The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-17
GEN. GARFIEL.D's POLICY.

has been given to tho country, and hos
everywhere been answered with plaudits
and Communications as patriotic, sensi-
BILE and proper expression to emanate
from the chief magistrate Of o great
country. 1t is liberal and fair, showing
O thorough knowledge and comprehen-
sicn of the political situation in every
section. In the address there is nothing,
however, to bind the new President to
any particular policy. He has shown
what the country needs, but has not COM
mitted himself definitely to any special
policy, and, therefore, while we believe
he has the wisdom and statesmanship to
put into practice the very excellent and
worthy ideas to which he has given utter
ance, still we cannot be certain of so
great blessing until the new admins
tration has made its Southern appoint
ments. A President may know full we'll
what the country needs, and yet, from
his surroundings, may be unable to fol-
low the dictates of his knowledge. This
was the case with Mr.. Hayes. His fail
ure to give peace and rest to the country
came from lack of moral courage to do
what he knew to be right, despite the
wishes Of ihose vino came ia coutnct with
him, 30 that at the end of his term of
ofiico nothing had been done to bring the
two sections together, but the estrange-
ment between them was greater at the
end than it had been at the beginning of
his term. President Garfield will have
to undo much that ex.President Hayes
has done before 1t will be as easy for him
to restore the country as it world have
been for Mr.. Hayes TO have done SO. In
this work, however, he will have the ad.
vantage of o clear elertion and no fraud.
nlent tenure to his flee, which gives
him decided moral advantage over Mr.
Hayes. The question is. will Gen. Gar.
field use this advantage? We believe
that he will, for hia mind is broader and
more cultured than Nj. Eayes'; MS am
bition is greater and of a more lofty
nature, and the opportunity is too good
to be neglected. The President who
fraternizes and restores all sections OF
this country has picture in the future
of our history which will rank beside
that of Washington, and stand forth in
the centuries to come the peer of any
ruler among men. We believe that Gen.
Garfield has desire to achieve that
place in history, and that he will be able
to do so if he follows the dictates of his
own judgment.
10 do this, however, complete change
in the character of the national govern.
ment in the South will be necessary.
Only men of ability and integrity must
be placed in official position. The hun.
CRY horde OF camp.followers and machine
politicians must be laid oside, and merit
made the only standard for official pro.
motion. We &c not mean by this that
Democrats are to be given Office by the
Republican President, for he can find m
abundance of suitable material within
the ranks of his own party, if he will
only take it, though in non-political
offices an efficient civil service requires
that political opinions shall not be made
o requisite for preferment. The success
of tho new Presidents policy depends
more upon retiring the old hacks of the
party in the South than anything else.
If he has the moral and political courage
to command the Tafts, the Elliotts, and
all persons like them, to stand aside, and
places such men as Judge Melton, Col.
Cochran, and the better class of Repub.
licans in this and other States, n the
party lead, he will bring order out of
political chaos. 1t has been the political
tyranny and corruption OF tho federal
officeholdera; and the ysHa. Republican
leaders of the South that has driven the
Democrats to such excesses az have been
committed in the South. If wo had a
Republican party which was fair and
honest, our people would rar,aly Crop
into the easy state of politics which sx.
lists ut the Nntth, .gi.:: :...is assurance that.
let success go to which party it would,
the material, moral and political interests
of the country would not be seriously
disturbed. But as long as Democratic
triumph is necessary for the civilization
of our country, and as long as Demo.
cratic rule is absolutely required for the
pfotection of the tights of property and
of life, so long will the abnormal condi.
tion of things now existing in this sec.
tion continue.
The Federal officials control the Re.
publican party In the Sonth, and when
ever their character is changed the char.
acter of the Republican party will b
changed. Ths party here is nothing
more nor less than the ofice.holders.
The masses Of the party aro ignorant,
and exert 40 restraint nor control over It's
officials If they are Republicans, The
blackest crimes and tho deepest viIIainies
ARC condoued and commended. The
masses Of The Republican party down
I,ere Will never elevate The party, because
they are salsa by asttfitts5 to I4=isscais, Rhc, by
prejudice and passion, keep them a
political elnyes. If sha party Ia ever