National Republican., 1878-10-19
THE rKrsIpENr,s SOUTHERN POLICY.

THE PRESIDENTS SOUTHERN POLICY.
The Southern policy OF President HAYES
has had its run for a year and half
without interference or interruption to pre-
vent 1t from running and being glOIilied 1t
has been criticised by those who have had
uU confidence in its beneicelce but, like
the measles it has gone through the South
ern family until time has brought us 10 the
first test OF its efficacy iu bringing peace
justice, prosperity, and happiness to that
section Of country where its influence
and benefits Were 10 be enjoyed. We have
been rlassed with those Republicans who
failed to discover any prospect Of good and
who LppTehcnded that 1t might be attended
with evil results. 1t has run its course
wrhuLt hiudrance, aud we are not disposed
now TO challenge the motives or arrAign the
action Of the President Tor what he has or
what lie has not done in the premises Ilany
! good TO the country has come Of his policy
we shall be among those who will he graft
| lied to know it, Ii, on the other hand, it
hits brought evil consequences iu its train,
uO measure Of murmurimg UI ceusure can
change the result, and 1t Is tue part OF
philosophy to grin and bear It with us little
wlucng US is possible.
II Is intlmated, aud upon wcll-accreditcd
authority, that the President does not pro-
| pose to change his policy, bat to keep on the
even tenor of his way until it natures and
| ripens It's fruit In greater perfection 1t is
coutended for him that his purpose WIS to
place all the States in the Union upon pre-
rlscly the same footing. requiring aud ex.
prrthg that South Carolina AMI NIassachu.
sets, Georgia and Pennsylvania, Alabama
aud New York, Florida and Connecticut,
Louisiana and Maine, and Mississippi and
Ohio would alike respect the Constitution
and laws Of the United States, the Chief
Magistrate of the nation, and each and all
would subordinate themselves to the Fed.
eral Government in peaceful and harmo-
nious relations. This WAS what the Prcsi-
dent intended by his so.called Southern
policy, and lie has not yet concluded that
this high purpose cannot he fully attained
in the future II he continues to watch and
wait iu faith and hope.
1t would be doing President HAYES great
injustice to think otherwise of him than to
regard him as keen and Intelligent oh.
server OF passing events during the year aud
n half that he has filled the Presidential
chair. He no doubt was profoundly graft
ied during the iirst year Of his policy to see
all hs serene aud placid on the surface IN
the South as the undisturbed waters Of A
! I,I. LII. T..
possible that where there WAS the indica.
tion Of profound serenity the coming OF an
election, where citizenship was TO assert
itself in action, was to bring with II storm
turbulence and danger but time hu,
= brought under his observation the stern
longer smooth; the rights Of citizenship
are not Tree from peril the laws are no
strictly observed; life is not as sat,
Us it should be. The apparently con
ciliated and pacifed are now unconciliateC
and unpacifed. The State governments ii
all the South are either indisposed or uuabl,
to protect the equal rights Of all citizens he
fore the law Men are being ostucised OF
account of color and political belief, and ar
thus robbed of the privileges which citizen
ship under the Constitution vOuchsales t.
them in all the Northern States. Republi
can meetings are invaded by armed men o
opposite politics, and are broken up an,
dispersed. Life is not respected any NOR
than opinion and color, while the laws ar
, defed, the Chief Magistrate of the nation /
reyiled and insulted as fraud, and vic
: lence is the ruling spirit of the period il
( that section of our common country. Nov
Q comes the trying crisis in the President
: policy. If successful it will reduce each in
$ surgent State to the same harmonious rela
! tion to the Constitution and the laws tina
s is held by each State that was loyal durin
= the war Of rebellion. Will this be done
: Time will decide.