that the constitution
al guarantee to every State 10 this Union Of a
repub lican form of government and of protcc.
ton against domestic violence, is henoeforth in.
| efectual and worthless"
Taking the case of Louisiana especially for
illustration he assaulted and ridculed the Prcsi-
dents policy on the Presidents own grounds
Of "hcmo ruic" and constitutional duty. tie
then proceeded -
1--WE have pow seen what are the features OF
what is well called President Hayes Southern
poicy. ask 90 one Of you to 60 with ME
further than the arguments which l present
shall fairly carry him. For myself [ take leave
to dennunce it, here and now, az unc0nstltutlon.
al and revolutionary, subversve of constitution
81 guarantees and false TO every dictate of po'
l:tici.l honor, public justice and good morals.
There is no point, feature or form of this po.
Icy that has support in q fair construction OF
the constitution or az honest view Of the facts
which arc involved; and [ believe it requires
Only Il careful examination, u0lntuenoed by
:uawkish sentiment or the cowardise Which
! shrinks from attacking the conduct Of one who
was chosen by our OWL party. to convince all
! who lave ever Sympathlzed with the principles
| OF the republican party that such policy de.
serves, UPON all legal and constitutional grounds,
! the condemnation which have pronounced up.
on it.
"When, where, by whom, before the nomi-
nation, or after it, during the canvass or duliog
the lous agony of suspense which succeeded the
canvass, will you find from President Hayes OF
any representative of him or Of the republican
party, high or low, hint of such policy. 1t
cannot be found. Never till the country heard
with amazemeDt the first whisperDg5 Of the
Vaccinations of Stanley Matthews and the
| Ohio clique vino stood nearest the President
! the basest passage | have ever read 10 our DO.
litical history-did aoy portion OF the public or
of the republican party imagine that the Pres
ident would enter upon such policy or course
OF action.
"Sir, there we're iu my judgment many errors
in the course of President GRAFT towards the
South. | have heretofore been free critic oil
| some of his acts but when the evil consequences
! of hose acls are made defense for the treach
whenever during bis eight years Of service
prrailcnt Grant firmly executed the laws and
upheld the lawful governments Of the Southern
|
ever, as 10 Mississippi, malign Influences caused
him to shrink from his duty, defeat-asting,
complete deieat-was the result.
but We are told, among other apologies ior
! this policy, that it was forced upon the Pfesi-
dent by the necessities Of bis party; that de-
feat was inevitable if any other policy was
adopted. Sir, the best answer to this is found
10 tic TACT that 10 such necessity was discovered
until the policy was adopted, aud the ingenuity
of men began to be taxed for excuses to sup.
port it. Senator Morton is striking example
of what | now state. He is an able man, a
most vigorous debater, party leader OF vast
energy and experience. la his recent letter he
draws with accustomed vigor what is really an
arrangement OF the Presidents policy, but
reaches the sad conclusion that all this was
able, and hence, right; that defeat would
have been Ger tain under any other policy. And
this il the height Of Senator Morton's states.
mapship upon question with which his name
is most prominently associated. Ii the Presi'
dents action and policy are wrong in principle
and no man has shown this more clearly
than Senator Mortou-ihall the republican
party be told, or shall it be persuaded, even
| by Senator Morton, that it must save its life
by the sacrifice OF its principles? Sir, this rs
suicide
"Whoever has watched the course OF The
present administration has seen the demorali.
cation which always attends the abandonment
Of principles spreading through all the chan
nes aud activities Of the government Look at
civil service rciornl-a policy vital, fundamen.
tal-a policy which means the absolute free.
dom Of all the servants Of the government, ex-
ccnt The very few vino distinctivey and neces
sarlly represent the politca opinions Of the
party charged with the administration, from all
allegiance to or connection with the political
fortunes Of any party, the selection of such
servants With eyes blind to the political opin.
ions OF those who are to soEve the government.
| This is the reform to which the administration
stauds peculiarly pledged. Has it entered upon
| it Has it shown capacity or purpose to ex-
ecute it No; the necessities imposed upon the
administration in its efforts to buy the support
or silence the opposition Of parlizan leaders to
the Southern policy has already defrauded US
of this reform.
II affirm. as proposition which rests on &C.
curate observation, that to this hour Offices
have been granted or refused. conferred or
,,ik III 1,Iso