New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-04
THE 0riGnyNG IpvJNNTRlTiON.


No Republican has cause to bow his head
for shame as he reviews the work oi the fifth
Repnbican Administration. President IIayr,,
whose term Of Ollie expires to-day. will n.ycf
be named in tie history Of the Nation as one
of il, least useful or capable Chlt M4glN-
tratcs As time rolls on, the Wisdom and
general excellence of his Admni-iflto on will
be more fully and widely recognized. :
purity. its fidelity upon all question:, al ring
the public faith or the financial prosperity of
the country; its freedom from Ostentallon.
demagOgism or political trickcry, and the
unparalleled progress which it has helped the
country to make in commerce. industry and
wealth, will never be- forgotten.
President Hayes came 10 the Office under
circumstances Of extraordinary difficulty and
embarrassment. Throughout his term many
of his best efforts have been hampcrcd or
thwaItcd by the savage partisan spirit which
the controversy OF 1876 engcnicrcd. Tint
he has been able to do great things for
the country, in spite of all this, will ever
be remembered to his credit. Nor has his
path been sm0ohcd by entire harmony within
The ranks of his political associates. His
course, not always wise in its methods, has
been responsible Tor part OF the antagonism
which many prominent Republicans have
shown, but they will hardly look back upon
their part of the controversy with unmixcd
satisfaction or pride. Because of these diff
fcrences with political associates, even while
he was confronted by Democratic Congress-
President Hayes has been unable to accom-
plish much that lie desired. His messages
have been full of valuable and honorable rec
concentrations, and the country would GER
tainly be even more prosperous, hOnOrcd and
powerful than it is if those recommendations
had been more frequently regarded The
marvel is that so much good has been accom-
plIshed, both for the country and for the Re-
publican party, by q President SO hamprred
by his circumstances.
The brilliant feature of this Administration
has been its financial management. The smoke
of the conflict still hangs too closely about us
to permit that estimate which will become the
calm verdict of impartial history. How much
this Administration has done to uDAold the
public courage and sense of duty during
years of great industrial and commercial
trial; how much TO promote II clearer under
standing of the questions upon which the
honor and prosperity OF the country depended
how much to defeat dangerous measures in
Congress how much TO make resumption and
rcfundng completely successful, probably the
most careful historian will never discover.
Through years of doubt and diamay the stand
ard of public faith was ever borne by President
Hayes in the thckcst gloom of the conflict,
and. like the white plume of Hcnry of Ma
varre, led on the defenders of the Nations
bonor IN n vicforv mora oloriouS than that of
Ivry. The latest act of this Administration,
over which the groans and cries of beaten re-
pudiators and inhationists are still ringing in
the ears, will rank in history as one OF the
grandest of q grand career.
A hearty word of praise is also due to the
management of the State Department by Mr..
Eyarts Our relations with foreign countries
during the past four years have at no time