New-York tribune., 1886-01-21

REVARDING POLITICAL CRIMINALS
President Cleveland has been reticent on the
Southern question. His views respecting the
outrageous election processes employed by his
party, the disfranchisement of Republican
voters in the States formerly in rebellion and
the virtual notification of the Fifteenth Amend
ment, have not been explicitly stated. Owing
his own election, as he does, to the unbroKen
support of the South, he has prudentiy re-
Trained from approaching this momentous sub
iect He has allowed the country to Judge OF his
policy, so far as he can be said to have one, by
his appointments rather than by his pubic Ut
terances. For the sake of measuring those acts
by the standard he himself has established, 1t is
convenient to quote one of the closing passages
of his Inaugural Address:
In the administration OF government pledged to do
equal and exact justice to all there should be nc
preext for anxiety touching the protection of the freed
men In their rights their security in the enjoyment OF
their privileges under the Constitution and its Amend
All discussion as to ther fitness for the place
accorded to them American citizens Is Idle ana un-
profitable except 1t suggests the necessity Tor ter
improy ement The fact that they are citizens enes
them to all tho rights that relation aud charges
them with all its duties obligations and responsibilities
This is not only the most conspicuous. but
has made to the Southern question 1t was re-
ceived with satisfaction by Republicans last
March as a comprehensive admission from the
first Democratic President since the war that
negroes we're citizens entitled to protection in
the exercise of their rights from government
pledged to do equal and exact justice to all
men," Although a brief generalization, 1t was
broad and catholic in spirit and even In the
narrow compass of three sentences embraced
the Southern question in its entirety. That
question reduced to its simplest terms Is de-
mand that the Republicans of the South shall
have equal and exact justice, protection in the
exercise of their rights of citizenship, and Sc
curity in the enjoyment of their political privi-
leges. policy grounded upon that admirable
declaration of principles contained In the In
augural Address wOuld have satisfied the conn
try that the President had no sympathy with
the discreditable methods by which his own
election was secured
No policy Of this character has been disclosed
in the Presidents Southern appointments
The nomination for important Offices OF Demo
Gratis notorious for their connection with cleo
ton outrages aud frauds has demonstrated
the insincerity of those generous phrases
of the Inaugural. In many instances, as is
clearly shown in a staff correspondents letter
published on another page, Executive favor has
been extended to those who have either openly
advocated or have been directly concerned in
glazing frauds by which Republican majorities
have been suppressed The President has re-
warded with ofliUo not only Bourbon zcalots
and intolerant negro haters, but even notorious
ballot box suffers. This is the measure of
seven and exact justice which the President
in his public acts has reserved for those who
in his Inaugural he declared to be entitled to
protection and security in their rights as cti-
The United States Senate before whom these
outrageous appointments are now pending, is
asked to join in this conspiracy against
Southern Republicans. Will it consent TO
sanction this system of Federal rewards for
the perpetration of political crimes