The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-03-29
THE PRESIDENTIAL POLICY.


THE PRESIDENTIAL POLICY.
speech of MIR. Howe, of Wisconsin, In the
United states Senate-The Civil Service
and Southern Policy OF the Administra-
ton Denounced.
Associated Press Report.l
During the past year we have seen here and
everywhere throughout the country small but
active squads Of political inquisitors busy with
the work OF assisting the Republican party in
gathering into haliowed gamers all those who
avow themselves supporters of the Presidents
policy, and pouring unquenchable fire upon all
the rest. Poles nave been set up at all cross
roads; flags inscribed with the Presidents
self-appointed inquisitors have lurked in con-
venient jungles to detect who did and who did
not uncover under the flag. 1t has happened
to me to be advertised quite beyond the pale of
my own modest seeking as an opponent OF the
Presidents policy. To the doctors of the in
QUESTION it seems no longer question of mo-
ment whether one be a Republican or Demo-
Graf. The absorbing question il, "Does he
support the Presidents policy or does he not ~
Sir, have no wish to conceal any opinion of
mine which the public is interested to know.
Nevertheless, have not hitherto answered to
ILLS dCCusdllOu. ulu uOI ike W Dltdu guilty,
for L hoped L was innocent, and L did not
like to plead not guilty, for l feared l might
be guilty. l had withheld no honest effort
to elect Mr.. Hayes. 1t must of necessity
pain me to be found not in accord with his
views, and 1t must pain me still more to find he
was not i'll accord with mine. My uncertainty
arose not from the fact that was doubtful of
my own policy, but because 1 was not sure
understood his MY own policy il very sim
pie one, and may be briefly stated Toward
the States of the South my policy has been
identical with the policy have held toward the
States of the North. demand only that every
legaly-qualifed eector in every State, South
or North, Democrat or Republican, black or
white, shall be permitted, undisturbed by force
and unawed by fear, to vote at all elections and
at the place prescribed by law, and nowhere
else, Just once, and no more than once that
every vote so cast shall be honestly counted,
and that every person chosen by such votes to
any office shall be freely indicted into it. That
is my Southern policy and the whole of it.
The very head and front of my offending
against the South hath this extent, no more.
Concerning the civil service, my policy is not
bit more complicated. l would have that SER
vice administered by the best men attainable,
and / believe Republican President should
select Republicans for all those places where
the harmony and vigor Of the administration
require its policy to be represented. believe,
as the President declared in his inaugural
address, that, once commissioned, the officer
should be secure in his tenure as long as his
personal character remains untarnished and
the performance of his duty satisfactory.
Some things have happened since the Presi-
dents Inauguration not at all in harmony with
the policies l have indicated. He has selected
for his Cabinet one who was not Republican,
but Democrat. STILL the individual was so
well known to me, and believed 80 implicitly
insthe moderation OF his opinions, in the just
ness OF his sentiments, and the integrity Of his
character. that if L could not have advised his
selection could not and did not complain Of
it. He had selected one other who, although
not Democrat was yet not a Republican, VINO
was equally at home with all parties and in all
places. BY turns he has been everywhere and
has espoused and deserted every party. He
spoke like an oracle, and his facile speech
could be fitted to the viclssitudes of parties IA
readily as double-faced satin can be turned
to hide the accidents OF society. His critiques
upon his political associates gave him popu-
larity with his political opponents, and he re-
sembled prophets in never being without honor
except where he happened to reside. Incon-
slant in everything else, he has been constant
to his trade that Of politics. He entered upon
that before he was of age, and he has pursued
it since without variaoleness or shadow of
turning. His first enterprise was to revolu-
tionize the Government under which he was
born. That failed, and he fled. He was for
short time lawyer in Wisconsin, but without
clients. He was a Minister at Madrid, but did
not reconstruct the diplomacy of the world. He
was Major General, but perverse history re-
fused to record his victories He was trans
planted into Missouri, and the generous Re-
publicans of that State bore him into this SEN
ate. That elevation did not prove fatal to him,
but his party died-died not in spite of him.
but because of him, and under the blows which
he inflicted. Having outraged one party and
not yet received absolution from the other, he
4 onI Isath aal.s -
rs dealer in legitimate politics. he turned his
attention to the contraband article. In 1872
he helped to lead Horace Greeley and b. Gratz
Brown TO the Baltimore market ana taught
the Democracy of that year that they should
call nothing common or unclean il il promised
to beat Grant. For six years he traduced the
Republican party, probably through more Ian
guages than any other man living. Upon that
lllusrlous Captain who from the 4th of july
1868, TO the 4th of March, 1877, led the Repub-
can party, who always led Lis party to
victory and always lifted his country to
renown, at whose approach but recently the
Eastern continent stood up and uncovered, he
threw more mud than any dredge not worked
by steam ever threw in the same time.
After reviewing still further Secretary
Schurz's career, MIR. Howe took up the Packard
case and the Louisiana election and said:
When the President was inaugursted Stephen
Is. Packard was Governor of Louisiana With
to be Governor. When he disappeared the
will of Louisiana was subverted and trampled
upon. Such an event is always a matter of
sincere regret to all who respect republican in
stitutions. But very few such events would be
required to render the republican institutions
that by-word and that kissing on this CONT
nent which for centuries they have been on the
other.
He then reviewed at length the work of the
Louisiana Commission in sarcastic tone. and
said IL 1t was their mission to depose an act
ual Governor, they did not consume time
enough. Under the constitution of Louisiana
four years are required for that purpose.
could not therefore, see in all that transpred
in Louisiana the development of a new policy
for the Republican party or the abandonment
of an old policy. saw only the acquiescsnc
in what seemed to be disagreeable necessity.
But was not prepared to see the act adver-
tsed as one OF the Presidents cholce, which
every Republican az well as every Democrat
was bound to approve. IL was, therefore, a |
matter OF surprise, and profound regret also, !