The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-19
THE COUNTRY DEMOCRATIC.

THE COUNTRY DEMOCRATIC.
The American Government does not
possess that fiexiblity which rem
fiera the British Government the
most sensitive to public opinion,
and consequently the most responsible
aver devised. The American system. In
fact. Ia an arbitrary system. Indeed.
mn American administration. during the
fixed term OF It's existence, Ia rs far
beyond the control Of the people
nm Ia the Gear of Russia: the only
limitation upon Its exercise of arbi-
trary power being In periodical
elections. A President, one like Grant
for instance, Indifferent to public
opinion, may be an autocrat and pur-
sue his despotic will until the period OF
n new election offers the people an OPP
portunity to depose and rebuke him.
It would require but one step to con-
vert the republic into a despotism, and
that step the country was about pre-
pared to see Grant take or attempt to
take.
Men like Grant, however. appear only
nc rare intervals, while those who
usually rise to eminence and power in
politics are not insensible to public opin-
ion. the power of which, therefore, in
q great measure corrects the defects
in our arbitrary theory Of government
and gives 1t strong element Of respon-
. sibility. This fact 10 shown In the case
or the present Chief Executive. Mr..
Hayes 10 q Republican and was made
President by the Republican party.
Had he been upquestionably elected :
were there no stain Of fraud. or suspi-
cion OF illegality, upon his title: In
short. had his election exhibited the
fact that the Republican party was COM
posed of majority Of the American
people. and that the policy Of that party
during the last ten years was endorsed
and supported by the public opinion OF
the country, Mr.. Hayes would certainly
have followed up the policy OF his pre-
decessor and to which his party was
committed.
But the election showed that vast
majority Of the people had repudiated
carpet. baggery. military rule, and the
extravaganza and proHigacy Of the two
preceding Republican administrations,
and that public opinion was flowing In
n mighty current towards Democracy.
The adoption by Mr.. Hayes of the
Southern policy OF the Democratic
party, and the movement Of his ad.
ministration towards civil service re-
form, are fur stronger evidence that
the country Is Democratic than were
Mr.. Tilden's real majority Of twenty
three votes In the Electoral College.
The conspiracy which made Mr.. Hayes
President was the last desperate act of a
beaten party: Mr.. Hayes had the saga
city to see this fact. and the courage to
take advantage OF 1t. He emancipated
South Carolina with Blaine bowling at
his back, and all the bloody shirt leaders
or his party yelling their threats in his
ears. But the public opinion of the
country was stronger than all the
Blaines in existence. and that opin-
ion, which was Democratic, demand
u ed the emancipation OF South Caro-
lima. For this irresistible reason Mr..
Hayes withdrew the troops from
the State House in Columbia, and
for the same irresistible reason he will
order the withdrawal Of the troops from
The State House in New Orleans.
Mr.. Hayes, Of course, Is not Demo
crat, but he must respect and obey the
public opinion OF the country. Even
Gen. Grant, with his arbitrary temper.
bulldog courage and military habits
and opinions, was only able to play the
tyrant while the public opinion OF the
most powerful portion of the country
upheld him in his merciless persecution
Of the South. 10 the later days of his
official life, little as he cared for public
opinion, he felt that II was wisest fol
him to concede something TO thai
mighty public sentiment which has
swept Hayes out ct the embraces q