New-York tribune., 1878-02-20

sPEECuEs BY GARFIELD AND HALE ON THE SOUTH
ERN PoLCY-A PLATFORM TO RALLY RLPUBLl-
CANS UPON.
lpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEI
WAsYINGToS Feb. 19.-The House of Represen-
tatiyes devoted another day to political discussion.
The nominal text was the contested election case OF
Acklin agt Darral from Louisiana. The real sub
iect was the Presidents Southern policy. Three
speeches worthy of mention were made. The first
was by Mr. Eugene Hale, of Maine, the second by
Mr. Randall l.. Gibson, of Louisiana, and the third
by General Garfield
Mr.. Hale's speech had been widely advertised as
an intended attack upon the Southern policy OF the
Administration. On the whole it was dsappoint-
ment. There was open attack upon the Presi-
dents Southern policy, although there was
running through the whole speech an un-
dercurrent of criticism which was much less
effective than the direct and vigorous assaults made
In the Chandler letters. The proceedings IN Louis
lana were strongly denounced.
Mr. Hale presented very few facts. and if the
House had adjourned at the end of General Glib
sons speech which followed. the almost
unanimous verdict would have been that the
latter had carried the field in debate. This was the
more surprising from the fact that Mr.. Hale is one
of the brightest members of the House. and one of
the most effective orators on the Republican side.
His speeches generally attract wide attention, and
Ii his custom 70 come out DeSt III every
controversy in which he engages the floor of the
House.
The speech of General Garfield, with which the
ession closed, put a new face on the situation.
General Garfield evidently spoke without prepara-
ton but the subject was with which he Is
familiar and he treated it from such broad and
statesmanlike point of view, that for clearness,
vigor and dignity his gpeech will rank among the
best of the session. Old Republican members of
the House say that the speech furnishes the first
National basis for ralying of the party.
General Garfield did not deal in partsanship or
personalities. He said that the Republican party
bad come out of period of war and had acted with
mexamped magnanimity that President Grants
Administration had successfully brought the coun-
nv through the transition period from to peace;
hat President Hayes thought that the time for the
abandonment of war methods and military
theories of government had fully come, and
Dad proceeded 10 the utmost verge of Con-
titutional authority and propr.ety in seek
ing to establish a policy of reconciliation; he
believed that Mr. Packard had been honestly elected
Governor of louisiana yet he also believed that tho
Legislature was the final judge of the election in
that case and that by its decisions the people of
Louisiana and of the whole country must he gov
armed General Garfield said the President had
simply done his duty in withdrawing the
troops IRON the States oI South NdioIha
ard Louisiana. but the Administration had
gone further than even he was willing without re-
serve to approve of, in abandoning prosecutions
against the Hamburg and Ellenton rioters, and
against those who had been guilty of committing
outrages in Louisiana. The Presidents policy Gen
eral Garfield thought is not being met by the South
in the proper spirit The BOurbOns IN Lotls-
lana, under the direction of Northern Democrats,
are seeking TO make capital for the next Presidential
campaign out of the bitterness OF the last ana 10
that end the Louisiana prosecutions are now in pro-
press He warned the Southern men that they are
epdangering their best interests and are dong much
TO prevent the restoration of that of good feeling
which they have so long pretended 10 desire.
General Garfelds speech was very friendly to ana
IN approval of the administration aud was not III
any sense an arraignment of the Presidents South
ern policy. II rather an expression OF profound
regret that the policy not met by the South III the
spirit IN which IT was adopted.
No progress made with the contested election
case and it went until tomorrow. When II Will
undoubtedly continue TO stand III the way OF the
consideration of the Silver Bill.