Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-10-17

pose TO strangle this hydra of MANY
heads, be seemed 10 exhibit the cour-
age, manliness snd patriotism OF one
worthy to be President. This exhibi-
bition gave me high hopes Of the man.
and several early free and frank inter-
views which felt encouraged 10 seek
with him greatly strengthened and en-
couraged these hopes.
.Nows my friend, it is the utter and
sickening disappointment which these
hopes have experienced, and nothing
else, which has forced from me the few
words 70 which you allude, and which
have been falseIy construed by Tepub-
lican papers to express personal bitter
ness and hostility on my part toward
Dir. Hayes. In my opinion Mr.. Hayes
has utterly failed % imPFove--indeed,
has slranxeiy tEfo#n 4NA -.aA cpp6
lunity 20 make f0r himself name wor-
thy to be enrolled with that Of WASH
ington. because that opportunity I'M
proved would have conferred on his
country benefit quite equal to any
conferred by Washington himself. He
has failed because he has shown him
self utterly unequal to his opportunity.
He has shown himself unequal in that
he has utterly failed to realize that the
Chief Magistrate of great country has
no personal friends, no personal ene-
mics and owes so personal obligations,
but is under obligations only TO his
country, and TO that country's honor,
glory, prosperity, constitution and laws.
He has thrown away his opportunity
to honor himself and even his country
by recognizing an obligation to reward
those who. by frauds most dIsgraceful
TO their country, gave him this opportu-
nifty. He has thrown away the grand
est opportunity ever given to a man
only that be might give Offices and re-
wards to as worthless set of rapscal-
liens as ever disgraced humanity.
A man may become President by
reason of crime and yet himself not
be tainted or even culpable. Twice.
IN our history. have men become Pres
idents by reason OF crime. Andrew
Johnson become President by reason
of wicked and foul assassination. Mr..
Hayes became President by reason of
wicked and foul conspiracy to change,
and which did change, the ballots OF
the people after those ballots had been
cast. Yet each became President
through the forms of the constitution
and laws. How did Mr.. Johnson deal
with those who committed and who
were charged with aiding to commit the
crime by which he became President,
He pursued them for punishment with
such vigor that, as all the world now
believe, an innocent woman was
hangedi How has M:. Hayes dealt with
those who committed and those who
were charged with aiding to commit the
crime by which he became President
If you will examine the list from the
humblest manager of the election pre-
cincts in Florida and Louisiana, through
the visiting statesmen as they are now
in mockery called, and up to and through
the Electoral Commission, and show
me one, black or white. high or low,
who is known to be guilty, or who is
suspected Of the guilt ofthis crime, who
has not received or been offered an of
fee, you will relieve to that extent the
pain and modification feel in looking
over these sickening developments.
There was q woman charged TO be
among the conspirators in both crimes.
In Mr.. Johnson's case Mrs. Surrait, pro-
testing her innocence with an honest
woman's tears and a devoted mothers
entreaties. was chained and mocked and
hungl
In Mr.. Hayes case, Agnes jerks,
confessing her guilt in brazen gibberish
never before equalled. receives an Office
OF good pay aud little work in the treas
ury, and that, too, at a time when many
ladies of unquestioned worth, with hum
CRY children and husbands slain in bat
tie, were rudeIy turned away with the
gruf answer ''no vacancies" If, in
stead of fleeing as a criminal, Wilkes
Booth had sought the presence OF An
drew Johnson as one who had rendered
the latter good service, and Mr.. john
son had entertained him at the Execu-
tive Mansion and given him an Office,
what would the world have said p
What would you sayi Letters have
been produced before the Potter Com
mittee, written by republican members
OF Congress, which were written 20 re-
publican friends and not intended for
publication, which strIkingly exhibit
the superior influence of Kellogg, Pack
ard, Wells and Anderson at the Exeeu-
tive Mansion. In other ways we know
now that almost every person con-
nected with the fraud has claimed or
exercised special influence or favor ut
the White House. But the contrast
may be stated in one short sentence -
In Mr.. Johnson's case all the crimi-
mails, real or suspected, were specially
marked for punishment. In Mr.. Hayes
case all the criminals. real or suspected,
were specially marked for reward.
| would be really glad If could find
some excuse, some apology or some
palliGtion for the course Mr.. HAYES has
pursued in this matter. But, after full
consideration, / can find none. II is
no palliation TO say that assassination
was greater CRIME than fraud. Both
were crimes. If II is right to reward
crime at all. then the greatest crimes
should receive the highest rewards
You cannot produce innocence, much
less merit, by grading crimes. All de-
serve punishment and none are entitled
to reward. To reward fraud is great
er crime than TO commit it, for the re-
ward invites many commissions. II
Andrew johnson had rewarded Booth
the whole world would have pronounced
him greater criminal than Booth. II
Is difficult TO conceive Of > greater crime