Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-02-03
Rutherford 3. Hayes.
CARL scHURz. IN HARPER's WEEKLY.

| vices has no doubt been ID DJurlOusI5 aAcS'eN
by the circumstance that the rightfnlness
of his election 20 the Presidency was sub
| iected to serious question. This eircum-
stance gave peculiar point to the bitter
hostility of the opposing party, while the
most powerful interests in his own, pre-
tending TO have made" him, found IN 1t
reason for demanding of him more than
ordinary subserviency 10 their behests, ana
accused him Of ingratitude when that SUD-
seryieucy was refused. But whatever
/ opinion may be held of the true result oi
the Presidential election OF 1876, there vas
not the slightest ground for believing, nor
has ever any body sincerely believed, that
Mr.. HAYES had sought in the remotest de-
gree to influence the action OF the ElectCr-
al Commission which declared him elected;
and il must be evident TO everT candid
mind that when the verdict to the Eleetor-
al ,ommisson had been adopted and
soIemnly ratified By both Houses of Con
gress. it was not only his right bat MS duty
As a good citizen, by accepting the Presi-
denev awarded to him, to give final eject
IN that settlement of one of the most peril
ous contests IN the history of this repablic.
He could not do otherwise, and every
patriotic citizen, of whatever political
marty. having the true interests of the
country sincerely at heart would have act
ed as he did. His qualities as man and
HIS conduct as a public servant should
therefore be judged upon their own merits,
independently of the doubt which hung
| over his election to the Presidency.
| 7, may be said without exaggeration
nat nnhlic station in this country has
| seldom if ever been graced by man oil
| nnrer character, or higher and more CON
sciantious conception of duty, and more
natriotic motives. His career in private as
we'll as in public life was throughout that
uf a model citizen. He was born In ohi"
/ in 1900 Having received a liberal educa
tim he devoted himself to the practice OF
the law and won the general esteem of the
! profession and Of the public By the soildlty
Of his abilities and requirements, and a
conscientious performance o1 MS duties
He sought and found congenial companion
| shin among persons of culture and high
character. His principles and sympathles
made him an antislavery man. "nen,
after the out break of the secession move
| ments, the national government called tor
defenders, he promptly abandoned ms
| orosyerous professional practice and joined
the army The wounds he receiv, attest
I'd his yalor By gallant and meritorious
conduct in battle" and by giving evidence
uf the eapability of leadership, he earned
| ior himself the rank and command OF a
general nfficer, and a place among the
| hrav.st and ablest of our citizen soldiers
In 1864 a nomination for the Congress
sought him, and he was elected while serv
| ING in the field. In 1861 he was nomlnat-
| ed for the Guvernorship of Ohio, and elect
/ ed To that Office twice in succession, win
| increasing majOrities, one canvass turning
| upon the reconstruction measures, ana the
| other upon the financial honesty OF the
| national government, of which he became
one of the sturdiest and most uncompro
missing champions. His administrations as
| Governor were without flaw in point of
| rectitude and good policy. Nominated for
| Congress in 1872, he was defeated by a
strong combination of opposing forces and
| then retired from public life, as he expect
ed. forever. But he was called forth again
l,v a nomination for the G"vernorship in
| 1875, which he reluctantly accepted, ana
| then he led in that famous campaign Tor
| Sound money" the victorious issue OF
| of which sealed Tue uHdl uel0dI VI tuc
paper-irfation movement
| IL was not surprising that the modest
man whom public place had so often
sought, instead of his seeking it, who by
meriIorious service had to such degree
| won the esteem aud confidence of his fell
| iowcitizens without making enemies, and
| who had become so conspicuous a repre-
sentative of public integrity and sound
| ulicies, should have been selected by the
| National Republican Convention of 1916 a.
| 4. safe man 10 lead the party-then serious
| is discredited by the exposure OF corrupt
practices under General Grants second
| administration-once more To victory Ine
doubtful result OF the election, and the
| .l1ux.xaI,.. oonto.t that follnwed aud was
| finally settled in favor of Mr.. Hayes, are
| yrl remembered President Hayes as
| ,nmed the duties of his office under cir
rumstanees OF unusual difficulty. Had he
| been selfish politician, or man of No
| more than an ordinary measure ot moral
courage, he would have sought the favor of
| The most powerful elements OF his party,
that they might fight his battles for him.
| rhis he did not do He had nothing IN
| view but the great interests OF the country.
| In his letter of acceptance he had, accord
iug Ia convictions long entertained, laid
/ great stress upon the necessity OF
! thorough reform of the civil service. In
| mis- inaugural address he reiterated with
| .mubasis his determination to carry on
| that reform. He formed his cabinet not
with view 20 please the party potentates,
| but with view 10 the successful execu
/ rion OF the work to be done. He had hard
iy entered the White House when he be-
gan his preparations for the withdrawal
,,f the troop from "the States lately in re-
| bellionp-that great and wise measure OF
pacification which relieved the Southern
| n.ople of the curse OF o-ealled carpet bag
| rnIe gave them back their self-govern-
ment. and became the starting point of
that prosperous development which we
| now behold The Treasury Department
at once vigorously prepared for the re-
sumption of specie payments and the re-
duction and funding of the national debt
at lower rate of interest. The President
1 by executive order warned public ofhcers
| against meddling with party politics and
| the levying of political assessments; com
petitive examinations, discontinued under
President Grant, were resumed in several
of the departments in Washington and the
great government offices in New York and
subsequently, TWO of the principal and
most Influential officers in New York were
removed on the ground that they had
made their offices headquarters of political
| management-an act highly offensive To
powerful party leaders.
While these measures were received with
| favor bv the intelligent patriotism OF the
country, they aroused the resentment of
the practical politicians high and low
the withdrawal of the troops from the
South because it would lurn Republican
into Democratic States; the civil service
reform measures, because they curtailed
the patronage domain of the member of
Congress and the party magnate. Thus
the opposition to the President in Congress
and in the party councils grew steadily in
strength and violence. The recommend
tiOns made 10y the President and the
beads of departments were econtemptuously
thrown aside. Even the financial measures
of the administration were hampered, and
silver bill passed over the Presidents
vote But he stood firmly by his princi
pies The South IN policy was mainta |
ed, the resumption of specie payments sue |
cessfully effected, and the financial honor |
of the country preserved. 1t is true that
the practical reform OF the civil service fell
short OF the original programme; but con-
sidering that his predecessor bad abandon |
ed the whole system, that President Hayes |
and the heads of the departments under |
him had to work without any appropria- |
tions for the purpose and were at every |
step obstructed and assailed by hostile |
Congress, il is remarkable not that not |
more, but that so much ofpcrmaneut value |
was accomplished. Ii President Hayes did |
not carry through complete reform of the |