New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-20
MERRIMoN's LETTER TO KEY
THE OFFICE SEEKERS SICKENEI
Democratic Millennium Still 6
Long Way OFF.
Especial to the New Orleans Republican,.
WASHINGTON, March 20. 1877.

WASHINGTON, Marcn ~, 1910.
When the electoral bill passed Congress,
desponding Republicans and ssnguine Dem
ocrats predicted that Tilden would surely
be counted in; but far-seeing Republicans,
the real stateemen of the party, said that
Republican principles and interests were
not in the least degree jeOpordized-that,
in fact, the result of the Electoral Commits
sion would be the election of Hayes and
Wheeler and the peaceful acquiesence
therein of the Democratic party.
So, now, in the existing controversy Re-
publican statesmen confidently affirm
that the Louisiana Republican interests are
not in the least endangered by President
Hayes wise and generous policy of protec-
ton and Cancellation. They have good
case before just court, and will surely
triumph in the end, the predictions of de-
spending Republicans or oversanguine Dem
ocrats to the contrary notwithstanding.
The New York Times, by all odds the
most influential Republican paper in the
whole country, strongly supports President
Hayes generous policy of Cancellation, but
vigorously opposes the withdrawal Of
troops from New Orleans as not being any
part whatever of thatpOlicy. The Times
editorials of last Friday, Saturday and yes
terday we're emphatic upon that particular
and all important point.
Fridays editorial concludes as follows:
| The North is not inclined to trust impli-
| city a man so arrogant and unRccom-
| mOdating as Mr.. Wade Hampton, or a COM
| munity 80 full of the elements of mischief
as Louisiana. 1t is not willing to leave the
Republicans of two States helpless in the
hands of fierce sectiOnalists whose anger
has been intensified by interference with
their plans.
The Times of Saturday says:
If the first step in the Southern policy of
President Hayes be, as stated in our Wash
ingtOn dispatches, the immediate withdraw
al of United States troops from South Caro-
| lima and Louisiana, he is on the point of
making a serious blunder. No one will dis
| pute that the withdrawal of the troops is q
necessary part Of any plan that may be de-
vised for the restoration of order and sta
BILE government in these States, but such an
| act should follow, not precede, the making
| of some plan of conference and settlement.
1t is hardly possible that any adjustment OF
! the claims OF the rival contestants for State
offices should already have been effected,
| either at Columbia or New Orleans, and
failing that, it is not difficult to foresee the
| kind of settlement which will follow
| the abandonment of the Chamber
lain and Packard governments to the
tender mercies of their opponents. The
| troops can not be withdrawn at the pres
ent junoture without the implied admis-
sion that they were sent, in the fret in
stance, for a totally indefensible purpose,
| and retained without any obvious necessity.
Such an opinion is certainly not that of the
vast majority of the Republican party,
and it will be nothing short of a national
| misfortune should the President fail to
carry that majority along with him. He
has so great work to do, and he has so
nobly begun it, that we trust there are
| limitations and conditions attached to the
reported stroke of policy which will render
it less likely than it seems to elicit the dis
approval of the intelligent and law abiding
majority of the Northern people.
Saturdays leading editorial was, if posi-.
BILE, more emphatic in the same direction,
while yesterdays issue contained one whole
column of editorial, from which take the
following extracts:
We are not required to believe that
Northern men appointed to office in the
| South are the vile creatures which the
SOutherners have declared carpet
baggers to be. The first object of the
| President is to convince the South that
the Republican party, while sincerely
| determined to defend the rights of the
blacks in every practicable way, would
| greatly prefer to do so in cooperation with
Southern men, rather than against them.
To this end Mr.. Key is invited to the Cab
| inet-a Southern man, a prominent and
trusted leader, a Confederate ex-Offcer,
Democrat by association and conviction.
He is given charge of the. postal SER
vice, whose officers reach every CITY,
| and de will ~ fb
Southern States. If the President is will
ing to seek counsel of such a man and
to lay before him as one of his confidential
advisers every feature of his policy, what
better proof could he give of good faith3
We do not see that any proof beyond the
application of principles thus far pro-
| claimed and acted on ought to be required:
least of all can we see that the withdrawal
of the troops from Louisiana and South
Carolina is a thing which the South can
properly demand or the President accord.
The troops are not there ct the whim and
pleasure of the executive; they are
there in pursuance of law to perform duty
imposed by the constitution. There lie
nothing in their presence which need offend
any claes of law abiding citizens. They do
not and can not interfere with any rights
which the whites Of the South possess, and
they do not prevent any freedom of action
! which is consistent with the laws of the
1 6N1NNRHs
not be oOneiliatiOn; it would be submission
to unfOunded and unjustifable PretensiOns.
We are told that the President has assur-
ances that if the troops are taken away
there will be no violence. 1t is certain that
there will be none If they remain. What,
then, is gained by removing theml Simply
the qualification of the feelings of faction.
But what feelings can loyal men have
that can Justly be grstifed by the
removal of part of the army
stationed in their midst for such pur.
/ poses as the law defnes9 And we take
leave to ask what would these assurances
be worth when the army was once taken
awayl 1t is said that it could easily be re-
tnrned. By what authority-for what pur-
| pOsel The troops are now in New Orleans
and Columbia to sustain the State govern
/ ments against domestic violence If they
are removed and the Democrats take pos
session Of the State governments, will they
call on Mr.. Hayes TO order back the tro0ps
/ whatever may be the need Of themi and If
not, how can they legally be returnedl
These are questions which must be conaid.
/ cred.
Mr. George Jeneg, chief proprietor Of the
Timss hir recently hsen in ecnfeFenca With