The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-03-19
Mr.. Garfield aud His Republican Pre-.
decesSOrS, ~ g..

With the beginning of GarlieldS
Presidential tern began the twenty first
year OF Republican Administration.
Four Republicans have occupied the
Executive chair since the last Demo-
crat sat there. Mr.. Garfield is the fifth,
and aside from his personal qualiticn
tiOns, whatever they may be, he has
one important advantage over these
predecessors; an advantage which
ought not to be overlooked, and Of
which, 80 far as we are jaware, no men,
ton has yee been made. The war prac-
tically monopolized MIR. Lincoln's time
and attention, leaving no room for
anything else. Had he lived to com.
plete his second term there is no doubt
he would have done much toward that
permanent pacification the attainment
Of which was his highest ambition. Cut
down at the threshold OF . new career.
the work he had marked out was hand.
ed over to successor not nearly 80
we'll fitted fol-, it. Mr.. johnson
lacked that thorough knowledge of
! the situation and Of political human
nature. that wonderful political instinct
and tact. and, above all, that personal
prestige which Lincoln possessed; and
his failure in carrying out the pacifica'
ton programme was q foregone con
clusion. His four years were virtually
wasted; indeed, though his intention!
we're pure and patriotic, he left the
country in some respects worse thar
he found it. The unfortunate antag
onism between the Executive and Con
gress stirred up q great deal AT hat
blood, kept alive the hatreds of the war
radicalized the Republican party, ant
instead of the restoration Of the UnioI
gave us reconstruction. Grant wa
elected on the :" Let US have peace
platform, but at once turned bis bac
! upon it and lsbored for eight years t
! make reconstruction fixed fact. It
{ bv no, means certain, however, tina
! ! he could have fulfilled bis promise II h
j had tried. Radicalism was still domi
:! nant and the Republican leaders cot,sit
!: cred. peace and . restored Union {
4 small consequence compared with til
y Experimentation of the South throus
I the negro vote and Federal bay
= net. Grant drifted with the part
= = current aud aggravated the evi
!. he was pledged To resist. Under h
. Administration the negro vote an
i Federal bayonet produced such di
v graceful and dangerous results tn
n public opinion emphatically repudiatt
70 these instrumentalities. The time VI
q ripe for change, but Mr.. Hayes W
% not the man to inaugurate q chang
y His reputation and ability were sma
his nomination was an accident and |
election q fraud. Republicans had
special love for him and Democrats I
4 garled him as a usurper. The latt
:. gave him all the assistance in tn
%, power in his dealing with The Southe
80 question. because his policy was thei
Up. but the former for that very reason {
ph. posed it, and by reviving the dead ISIS,
TX. OF sectionalism robbed Soutiern s(
We government of its most valuable trl
., II Mr. Hayes could have secured
n. Endorsement of his party in his set,
as' ment Of the'vexed question, +" the *
oT South would never have been used
oO9 brighten fools and encourage knay
!" and we should now be enjoying Il
nv. complete National unity which Line
40, planned sixteen years ago.
,. Mr. Garfield advantage over his
n immediate predecessors is this: -,
Of common sense Of the people. regard
be. If party. demands the consummatiol
ter long delayed National unity. 1t
ms mands that the South be let alone
ana manage her own affairs in her own y
IN tne subject only to the Constitution and
nv" laws. 1t demands that. whether SC
fr. ~ Democratic or solidly Republican,
wa, Sopth shall lot be disturbed by Fed
sent interference, and that every th,ng Il
i is, eral authority can, do to draw the
tion sections closer together shall be Ii
,ovo. Stalwartism is capable OF much misc
i"t in other quarters. but in its relation
iS s'a the South it is "full OF sound and /,
wv signifying nothing.''l No amount
stalwart pressure. can accomplish
general overturnihg in Southern
49,. tiers which sta!wart organs and ors
AMI. alvocated during the late campaign
iiior Mr. Garfield were in full sympathy
ally: the radical wing Of his party on
o 81 point--which he is not-he "
9 ., not dare to undo what his pi
q 81, cessOr has done. TIE strOr
OF: Republican Congress would pro
XII " reject any Presidential pl
% x sition which involved even
oil partial ablishment OF the iniqu
40 system which collapsed in 1877. !
:. -; intents and purposes, then, Mr..
sP'- field has q clear Southern road b
,' ole him, however rough it may be herr
NUS there. The obstacle with which I
Republican President heretofore
)00,- had to contend is 80 nearly rem
that it need give him no sc