New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-11-20

| no hope of the election OF any Sou'hein'''
prefer n distinguished soldier to mere
"Northern politician The suggestion OF
non-partisan nomination is OF course III
absur,iy which nobody believes m. III Ten
cra Grant should run for the Presidency az
all # would be ON regular Republican nom
;no,io, There "a no doubt whatever about
the complexion of his politics, and on all 'he
noirts NJ issue between Republicans ana
Democrats he has uniformly acted as stilcl
n,,tv man Indeed. in his administration OF
the Chief Magistracy me showed himself much
more of politician (using that word ID
the obnoxious sense applied to It by trese
queer Southern Conservatives) than President
HAYES.
II must be remembered that ex-President
Grant is the foremost representative OF nearly
everything that the Democratic South has
steadily opposed. We cannot look merely at
his war record and shut our eyes to what
happened during his eight years OF civil rule.
He was more " stalwart" all through his two
terms than almost any OF the Republicans OF
the present day. He had no liberation for
theories of State supremacy; he carried out
the provisions of the "bayOnet laws" with
what many of us thought was extreme rigor /;
he used troops without scruple to enforce the
Federal authority; his soldiers dispersed
Legislatures and guarded ballot boxes. When
President Hayes adopted different policy,
there was such chorus of rejoicing through
out the South that stranger might have
supposed that the iron heel of despotism had
just been taken from the neck OF d PROSTATE
people. President Hayes has made no change
in his policy eX-Presiden; Grant, so far as
the world knows, has not modified his politics
or his opinions. Yet the South, which has
showered abuse and insult on MI. Hayes for
three years, now processes a desire for Gen
cral Grant again, so that it may have justice"
We are far from Understanding the I'M
porance of this change of sentiment; but
the country will do well to consider what it
means. In the first place, it is demOnstra-
ton of the unhealthy of all the issues with
which the Democratic leaders have attempted
To fire the popular heart. The Solid South,
without Il moments warning and with no
better prOvocation than series of Republic
can victories in the Northern State elections,
repudiates its entire political programme, de-
clares that it does not want what 1t has been
fighting for, and avows that the reasons
/
alleged for the shotgun campaigns were
sheer humbug. In the next place, the Grant
movement shows that many OF the Southern
people are beginning to comprehend the
suicidal course hitherto pursued in their
| States The cry for " strong" man, who
will give peace and order and allow industry
and commerce to revive, is foolish cry, for
peace and order are best attained 10y a free
and virtuous people governing themselves )
but 1t indicates at least that the South under
stands its real needs, and perceives that If 1t
would share in the general prosperity of the
country 1t must mend its ways The Grant
movement, then. will do good at the South,
even though II does not reach the precise re-
suit desired and if the long disturbed States
Will but begin III earnest to deal justly, they
will find on this side of the line the frankest
and most cordial response.