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

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everywhere been answered with plaudits
and Communications as patriotic, sensi-
bic and proper expression to emanate
from the chief magistrate Of great
country. 1t is liberal and fair, showing
thorough knowledge and comprehen-
: sion 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 a blessing until the new admins
ttation has made its Southern appoint
Inents. A President may know full we'll
what the, country needs, and yet, from
his surroundings, may be unable to fol-
slow 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 a lack of moral courage to do
what he knew to be right, despite the
wishes of those who came ia contact with
him, so that at the end of his term Of
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Office 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 it will be as easy for him
to restore the country as it would have
{ been for Mr.. Hayes to have done 80. In
this work, however, he will have the adj
vantage of q clear election and no fraud
nlent tenure to his Office, which gives
him q decided moral advantage over MIR.
Hayes. The question is, will Gen. Gar
!. field use this advantage? We believe
that he will, for his mind is broader and
more cultured than Mr.. Hayes; his am
bition Is greater and of 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.
To do this, however, a 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 aside, and merit
made the only standard for official pro-
motion. We do not mean by this that
Democrats are to be given Office by the
Republican President, for he can find an
abundance of suitable material within
the ranks of his own party, if he will
only take it, though in non-poli.ical
Offices an efficient civil service requires
that political opinions shall not be made
a requisite for preferment. The success
of the 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, in the
party lead, he will bring order out Of
political chaos. 1t has been the political
tyranny and corruption of the federal
oAiceholders, and the venal Republican
leaders of the South that has driven the
Democrats 70 such excuses as have been
committed in the South. If we had a
Republican party which was fair and
honest, our people would rapidly drop
into the easy state of politics which ex-
lists at the North, with the 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
protection of the rights of property and
of life, so long will the abnormal coudi-
ton 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 be
changed. The party here is nothing
more nor less than the ofice-holders.
The masses of the party are ignorant,
and exert no restraint nor control over its
: officials. If they are Republicans, the
blackest crimes and the deepest villainies
are condoued and commended. The
masses of the Republican party down
here will never elevate the party, because
they are ruled by astute rascals, who, by
prejudice and passion, keep them as
political slaves. If the party is ever