The Portland daily press., 1877-12-06
Three Points OF the Message.

In the French Chamber OF Deputies on Sep
tember 16, 1881, Gen. Sebastiani said that let
tiers received from Poland announced that
Tranquility reigns at Warsaw" AS this
tranquility had been secured by an ,effusion of
blood and series of barbarities on the part
OF the Russian conquerors equaled only by
some occurrences in the southern part of our
own c.untry, the sentence was so full of grim
sarcasm that it has become one of our best
known and most expressive historical phrases.
The sturdy British chieftain- Gagacus, who
had seen his country overrun by Roman
armies, the inhabitants slaughtered or driven
from their homes and the land laid waste,
made last strong effort against the invaders.
Tacitus reports his speech to his followers be-
fore the final battle which sealed his doom.
1t is one OF the finest expressions of brave de-
spair ever put into words. One expression is
so keenly ironical that it has become a COM
monplace phrase: "They make a solitude,
they call 1t peace" President Hayes, in his
annual message to Congress announces that
tranquility and peace reign in the South and
he don't mean to be either sarcastic or ironi-
cal about it. The revolver, shot gun and lash
have done their perfect work. All protection
of the black men by the national government
has been withdrawn. They are delivered,
poor. ignorant and helpless, into the hands OF
their former masters and owners and tran
quillity reigns in the southland. Gen. M. C.
Butler comes to the Senate of the United
States with hands reeking with blood shed in
the most wanton and treacherous manner and
the ex-confederates are rampant and domi-
nant at Washington. Possibly this condition
of things is providentially necessary and could
not have been helped; but if SO, it is subject
for tears and not for congratulations. So Mr.
Hayes self-gratulatory expressions on this
subject will not evoke a very cordial response
in these parts at least.
The President reiterates his views of the
civil service policy which have been often be-
fore expressed. He recognizes the difficulty
of selecting suitable officials in 90 wide ma
tion but deliberately rejects the obvious solu-
tion of the difficulty which is to consult the
representatives of the people sent to Washing
ton from the different sections. They can
give better information as 10 the character
and qualifications Of candidates in their re-.
spective localities than is attainable from any
other available source. They know best the
wants and wishes of the people and they are
directly responsible to the people for their
acts or recommendations. The more intelli-
gent of the civil service reformers hold that
original appointments should be on the rec
ommendation of Congressman who are the
best Judges Of fitness. They maintain that
the gist of civil service reform is that removal
from office shall not be made without cause
The President seems to have become
bewildered by the blatant outcries of
certain pseudo-reformers and has reversed
the proper order Of things. He protests
against appointing on recommendation of
congressman but wantonly removes officials
without canse as in the case of the Nav York
custom house me2, whom he is striving to
turn out because they are Senator Conkling's
friends, though they are acknowledged on al
hands to be notably good officers. Nor is he
consistent in the way of appointments. In
the case OF Fitzsimmons, Marshal of Georgia,
he made the appointment arbitrarily at the
dictation of Senator Gordon. Many other
cases might be cited of similar subseryency
to Southern Senators. So it seems that the
recommendations of the Republican congress
men are the only ones to be disregarded, but
that the recommendations Of ex-confederate
congressman must be held as conclusiye--in
the interest of conciliation probably The
whole system is favored with painful sug-
gestion Of cant and pretence on the part of
the professional Reformers. 1t is to be hoped
that the President will grow wiser by expe-
rience and seek the kernel of reform rather
than the husks with which he is at present
occupying himself.
1t is pleasant and refreshing indeed to turn
from these topics to the discussion of the cur
rency question. Here the President speaks
like Republican and an honest American
citizen. He is clear cut and definite in favor
of resumption of specie payments at the ear
liest possible moment and declares positively
against any backward step. I[e stands tor
honesty and good faith in dealing with the
public creditors, and his words have a good
genuine ring to them. They merit and will
receive the cordial approval of all intelligent
men. On the silver question his utterances
are not so fully satisfactory, but are measura-
bly, SO. He opposes the views of the wild ex-
tremists and repudiators and holds that, if
silver dollars are to be coined-to which he
assents-the legal tender quality should be
restricted. This part of the message will go
far toward reconciling the people to some of
the other positions which they will deplore.
1t gives feeling Of security to business men
to know definitely that we have man at the
head Of affairs who means honestly and thinks
wisely about our finances. All honor to
President Hayes for his good sense and man
ly, direct expression on this great question.