The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-01-18
THAT "BARGAIN.v
The Administration Side of the story.


Gen. II. v. Boynton, the Washington
correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette,
has published the administration side of
the story about the alleged bargaining
between certain Southern Democrats
and the friends of President Hayes.
Gen. BoyntOn says:
The attention of Republicans in Washington
was first pointedly directed Ia the state 81 feel
ing among Southern Democrats, by the marked
uneasiness Of the Northern wing OF their party,
caused by the publication Of what will be re-
membered as the Roberts interview with Gov.
Hayes at Columbus For the purpose Of this
discussion il IL not necessary to inquire whether
that interview was correctly or incorrectly re-
ported, but, as printed, it at once became the
handwriting on the wall TO Mr.. Tidens per-
sonal adherents. Emssaries from Liberty street
came, post haste, to Washington, to sound
Southern men and see If there was any re-
Spouse among them to a sentiment that would
prefer Hayes, with An assured liberal policy,
to Tilden, with the certainty Of general trouble.
Their anxiety and the general uneasness
among their friends in Congress disclosed the
situation TO Republicans, and by the middle OF
December some Of the most prominent among
the latter had fully grasped Its meaning and
its possibilities. Republicans who gave them
selves earnestly to the study OF the situation
found general agreement among Southern
Democrats upon several subjects.
/. They were more concerned with reganing
local self-government than they were with the
success of Tilden. The national sdministra-
ton had grown to seem IF far less importance
to them than the control OF their own State af-
fairs.
2. They had never been reconcied to the
way the New York element had fovced Illden
upon the Democracy of the South and West at
ST. Louis.
3. They were Disguised with his letter on
Southern claims, not so much because they were
| looking to their payment. but because they re-
garded it as an assumption on I1lden = part that
he could safely truckle to Mortimer sentiment
| at the expense of the South, since the latter
could not refuse him support under any snub-
| bling whatever.
4. They felt that any interference with cen
| stitutional count of the electoral votes meant
revolution, and as Southern men, and in the
main Southern soldiers, understanding from
sore experience what was involved, they were
united almost to man in the agreement that
| in no event should the Democrats Of the House
be allowed to plunge the country into war.
! They saw that they held the balance Of power
in their party, and they periodically resolved
to use it for peace.
| 5. A number Of them were considering
whether in case the utterances Of Gov. Hayes
! letter OF acceptance in regard to the South
meant what the language implied, the South
would not be better off ut the end Of four years
| of such Republican rule than to have the gen.
eral disorder and disruption Of social quiet con-
time, as it certainly would continue, through
a Democratic administration, with the certainty
that, at the end of four years, the same strug-
gle through which the South had just passed
would be repeated. In short, number of
prominent Southern men were earnestly con-
sidering whether, i'll case Hayes should hon
estly aud earnestly set himself about carrying
into effect the ideas Of his letter of acceptance,
it would not be far better for the quiet and ma
| terial interests of the South or whether the
lohn fn ifast and ont
struction did not lie through Republican ad-
ministration under Gov. Hayes.
These were the elements of Southern thought
which number Of Republicans found to be
questions OF earnest though quiet discussion.
That they should instantly avail themselves Of
this knowledge to widen the opening breach
between Tilden's personal adherents and these
| cooler Southern men was entirely natural.
That they should have been active in this
work was one OF the necessities Of the situa-
ton. The country was on the brink Of an
| archy then. 1t is easy to look back from pres
ent quiet, and denounce all attempts to avert
civil war as bargains, but some of those who
are busiest in such denunciations now-and
some editors, too-should reflect upon what
they thought craftsmanship and honorable and
just dealing then.
And now for the bargaining that took place.
These Republicans who were in a po-
sition TO know the Liberal policy tow
ard the South which Gov Hayes had
decided upon, and which he had an
nounced clearly in his letter of acceptance.
simply took occasion to assure these Southern
Democrats that what Hayes had thus promised
would certainly be fulfilled that carpet-bag
rule, making clear distinctions between South
ern Republicans and carpet bag element proper
would not be encouraged (; that local govern,
ment or proper home-rule would be that all
who desired to come into accord with national
administration for the purpose of completing a
lasting reconstruction and assuring peace TO
the South, would be cordially received and
that all the results of the war and all new
rights to the new citizens would be insisted
upon and protected.
There was no promise to individuals, and
nothing that approached the character Of bar
gaining. 1t was the announcement Of a pre-
determined policy on the one hand, and a re-
ception of it as the best present attainable