New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-23

dent who will "enfOrce practical obedience TO
constitutional provisions designed to secure
"the fruits of the war;" who will satisfy the
South that he is resolved upon doing so III
"a kind and just spirit toward them ,; ana
who will dispose of sectional differences with
firm and steady hand. Perhaps he wishes us
also to infer from his remarks on Civil Ser
vice Reform-though this is not so clear-that
he is in favor of a. President who will know
how to use his patronage for the good of the
party. A curious pendant to his reasoning Is
found in one of the replies from Pennsylvania
committeeman which we printed yesterday.
Alr. john Shanes writes from the village
of Dent: " First choice, Grant; second
"choice, Grant; want the South to
"rembe when I say hurrah for Grant"
The supporters of the eX-President APP
pear to be about equally divided in their
sentiments toward the South. half of them
believe that the South will be afraid to de-
prive colorcd men OF their rights if Grant be-
comes the candidate, and the other hall be-
lieve that the South will welcome Grant as
lust and kindly ruler, with an unimpeachable
claim upon their allegiance. Mr.. StOughton
belongs to this second class. We fear that he
has allowed himself to be too mich i'm
pressed with the finale of 1.-THE Pirates of
"Pcnzance," and that when he exclnims to the
" best bows and the bulldozers, " We charge
"you yield in the name of General Grant"
those troublesome persons will not drop their
guns, and sing,
1--WE yield at once with Bonded knee.
Because with all our faults we love Ulysses c.
nor will they turn ont to be all noble men
who have Temporarily gone wrong, but are
now ready to reform and marry INTO the
family.
II Is Of great importance to the Republican
party to make no fallacious calculation of the
chances of carrying any of the Southern
States, either with or without General Grant.
Whatever votes may be cast in that section,
it is absolutely certain that the Solid South
will be counted for the Democratic candidate.
People talk sometimes as if the policy of
President Hayes were the cause of the total
suppression of RcpubhcanIsm at the South,
and as if the mere nomination of General
Grant would raise it up again. We must not
forget that it was during the administration of
General Grant that the Republican party in the
South went to pieces. He carried seven Southern
States in 1872, with ffty-three electoral
votes and before he went ont of Office the
shotgun Democracy had virtually taken
possession of every one of them. 1t was
under the administration of General Grant
that the enormous Democratic outrageS were
committed in the campaign of 1876, which
consolidated the rebel South dIsfranchised
the freedmen, nulifcd the Constitutional
Amendments, and came within an ace of Sc
curing the Presidency and reducing the cOun-
try TO bankruptcy. When be took the Presi-
dtncy, the Republicans had majority of
more than four-Gfths +. he Senate and nearly
twO-thrds IN the Honsc. When he left 1t the
Democrats had nearly two-tlirds Of the House,
and States enough to give them certain con-
troll Of the Senate within a short time.
We do not wish to imply that General
Grants administration was the cause OF the
Republican collapse at the South But we
must look at. the facts as they are. If he
could not prevent these misiortunes when he
was in Office, it Is illogical to assume that his
mere nomination will repair them.