The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1878-02-08
What is the Use ?
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
"What is the use" asks a super-seu
/ sitive correspondent, ''of continually
harping on the title of Hayes" Their,
is'always great use in exposing false
hood and fraud. The title of Hayes is
false and fraudulent, and as such
ought not to exist. To demonstrate
against such title, and to urge it,
overthrow, is the first and highest
present duty of an American citizen.
70 uphold or to acquiesce in such Il
title tends to destroy our free institu-
tiOns, to rot our politics, and to cor
rupt public virtue. The Inauguration
of Hayes under such title was the
greatest shame that has ever befallen
the country. Secession has been just
| 1y styled a terrible crime; but it was
based upon a doctrine i'll which many
honorable men honestly believed,
! while there is no sane man who be-
| lieves that Hayes was legally elected
| The results of successful secession
would have been material mainly,
and not necessarily fatal to public Vir-
| tue; the consequence of fsuccessfulfralId
as exhibited in the rape of the Presi-
| dency must De an immeasJlrable loss
of national honor and decency. If the
highest Office in the gift of the people
caIrbe fraudulently seized upon; if the
| man who was truly elected can he
| COOlly counted out, while the man
| who was not elected receives position
and power, of what use are elections.
! and why should they be continued?
Unpopular suffrage is proved to be
sham at the top, what is to prevent it
from becoming Slam all the way
down to the bottom? What encour-
agcment has any worthy and capable
man i'll becoming a candidate for
office, when he can have no assurance
that elections elect? Why not give
up the Government at once to the
thieves, who will steal it entirely
sooner or later? OF what avail is it to
any man, in any public or private
position, to he honest? Is not fraud
triumphantly crowned, and is not
rascality clothed in purple and fine
linen? Let us eat and drink, for to-
morrow we die. Day by day the de-
moralizatiOn is spreading, and it is
with the hope of arresting it that the
S,o1 is continually haTping on" the
title of Hayes. In the interest of the
people, the false and fraudulent title |
of Hayes should be exposed and de-
noumced.
- As matter of policy" continues
our correspondent, 'you should drop |
the subject. Hayes is doing better for |
the Democrats than Tilden could have |
done. Tilden would have consolidat-
the Republican party; Hayes has dis
integrated it," We deny both posi-
tions. 1t is as true now as it ever was |
that honesty is the best policy, and it |
is both right and eXpedient to oppose
Il lie. 1t is not true, though many
Democrats seem to find much consola-
ton i'll saying so, that Hayes has done
better in any respect than Tilden
could have done. Hayes allowed self
government to he restored mt the
South; but Tilden would have restored
ii more speedily and more thoroughly,
not because he had made a bargain
but because it was right. Hayes has
fraudulently affected IL desire for civil
service reform; Tilden would before
this have thoroughly and effectively
reformed the entire public service.
As regards the point of disintegration,
it may be said that the Republican
party is falling to pieces, of its own
rOttenneSS, so far as it deserves to fall
to pieces, and no further. This is not
the work of Hayes, but of natural
causes. 1t may also fairly he ques-
toned whether a similar disintegra-
ton Is not acting upon the Democratic
FEs'ty, which has hastenett to learn
evil lessons and to follow corruption.
We state the case very mildly when
we say that bargaining with theft,
terms with fraud, and acuui-
esciny in iniquity, will never fail to
demOraliZe any party,