The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-05-19
NJ. Raves Southern Policy.

ted States troops from where they had no
business to be, but where his predecessor
in the Executive Office had employed them
in the partisan service Of propping up pre-
tended State governments that could not
have stood twenty four hours without
them. These troops were in their respee-
tive positions against the wishes Of the
people, or Of large majority Of the Peo-
pie, Of two sovereign States, and in viola
ton Of their statutes, as well as in violation
Of the Constitution Of the United States.
They were there upon the false pretext of
maintaining order and preventing blood
shed; whereas, their presence there only
inspired the usurpers aud pretenders to
persist in their efforts TO rule over an I'M
willing and outraged aud plundered peo-
pie. Under such circumstances Mr.. Hayes
gave orders for these troops to be with
drawn from such disgraceful service and
to retire to the barracks where ordinarily
they belonged, and whence they had been
ordered by stolid, brutal usurPer, at the
demand Of a corrupt, unprincipled and
lawless faction. This is the sum and sub
stance of Mr., Hayes Southern policy. A
withdrawal Of the troops from Columbia
and New Orleans, that the rights of the
people Of South Carolina aud Louisiana
might no longer be invaded through their
presence at the seat ofgoyernment in these
two States, and their protection extended
to the factious leaders who had the audac-
ity to pretend to rule over them in oppo-
sition to their rightful governments.
Grant deserved impeachment for institu-
ting this order Of things. Hayes would
have deserved it no less for not bringing
it to an end A negative honor, perhaps,
is his, for doing his manifest duty; but he
did it in dilatOry, hcsitating and Indirect
way, which robs il Of the honor which
otherwise would have enured to the act.
Besides, he plainly foresaw that Demo-
cratic House of Representatives would
compel him to do it, whether he would or
not, by Withholding every dollar of funds
necessary for the army. He therefore
did, Of his own motion, what he would
have necessarily been compelled to do in
the end. Had his stolid and insensate
predecessor remained longer in Office, even
he would have been driven to the same
strait through the aroused determination
of the Representatives Of the people, who
resolved to withhold the funds necessary
to maintain the army until it was with
drawn from the service Of faction and re-
strained to the exercise Of its legitimate
functions. Thanks TO the House of Re
personalities, and not Mr. Hayes, for this
most gracious result But, We hear Of
storm of Radical indignation which is
about to burst upon Mr.. Hayes head, on
account of his Southern policy; which
Southern policy, as VIC have shown, con
sists in this simple act Of tardy constitu-
tional duty What does this threatened
hostility to Mr.. Hayes on account of his
Withdrawal Of the troops imply2 1t means
just this-that the Radicals intend to keep
the civil in subsection to the military
power, if they can They would hold the
bayonet superior to the ballot. It means
that there shall be no elections in the
Southern States, unless those States remain
loyal to the Radical party If the people
there presume to exercise the right Of suf-
irage in accordance with their own will,
and cast majority for Democratic men and
measures, they shall be put under bayonet
rule and kept there as long as it suits
their pleasure. This is the plain signi6.
cation Of Radical opposition to Mr., Hayes
Southern policy, rs it is termed. Is there
any danger that the bayouet policy will
ever be reinstated in the South Win
not Mr.. Hayes remain firm, let the storm
of Radical opposition beat upon him never
50 ferccly? We cannot tell what is to
happen. Some Sudden outbreak like the
feud ia Mississippi which lately destroyed
the lives Of several important citizens of
that State, although without any political
Significance, might be seized upon and
distorted by designing men, to induce the
President to send the troops again into
certain Southern States to control the
elections. Remember, that Mr.. Hayes
has said, over and over again, that this
Southern policy ef,his, for which some
easy, credulOus and supplemented Demo
Gratis, arc SO much disposed to laud him,
is but an experiment. He might be made
to believe that the experiment was a fail
are, and that bayonet rule was the Only
thing practicable; the rule Of despotisrn, of
might over right, the domination of the
civil by the military power. 10 view of
such q possibility, not to say probability,
what is the plain duty Of the Democrats
in Congress- Il is this--to reduce the
army to the lowest possible standard, and
by statute to make it crime to employ
the troops, Or any part Of them in such
service. Economy, patriotism and public
safety demand it. Standing armies are
particularly dangerous in republic, and
if the people would preserve their liberties
they must lose no time in reducing the
military force What does this country
want with standing army Of $4,000 men?
Petitions are circulating in Washington
asking for the removal Of Frederick Doug
lass irom the Office Of Marshal for the Dis
trict Of Columbia. In recent lecture in