Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-11-15
Mr.. Hayes and the South.


Star was submitted to the President and ap-
proved By him before publication -
Two POSITIONS Of great Importance in the
politics OF the country have withia the past few
days bceo assigned the President. One that
be has abandoned i'll toto bis Southern policy:
the ether that he has. by giving way 10 that
pclicg, brought about reconciliation between
his administration aud the so called "stalwart"
wing OF the republican party, the elements of
which have been siuce the inauguration of the
CANCELLATION policy aenated from him. Both
Of these statements are either untrue or are
given en- improper oooring. AS to the reported
change Of policy regarding tho South, there is
nothing in it. The method of dealing With the
Southern States which the President has seen
fit to pursue is the same now as it was when
inauRurated. This 'policy' was ia DO respsc:
whatever au experiment. The President con
sd,red. and still considers, it 6 matter Of duty
10 see that 10 administering the laws oil the
lend Tue constitutional rights of every citizen 10
every portion CT the counIry equally sud alike
should be fully respected and guarded"
ut is pretty generally conceded that the
South under bsyOnet rule was not enjoying the
free government vou9hsated it by the Constitu,
lion. 10 remove that rule was o duty the
President considered dev0lviug upon him, and
il WA accordingly removed. lie has gono 90
with the determination OF securing, as far as
lay IN his power, that every citizen shall be
protected in the lu and free exercise OF all his
rights and privileges. With this determination
ilas been coupled strong desire not TO use the
military b!aGcli Of the Government except to
queil inSuTrcction and put down riots. Ali
violations of the law should, lie has always held
aud sill holds. he punished by civil processes il
possible. Therefore when il was learned prior
10 the recent elections that republican voters 10
the South, notably in South Carolina, Loulsi,
ana and Alabama, would c2rtbinly be intericrcd
with IN the exercise of their franchise rights,
the Attorney General ordered the United States
District Attorneys for those States to SIC that
all yiolators OF the law ia this respect were
promptly arrested and brought to trial. And
after the elections, Notwithstanding the adj
vauCes Tor compromise from those arrested the
| Attorney & oneral was last Saturday instructed
| 10 prosecute Il ,nders to the utmost limits OF
the law Neither Of these instructions could be
regarded as "a change Of policy. They were
bur the carrying out OF tho Presidents datcrm-
| inaiOn 10 SEE that the laws are enforced every
where.
| The statement that The President has recently
| said that he had tried tho plan OF Cancellation
| and i0uDd it complete failure is uutruc The
President has never made such 4 statement. 1t
is true that he docs not think tho South has
| responded as it should to his good Intentions
| hut nevertheless he does net latCnt to change
10 any lGannar whatever, the curse OF bis All
ADMINISTRATION upon lhia Rccount This course, as
hes previously been said, is nota Southern policy
| II Is not, ii any true sense mere po!lcj-lt /:
the enforcement oil the law By civil processes.
| is to the bllet statement that there has beer
reconciliation between The Administration
aud the dissatlGel leaders Of the republican
party. it m5y be stated that 10 order that there
might be "a reconciliation, as the phrase is, i
would be necessary that the President should
come at least partially to the way OF thinking
| held by the leaders of the party with which he
is to be 'rcconcilcd." The President has never
seen a5y reason why he should cease to do hi;
duty because some portion OF his party were
dissatisfied with bis methods. lie has Away!
desired and still desires that the utmost har
moDy should exist 10 the party. lflesders O
the party, alter intcrcha1glng views with MIN
see that they have misunderstood his course
| ADD Conduct and think that it would be COCO
thst past differences should be healed, the
! President is ready to respond heartily. That
such is lbo case il, no doubt, true. and thc
party which elected the President to office Is
| certainly now, with few exceptions, ready, as
| Representative White, OF Pennsylvania, says
! to ''l0ok to future results and forget the ettett
past With its past differences. II this is rec
crc!iiatjon, we'll and good.