The Portland daily press., 1878-11-14
President Hayes on the Situation.
The Laws to be e xecuted and All Crimi-
mails Punished-The Integrily of Ameri-
can Cttizenship TO be Vindicated.

The National Republican prints an editorial
interview with the President on the Southern
situation, emitting questions. He is repre-
sented as saying: 1.-THE time for discussion has
passed. 1t is now too late for anything but the
most determined and vigorous action. This de-
termination was reached several days ago. and
the deliberations of the Cabinet on the subject
since then have been comparatively brief, aud
confined mainly to the consideration of tho du-
ty of the Attorney General in the premises.
When the Southern policy was inaugurated it
was with an earnest desire to conciliate the
Southern leaders, to round off the sharp angles
of sectional difference and soften the asperties
of political strife. No one will deny that the
attempt to enforce this policy was most earn
estly made, nor that it was carried ont with
conscientious desire to accomplish the result
for which it had been inaueurated. OF the per-
sonal and partisan sacrifices made in this ef-
fort. and Of the consequent interruption OF Ger
tain relations which had previously existed be-
tween myself and some of my supporters,
have nothing to say just now. But it appears
that the leaders who made those pledges did
not exert them selves to keep them or were un-
oUio W uO cV, 4u AnOt, L OIL ACluOtnutAy AuECCu
to admit that the experiment was failure.
The fist election of importance held since it
was attempted has proved that fair elections,
with free suffrage for every voter in the South,
are an impossblity under the existing condi-
ton of things. 1t is not because the Republi-
can party appears as a sufferer in these results
that complain. 1t is because free suffrage
and the freedom of political rights have been
interferrd with that am called upon to take
cognizance of these disturbances. If the facts
were exactly reversed, and if the Republicans
had committed these outrages upon the Demo-
Gratis, my duty would bs the same. 1t will not
do for me, or for any official before whom these
questions may come, to treat them otherwise
than in q non.partisan way. The partisan press
and l will be held to account for aioing the Re-
pubicans, the Stalwarts, l mean, in Haunting
the bloody shirt, as it is called Bot, for all
that. shall do my duty as chief magistrate of
all the people, Democrats and Republicans
laws justice shall demand punishment of this
or that man, whatever his political connections
may Do, shall not be deferred by partisan crit
cism. All that know is that great crimes
have been committed, and it is my duty to aid
think the Southern leaders who have prom
sed to protect the blacks in the ex-
ercise of their rights are responsible for
these crimes. Governor Hampton, for
example, mas tfled repeatedly TO ropfes6 the
violence which has characterized the campaign
in South Carolina, and tailed Such Repabli-
cans as Judge Lee and Mr.. Rainey and ex-
State Senator Swalls of that State have advised
me of these facts. They say that Ham pton
cannot control the red-,hirts, as they call them,
and they have repeatedly informed me OF
speeches he has made deprecating violence 10
the conduct of the campaign, and is appears
that Governor Nichols 10 Louisiana Is earn-
estly opposed to these proceedings or the same
kind of violence in his State. The officers of
the department of Justice have been instructed
to carry out the proceedings already begun
against the depredators, not only against those
who have already been arrested but against
others who will soon be arrested. It is pro.
posed to make clean sweep of this business
and exhaust every legal resource in the execu-
tion of Justice. The integrity of American
citizenship has been grossly violated in wide-
spread localities. 1t must and shall be vindi-
Gated. The President closed by saying, in re-
gard to the district attorneys IN the Southern
st ties, that ii it is discovered that any officer
OF the class you refer to not earnestly endeav-
oring to do his whole duty in the matter. there
will be no hesitation in taking proper steps to
replace him and to secure vigorous prosecution
OF these cases."