The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-15
,itlaaolll lsp
II oyEalBEa ID, 1878.
,,,,,,xe,,,,,,a,,t b. the Bayonet.

government BY the Bayonet. s
The telegraph represents that the FRESH
t,ant,s y;cws on the southern question
=. have been cyargera ted Id both direc tsons IS
CHE report which appeared IN our paper
OF an interview with him was copied 4. from on,
8 Republican paper published IN " vas asains-
Ton md WAS therefore supposed by US to
IN i, j certaii, sense authentic, though we
we're well aware that the Republica't had
I always been rather more . stalwart . than
the President, and disposed 70 eersure him
for not following IN the footsteps OF tue
brutal GRANT, who appointed the present
editor Of that Journal 70, the Office IRON
which Mr.. HAYES removed him. We
suspect that the report was nor very
far wrong. 1t reads as IL the WORDS
were the Presidents. That innocent sau'
suaee touching the Republican party Is
very much like the language OF the letter
which the President wrote TO one OF the
visiting statesmen in 1876, wherein ne
aYerrcd most so!emn'y that he wanted no
thing done in his interest but what was
strictly proper and rigbt-a letter which
was as surely penned for the public eye as
we're any OF those OF Lord CHESTERFIELD.
The language OF the report also REMINDS us
OF that speech made by Dir. HAYES alter thes
election and before the official declaration
OF the result, in which he declared that 1t
would not be on his own account that ne
should deplore the election Of a Democratic
President, but because it would be such
calamity for the poor negroes. So now,
with long face, he afErms: cit is not be-
cause the Republican party appears as the
sufferer in these results that complain. IL
is because free suffrage and freedom OF po-
Iitical rights have been interiered with that
I am called upon to take cognizance OF these
disturbances"
This language, it will be seen, Is strictly
consistent with whatever Dir. HAYES has
heretofore said, and with his reputation.
We regret as much as anybody else can
that the President should have yielded to
the dictation OF the stalwart Republicans,
alias malignant Radicals. He surrendered
too, after the November elections had vim
dicatcd the wisdom OF his southern policy
so far as its connection with the success OF
the Republican party WAS concerned. Last
year it was charged that he had damaged
his party, and that the elections in the
northern States proved it; but this year the
elections in the northern States have as rule
resulted iavorably for that party. Strange
that he should select this time for recanting
his theories and rctracing his steps. lie
may do his worst. however, we think, with
out strengthening his party or I'M uring that
Of bis opponents. Congress will tie his
hands. He will not be allowed to harass
and Cypress the southern people. The only
dangerous characters in the South are the
officers OF the Federal courts, especially the
Judges, whose tenure OF offtasis life
tenure. 1--WE except our Virginia judges.
both HUGHES and RIvEs, from this sentence
OF condemnation.) Such men as we alude
to may give some trouble to the southern
people. The House might impeach them; but
as it would require q two-thrds vote in the
Senate to remove them, it is not likely that
they could be turned out Of office. How
ever, Congress might possibly refuse to APP
propriate any money for their salaries il
the worst came to the worst. A courage
Gus Congress can control all the other de-
DartmentS OF the Government as far as they
ought to be controlled by it. On the whole,
we do not apprehend that any extraordinary
measures OF repression will be resorted to
by either the President or any others OF the
officials Of the Federal Government. 1t
is not the southern people only that
will condemn the adoption OF policy
like General GRANTS, but a large num-
Der OF the people OF the North. We
have seen this year indications that not
few In that section have begun to be ieal-
Gus OF the encroachments Of the Federal
Government upon the powers OF the states.
The States can surely control the elections.
If not, republican government is already
failure; and there is no remedy for that
failure. To invoke the arm Of that vast
central power in order to enable us to hold
fair and peaceable elections is to forge
manacles for our own limbs. To us it
would seem rs wise, and as polite, and
almost as reasonable, TO demand the same
sort Of service at the hands OF the British,
the French, or the Russian Government.
If the State officials perpetrate wrongs on
the one side, the motive for the Federal
officials to commit wrongs Oh the other side
will be. ten times as strong. II the Repub-
lican Federal officials intinidate Democrats
now. the Democratic Federal officials will
not be slow to 60 to still greater lengths in
intimidating Republican voters whenever
the administration Of the Government passes
into the bands OF the Democratic party.
Possibly by the time the Democrats have
been in power four or eight years twill
be considered proper for the Federal
officials to carry the elections by either
force Or fraud. LOUIS NAPOLEON allowed
everybody to vote, but required that every
body should vote for him or his policy.
The tendency OF Federal interference with
the elections in the several States is towards
the same state OF things in this country.
How long it would take to reach that point
nobody can tell. Let us hope that govern
ment by the bayonet is many years ahead OF
the present generation. But in order to
the fulfilment OF such wish, Mr.. HAYES
mus, keep his bands off the people of the
southern States. Ii they are to be made
the slaves of the Federal Government they