New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-10

the President and the persons who made
money by calling themselves Republicans at
the South, the President Is mainly in the night
With him, to his honor be it said, it was
largely question of duty and fidelity to cen
stitutional obligations; but President Grant
had previously reached the very same praeti-
cal result, though looking at the matter only
as a question of possibilities. He decided that
it was not possible to keep Republic
can governments alive in the South
ern States by use of the army. Then
President HAYES decided that it was not de-
sirable or right. Both decisions were correct
The TRIBUNE was glad to applaud President
Grant for his course, though he seemed to
consider only the possibilities, and not the
rights or equities of the case. 1t has also
gladly applauded President Hayes. But 1t de-
sires to say that the wisdom of his conduct is
in no respect affected by the conduct of the
Southern voters
Mr. Foster, of Ohio, well known as one OF
the Presidents friends, has recently made a
speech which is generally construed as an ad-
mission that the course of the President was
mistaken, because the conduct of Southern
constituencies has not been satisfactory. We
suppose Mr.. Foster would not denOunce the
Gospel plan of salvation because some incOr-
rigble sinners have treated it despitefully. 1t
was the desire of the President to give the
best possible opportunity to the Southern
people to return to n genuine, hearty and per-
manent Union. and he has done all that
could be reasonably done to that end. IL
some of them have declined, and are still
malcontent, ill-natured, and "unreconstructed,"
that fact does not in the least degree affect
the propriety OF the offers made. In some
details, the President has acted unwisely, and
in others wisely, but the main question is as
to the uprightncss and patriotism OF his efforts.
If they have not succeeded, il has not been
because they were unpatliotc or unworthy in
motive. but because certain Of the Southern
people have chosen to reject and spurn them.
In the Presidents view, this is not at all
discrediiabIe to him. He held it his duty to
offer kindly invitations and liberal opportuni-
ties Of hearty reunion. If the people OF the
South, or any part of them, have not met
these offers in q generous or patri tic spirit
il Is for them to excuse themselves. What he
has done is neither made less wise by their
refusal, nor would il have been made more wise
by their acceptance. The President has taken
the right course, and it rests with the people
chiefly affected thereby to show whether they
are capable of approaching and answering
such treatment. The President has not re-
moved troops because he had no care for Re
publican success, but because he held that use
Of troops to secure a party success was not
right. He has not allowed Packard and
Chamberlain to be excluded from Office be-
II. Il nd hpII
but because he, as President of the United
States, had no night TO decide whether the
laws of a state had been Obeyed. He has
done his duty in this matter, and the hot
hearted and hot-headed Republicans who OBJ
iect have failed to remember that 1t is not the
business OF a President to elect the Governors
of States.
Very gross wrongs have been perpetrated at
the South; we all know il. Systematic asSas-
sination has Outvoted free men. So has sys-
tematic bribery. Freedom of elections is not
a plant that thriycs in Southern soil. Espe-
eially, il does not thrive in Democratic South
err soil. But the Government the UnitedStat
is not instituted for the purpose of giving
power TO either party, or OF correcting the
msdeeds of either party rs long as they act
seemed to President Hayes that 1t was his
duty to investigate every Southern election,
and decide in each case who was elected, and
still less has il seemed % him his duty to
prop up with bayOnets every Republican can
ddate, whether he was elected or not But Mr..
Foster, of Ohio. Is surely able enough 10 perceive
that the duty of the President is exactly the
same, whether the people of any Southern
district or State behave well or ill. 1t would
not have been his duty to prop up Republic
can candidates with bayonets, if he had GER
tainly known that they would otherwise he
defrauded or defeated. nor if he had known
that all the Southern people would migrate
fully abuse his kindness. II was his business
to do his duty. 1t rests with the people Of
the Southern States to do their duty also