Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-01
MR.. HAYEw ORAT0Rv.

= MR.. HAYES ORATORY.
In his perigrinations over the country in
speeding the prize pumpkins and short
horned bulls at the agricultural fairs, Mr.
Hayes has for the most part avoided refer
ence to political subjects, and on this &C.
count he has received more attention from
the public generally than he otherwise wouli
have received. He departed from his custom
at st. Joseph, No., on Monday, however
and undertook to discuss the questions Of
| State rights and Reconstruction. If he sue
ceeded in making himself understood by
those to whom he spoke he was fortunate
Certainly no one who read his remarks a.
transmitted by telegraph could understand
at what he was driving, for a worse tumble
of sentences and ideas has seldom numbered
the columns of the newspapers of the ooun.
try. In speaking of the reconstruction
measures he is reported as saying:
Now it seems to me, and think 1 am moi
| mistaken, that in those measures there were
| two leading ideas, which, at that period, when
! reconstruction had gone to the extent of again
| admitting the seeded States, I say there were
two leading ideas, which if generally accepted
throughout our country, if generally adopted
"a rule of action for the general government
and for the State governments, would go far
towards establishing complete and permanent
pacifcation throughout the country.
This, certainly, is as clear as mud, and
We hardly know whether to agree or disagree
with the distinguished orator. If it is true
that there are two leading ideas in the meas
ures in question, it is certain that there is
not in the extract quoted. he goes on to
say, however, that ..,.,:rr.. ~ t.r
The first idea is that equal and exact justice
should be extended to all sections and all
States Under the common government equal
rights and privileges, equal Justice and equal
benefits and blessings should he enjoyed by all
States and all sections, and that the general
government should deal upon the same prin-
ciples, and by the same methods, with Texas
and Kansas, and with Missouri and Georgia.
Now that principle agreed to and established
and acted upon would be 80 far 80 we'll.
We conclude that what Mr.. Hayes means
by this is that the general governments
what the Republicans delight to call the Ma
tion-shall extend equal rights and privi-
leges to all the States. It occurs to us, how
ever, that the general government has no
rights or privileges to extend to the States,
but that the general government itself ex-
eroises and possesses only those rights which
are delegated to it by the States. At least
this is our Interpretation of the language of
the constitution. For the federal govern
ment to assume to grant anything to the
States is on par with beggar who, after
receiving aims, should tell the giver he
would grant him the privilege of enjoying
the comforts of his own home. :#...a.-*.
The next question involved in RECONSTRUCT
ton, according to the gospel of Hayes, is ~
That in this country hereafter, as all its in
habitants have become citizens, vested by
the constitution with equal civil and political
rights, all governments, State and national,
should treat all citizens as entitled
to the same equal and exact justice, and by the
same methods let all citizens be dealt with by
the State governments, and State governments
by the national government, according to the
same laws throughout, and with these two
things we shall enter upon a year of prosperity
and harmony, such as this country has never
known before. 49, 49,
If it is true that all inhabitants have be-
come citizens, vested with equal rights, what
need is there to counsel the State and ma
tional governments to treat them alike?
Are not the laws of the federal and State
governments sufficient? We have heard of
no determinations against any citizen in the
laws of any States in the Union save those of
New England, where poor men are denied
the franchise. The diotion of MI. Hayes in
the paragraph last quoted is worthy of special
attention. It reminds us of the orator who
opened his remarks with: I'm the first
place, to begin with, before enter upon my
discourse wish to commence by prefacing
my remarks, to start with, by saying.''
The only really Ineligible sentence in the
entire speech as reported is very sensible
one. Mr.. Hayes said: .... 0,
have spoken, my friends, of the national
government and Of State governments. I
must go one step farther. All government in
public opinion. Public opinion is back of the
national government: It is back OF State gov
ernments. 1t is public opinion that rules in
this republic of the United States. ..-: :.
In this utterance Mr.. Hayes is right save
in the assertion that public opinion rules in
the republic. This is not the case, and Mr..
Hayes is himself lamentable illustration of
the fact. If public opinion had been respected
by the corrupt politicians who dominate the
republic, Mr.. Hayes would not to-day be q
peripatetic at public expense receiving hon.
ors as chief magistrate of the nation to which
he is not entitled. Public opinion as OK
pressed at the ballot-box pronounced against
his incumbency of the Office he holds, but
public opinion was forced to succumb by the
superior power of bribery, force and fraud.
Though public opinion ought to govern, it
does not, but we look forward with hope to
the happy day when it will assert it's power
throughout the length and breadth of the
land. '..-' '.'.'
We have word of advice to give Mr..
Hayes. He seems to be in the unfortunate
predicament of the son of the Emerald Isle
who, every time he opened his mouth put
his foot in it. Mr.. Hayes does we'll enough
when he reads or recites the speeches pre-
pared for him, but when he essays to make
an impromptu address he makes most la
mentable failure. A school boy would blush
to acknowledge as his own the extemporan-
eous addresses made by this funotionary
during his present pilgrimage, for they are
as homogeneous mixture of the English