The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-18
EX-PRESIDEST HAYES.

In the death Of ex- President Hayes the
nation loses pure patriot, daring SOL
der, spotess citizen and sound and
stainless statesman. It has been the habit
OF certain ignorant or INSCRIPTIONS DEM
ocratic newspapers and politicians to
sheer at President Hayes as cheap man
with fraudulent title to his great Office.
Nothing is more unjust. The electoral
commission that gave President Hayes his
title was the solemn, carefully considered
act of both parties in congress.
There was a cloud in the constitution that
had TO be settled by force or compromise.
Both parties consented TO compromise
rather than quarrel. Senators Edmunds
and Thurman devised the plan which both
parties accepted. Congress clothed the
commission with the powers 1t exercised.
The commission did not exceed its pow
ers. and congress voted to ratify its de-
cision. Whether congress could clothe
the commission with extra-constitu-
tional powers, which it could not
exercise itself is a question tina, constitu-
tional lawyers will dispute about to the
end Of time. but both parties refused to be
constitutionaliy damned and created the
commission. The necessity OF the occa-
sion was sufficient law to a great people
exercising the right of self-preservation.
So far as President Hayes was person.
ally concerned his title to his office was
absolutely perfect. Ii was given to him
by both parties in congress and if congress
exceeded its powers or approprl lated
powers that did not constitutonally be-
long to it no faint thereby attached to
President Hayes, and to call him
Ellis Fraudulency" is an histori-
cal lie. President Hayes was
wise and conservative statesman. He
withdrew the Federal bavonets from the
South he called Democrat who had
voted for Tilden and who was a Confeder-
ate brigadier into his cabinet; his cabinet
included William NJ. Evarts, Gen. Charles
Devens, John Sherman and Carl Schurz
and his administration was able and
entirely upright. 1t was as clean
as that of Benjamin Harrison. and
while President Hayes was not as
brilliant a man as Harrison, he was
as safe and sound statesman and
his administration was one of more severe
and trying responsibility. In matters of
finance President Hayes was entirely
sound and far in advance of some of the
Republican leaders of his time. He OPP
posed to the last the passage of the Bland
Allison silver bill End only signed it with
| reluctance as a compromise against the
prospect of a worse measure.
As a soldier Gen. Hayes was an ADLER
| man than President Harrison; he rose to
the rank of division commander and was
| distinguished for his personal daring and
| impetuosity on the field of battle. He
| charged at the head of his regiment, the
| Twenty-third Ohio, at South Mountain
and was desperately wounded. He charged
| at the head Of his division at Cedar
| Creek. where he was again wounded.
| Nominated for congress he refused to
| leave the army, saying that 1.-The man who
| would leave the army for congress ought
| to be scalped." To the last of his life he
always marched on foot with the veterans
! of the g. 4. Z. at the national encamp-
ment parade and he was prouder of his
soldiership than of any thing else in his
| career.
He was most benevolent and humane
! man, and devoted his leisure after his re-
tirement from the presidency TO prison
Reform" and kindred humanitarian move
ments. lie lived long enough to obtain the
| hearty respect OF thousands who sneered at
him in days of passionate partisan war
fare. and no ex-president was treated
! with so much uniform hearty respect by
the South when he visited it as Presi-
dent Hayes. The South came to believe
that he was an honest, fearless independ-
ent man. who did not fear to try and solve
the situation for their benefit st the cost
OF partisan popularity.
President Hayes will lie mourned by all
! intelligent honest men OF both parties as
a high-sOulei, clean statesman: type
American of the highest class; a man of
purpose untarnished and = conscience
clean. All honor to him cas- man VINO
hraVelv ala his whole duty SIS God gave
him sight to see il and strength 10 do it,
and who with manliness and meekness
bore without complaint or crincing much
unjust obloquy because he dared to do
his whole duty