Morning journal and courier., 1881-03-04
Friday Morning. March 4, 1881.
PRESIDENT THAYEs,RNcoRD.

l l. PRESIDENT HAYEs,REeo CORD. President Hayes, who goes out of office to day, began his administration under adverst
 circumstances A large part of the people l did not believe that he was honestly entitled to his position. One house of Congress wal | controlled by political party hostile to him l and, on account of the peculiar circum stances, not inclined to treat him fairly Moreover, because of his disgust with cer. tain political methods which few leading men of his own party represented, he early drew down upon himself their hostility and
 that of their followers. Two years ago the other house of Congress fell into the hands of the opposition. He has, therefore, been much hampered in various ways throughout his administration, but notwithstanding the
 peculiar difficulties with which he has had to
 of the nation is, on the whole, a very satis-
 factory one.
 When President Hayes came into ef1ice he
 was confronted with bad state of affairs in
 the South. Two things had, however, been
 made plain-s'the inability of the military
 power of the United States to prevent south
 ern commonwealths from falling under the
 control of the white mans party, and the in-
 disposition of the majority of northern
 voters to approve-of any further attempts to
 wrest them by force of arms from that con-
 trol." He had, as one of his closest friends
 is reported as saying, to consider these three
 points: What is the best policy to pursue
 for the interests of the people at large, SUD-
 posing that there were no constitutional linn
 itations to his action; what is the best policy
 for the Republican party what are the re-
 quirements of the Constitution. To all three
 he found but one answer-the federal gov
 ernment must withdraw it's troops from the
 State capitals where their presence is the sole
 support of the existing State administration.
 Though "the Southern policy of the admin istration has not won the support for the government in the South which some ex- pected from it there has been under it much progress toward better state of things
 The Presidents efforts in the direction of civil service reform have been much ridi- culed and of late he has been accused, even by those who have been in sympathy with those efforts of inconsistency in the matter. He came into office with very clear convic- tions on the subject, very clearly set forth. He has evidently found circumstances too strong for him, and has been unable to fully carry out his excellent purposes. But he has, nevertheless, made decided advance in the right direction, and he leaves the reform in position where it cannot be safely aban- doned by his successor and his party.
 
 The financial policy of the administration has been a grand one. The President has been the hardest of hard money men, and his stand on the silver question was against great pressure. It is stated that throughout he earlier part of his administration he was constantly importuned by members of his party, especially from the West, to modify he expression of his views on the silver question. The direst consequences were pre- icted from his steadfast adhesion to 8 dollar which should be worth it's face value the world over- States were to be lost to the Republican party through the Presidents | 'bstinacy, and numerous seats were repre- ented to be in peril because he would not | lumor the silver craze of his Western supe ! ,orters. But he was frm and never de- ! 'arted from the advanced position in favor 'f specie payments and against the silver | unacy which he took at the very outset In | he interest of 8 sound currency and solid | inances he has consistently labored ever ince.
 Among other good achievements President | Hayes has put into office at home. and l broad set of men of cleaner reputation | han their predecessors. He prevented the l isgraceful violation of faith with China by etoing a law to exclude Chinamen from our hores. He steadfastly withstood fiercely 1 'ressed and highly dangerous encroachments n the purity of the ballot-box, the su- of the national Constitution and the residential prerogative, by vetoing bills 7hich Congress passed, refusing appropria- ions to guard the elections. No one as questioned his honesty of pur- ose or that of his subordi- ates. And it is probably not too much to ay that without such an administration as hey have given us the election of General tarfeld would have been impossible
 General Garfield will take the office of resident under very different and much lore favorable circumstances than did his redecessor. There is no dispute about his lection, "times'' are good, and the people re well disposed towards him. There is a eneral feeling that his administration will be notable one and that there will be much sason to rejoice that he was elected to rule yer us. May this expectation be realized.