The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1878-01-17
ARE THEY IIoNEsTi

President Hayes southern policy
was, as admitted by himself and claimed
by his friends, an experiment. The
southern people, through their leading
men, promised If the troops should be
removed and executive interference
cease that they would do certain things
and abstain from doing others, in a
word behave themselves. 1t was on
this ground. and this ground alone,
that the President and his advisers
adopted the plan they did. II is true
there was no written compact, but
everybody understood that the south
was put on her good behavior, and as
a part Of this understanding oil classes
at the south were to have perfect lib.
erty TO vote and affiliate with any po-
litical party they might choose Nearly
a year has elapsed and it is time to in.
quire whether this policy has been
success or failure In our humble opin.
ion It has not been a complete success
nor an absolute failure. As for com.
pleie freedom to vote as they choose
Is concerned it may as we'll be called a
miserable failure.
From the very first the republicans
at the south bad no faith in these prom.
ises. This resulted 10 the complete
turning over to the democrats of all
state Offices and state legislatures aud
the abandonment Of all republican or.
ganisation in all the states within thirty
days after the Presidents plan was
made known This was done without
serious disturbance, it Is true, but only
Tor the reason that the republicans felt
there was 90 show for them. To re.
main ia the Offices to which they had
been taiTly elected was TO be treated to
every indiguity and to be shorn of all
power and influence, and this ia states
where fair majority OF the voters were
republican and are to-day From that
day TO this. with few slight e1cep.
lions. there has been no sign Of repub.
Iican organization or life in any county
% township in the southern states.
Where elections have been held the
democrats have elected their candi-
iates without opposition. with no OPP.
position candidates or opposition votes,
hose who would be opposed. 10 many
Instances constituting large major.
~, not daring TO show their heads. In
some cases the democrats have been
divided among themselves, but nothing
ike repablieanism has appeared. eH.
'ept Ia perhaps dozen counties ID
be whol9 south.
We give the result in one county IN
south Carolina, Sumpter, where the re.
1ublicans voted aud elected their can.
iidate. In 1876. r. b. johnson,
Shite republican. was elected 10 the
egislature IRON this couoty by 1900
majority. As was perfectly right aud
iatural he stuck 10 the Chamberlain
egislatue aud after Hampton came
alo power be declined to apologize 10
be Hampton legislature for bis action
nd was therefore excluded aud a new
lection ordered. which has jast been
ield AID bis brother. j b. johnson.
iecled by About 1000 majority. After !
was ioand oct that the republicans
ad ; majority the democrats broke 10
0 the COAT house where the votes
'erc kept and stole seven boxes, but
noagh were left 10 show that johnson
'As elected by large majority. After
be sleetioa The county paper, The
anPtsr WsachmaA. bad among otbers I
be following paragraphs: /.