Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-12-07
PUBLISHED DAILY & TRI-WEEkLY By
EDGAR SNOWDEN.
EVENING, DHCB. 7, 1850.
Mr.. Hayes in the last annual message he will

eeoQ 10 COOG[esS says, 4uo oiopVoi'ieo w ~
tase o prompt and hearty obedience to the
equal rights amendments to the Cor s!itulon,
is all that now stands 10 the way OF complete
obliteration of sectional lines in our political
contests" And yet. Is reasonable man. ordl.
partly Informed regarding the condition of his
country, be must know that there is 20 dlspo
sition to refuse prompt obedience to The
equal rights 5mendments to the Constitution,
ct least in tho South, but that even II
there we're, tho iuplacablc hatr,d OF the
illibsral and narrow minded bigots OF the
North, and the ways and means resorted to ty
The republican politicians of that section to keep
themselves 10 oficc, would DO moro than sufi
oent to perpetuats secionalism. 10 another
portion of his message. he says: ut will be
the duty Of the Executive to prosecute urspar'
inRly all who have been engaged 10 depriving
citizens of the rights guaranteed them BY the
Constitution" We hope therefore he will
commend, at oncs upon the rich employers at
the North. who can be convicted without any
trouble or delay of forcing their poor employees
to vote for Garfield under pain of instant disc
charge. and thai be will oesso bis persecution
ofelectiop Judges in Virginia who. in ac,ordaros
with judicial decision specially applied for,
refused to accept illegal ballots he aso says:
"Wherever general education is found. peace.
vittue and social order prevail. and civil aud re.
ligious liberty are sccaro." We arc as much
10 favor Of proper education as it is possibls to
b., but. most assuredly, orc rot made so by
comparison of the peace, virtus and social order
that exist among the negroes Of The South now,
under the irhasncs of free schools, with those
Conditions as they prevailed among them when
as slaves they did'1t know from bulls foot.
Iu tho trite expression quoted Mr.. Hayes also
runs directly COUNTER to the better formed views
of so good republican as Mr.. Ri,hard Grant
White and numerous other less notorious,
but more conscientious republicans than him
SELF AS to religious liberty" being secure
whers &c 1ools abCuad, va have only to point to
ex Governor Garc,loo, of Maine. who was dr!v'
en- from bis church for attempting to execute
the written Law CT his State, and tho more res
cent attempted political prescription OF Mayor
Respecting civil seEvic,. abou. which, for his
Own sake, he should never open his mouth lie
says that "by competitive examinations al! arc
so, cot to the ss!no tests, and the result is free
from prejadic, by personal favor or partisan
influence" Now no ono knows better than
Mr.. Hayes that satisfactory examinations ere
IS ncthirg compared with personal favor AID
partisan i1fuence. for iu iunumerable Instances
he has exertcd his oWa pctsnt Official Influence
and given positions to thoso VITO had been
proved deficient 10 preferences to those VITO had
answered correctly every question asked them.
Competitive examinations as DOW conducted arc
regarded by ell who know anything about tbom
a. the bsldest farces When the applicant has
either personal or partisan Influence 10 his favor.
When it is remembered that 10 the recent
campaign be allowed tho government employees
to be plundered, and discharged if they did'rt
deliver their purses readily to the political as
SCISSORS. the following extract from his message
will strike most readers as the sublimest tray
esty:
II also recommend such legislation as, while
leaving every officer as free as any other citz 70
to express bis political opinions apd to use hls
means for their advancement. shall also enable
him to feel as safe es any private cltizen 10 re-
iusipg ell demands upon bis salary tor political
purposes. A law which should thus guarantee
true liberty aud Justice to all who are engaged
ia the putlc service, and likewise contain
stringent provisions against the use of Official
authority to ooerce.tbe political action of private
citizens or Of official subordiuates, is greatly to
be desired.
While on bis sufjsc! he avails himself of tho
opportunity it sfords him of giving blow at
tho Conkog faction. by recommending the PES
ssge of an act q, flung the relations of msm-
bers of Congress with respec! to the appoint
ment to Office by the President. No body but
the faction retarred to will object to this, for
With such autocratic powers IS the President
has, to deny him tbe.smslI privilege of making
such appointments as he may choose is simply
ridiculous.
Mr.. Hayes renders himself absurd by saying,
1T is the right aud duty of the United
States to avow ard maintain such supervision
aud authority over any inter oceanic canal
across the Isthmus that connects North and
South America, as will protect our natural to-
terests." The Ishuus CT Panama belongs to
tho territory of the United States of Colombia.
and this country has 20 more right to interfere
with canal through it than it would have with
one 10 the moon.
His recommendation of measures that
will oonducs to the development Of
our foreigo commercial exchanges and the
building up of Gu, carrying trade. we trust
means that the tariff may bo reduced so as to
permit foreign orders to be paid for 10 foreign
goods, AID thereby be increased teDfold. and
that Americans msy be enabled to buy ships in
the cheapest market, though We ere painfully
aware it docs not.
His recommendation about the retirement Of