Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-03-29
nAYEs's sorTHERN POLICY.

HAYES 5 SOUTHERN POLICY.
In the selection of secretaries and other
suboruinates the President has great lati-
| tude for the exercise of discretion, but in the
| selection Of Governors of States he has no
discretion whatever. The people of the
States, in the exercise Of their own uncon-
trolled discretion, select their own Cover
nors. Upon the President is charged the
single duty Of recognizing such Governors
a. the people of tho States may from time II
time make choice of. When the President
WAS inaugurated Stephen B. Packard was
Governor Of Louisiana. Within sixty days
after that Inauguration he ceased to be Gov
ernor. When he disappeared, the will of
Louisiana was subyerted and trampled on.
Dir. Howe continued at great length. com
menting upon the Louisiana proceedings.
saying that he could not discover in all
that transpired there anything developing
new policy for the Republican party or the
abandonment of an old policy. He said 1t
was matter of surprise and profound regret
that heard the President declare in his late
annual message that -" The discOntinuance of
the use of the army for the purpose OF up
holding local governments in two States of
the Union was no less constitutional duty
and requirement, under the circumstances
existing at the time, that it was much
needed measure for the restoration OF local
self government and the promotion Of ma
tional harmony" If that be correct de
fiuition of tho Presidents Southern policy,
| am no longer in doubt a. to whether az
prove 1t or not. 1t is impossible that
should approve it now or ever 1t is clear
Ln,, A f. - h.. a
solemn duties charged upon the President
by the Constitution and laws of the United
States
By the Constitution it is provided that
" the United shall guarantee to every State
in the Union a Republican form of govern
ment, and shall protect zach of them
ION application OF the Executive when the
Legislature cannot be convened), against
domestic violence" Such is the solemn
guarantee made by the Constitution on be
half Of the United States. 1t il clear and
unambiguous. They shall protect each
State against domestic violence if called
upon by the Legislature or by the Gov
ernor when the Legislature cannot he con
vened. The duty thus charged upon
the United States was by Congress,
more than eighty Years ago, delegated to
the President. II, then. Packard was the
Governor Of louisiana, and if he asked the
| President to defend his authority against
domestic violence, it was plainly his duty to
employ the army and. if need be, the navy
and, il need be, the militia Of any OF the
States, or of all the States. to uphold that
local government. Self government in a
State is the government, not of the strong
est, but OF the greatest number. la the
language Of the Presidents inaugural
at must be n government which submits
Loyalty and heartily to the constitution and
to the laws-the laws of the nation and the
laws of the State themselves accepting and
obeying faithfully the whole constitution as
i. is"
Preponderancc Of physical strength does
not always coincide with preponierance Of
| numbers. The bullics can often beat the
ballots, and, even when the majority in
| State are physically stronger than the
minority, the President has no right to leave
the ma ority 10 the chances of the encounter
The United States has guaranteed the ma
| IOrity against those chances.
When, therefore, the President abandon
ed the government Of Louisiana to domestic
| violence he surrendered the constitutional
| rights Of a single State. But when he nd
vertised that he would never Interfere where
the result Of an election is disputed he sur
rendered a national prc:ogatye vital to cur
institutions. lie ablured constitutional
duty essential to every State. lie proclaim
ed license to insurroction. lie notified the
minority in every State wh,n defeated by
the ballot to appeal To the bayonct, and he
proclaimed in advance that the nation shall
be neutral in the conflict. Even before this
unparalleled desertion it was possible to he
silent if so commanded in the interest Of
harmony but when commanded 10y
garrulous faction, intent only upon executive
patronage, to approve the mOnstrous wrong,
! answer, Not until am prepared to for
swear the constitution of my country and my
own constitution as we'll
PAcKARD's AND HAYES TITLE.
II Mr. Packard was not elected Governor
of Louisiana, nothing can be more certain
than that Hayes was not elected President
of the United States. Without the elector
al vote Of Louisiana the whole world knows