Year: 1877

Ii is an easy matter to find fault. 1t is
easy enough to complain of a certain con-
dition of things, without at the same time
being able to suggest an effective remedy
For, while the good Of a thing may be
hidden its faults are always noticeable
and glaring. Upon any subject of grave
interest there is always room for differ
ences of opinion. If several men relate
the details of some transaction, there is
almost sure to be difference in the sew
eral statements, although they may agree
Ms 70 the main fact. ii this be true upon
matter which happens under personal
observation, how much wider the room
Tor difference Of opinion in regard to a
matter which is only theoretical, and
which can only be proven BY thorough
test.


At this present time the administration
Of President Hayes is undergoing severe
criticism, partly on account of its South
srn policy, partly because of its notifca-
ton to Federal office holders no: to en-
gage in politics. Yet Mr. Hayes letter
OF acceptance foreshadowed what the
course of his administration would be-
Whether the purport OF this ettor was
not generally understood, or whether it
Was thought that Hayes would, like
many Others talk one thing before elec.
ton and another afterwards, We cannot
say, but one thing is quite certain, his
way Of doing things does not meet the en-
lire approval of the party to which he
owes his position-t can, in fact, as we
have said heretofore, be only justified by
success. No doubt many Republicans
think Hayes has sacrificed the prospects
0i the party in the South and the South
ein Republicans whose frmness and de.
voiion to principle saved States enough
from the grasp Of the bulldozers to turn
the scale. The country will watch earn
cstly and with many misgiving to see if
this sacrifice will bring good results.


1t might well be supposed that as Mr..
Hayes is pursuing line of policy it was
claimed would be followed by Tildcn il
elected, that it would rally conservative
Democrats TO the support of his admins
trAtion. If such result was hoped for,
the hope has not been justified by the
event. The only solacc which Demo-
Gratis find in the adoption of what they
claim would have been their policy had
Tildcn instead of Hayes been elected, is
that it has paved the way for a possible
disruption of the Republican party, which
would open the door for Democratic
restoration. The good results, i: any
SUCH have been achieved, are overlooked,
and lost sight of in the encouraging fact
that Mr.. Blaine, Mr.. Cham bcrlain or some
other Mr." has said something deroga
tory to the administration. The fact is
that the fght on the Democratic side was
not for principle but for spois. SO long
as they could have held the office and
poc@eted the emoluments, they would
have cared very little what policy was
enforced in the South or anywhere else.-
There is far greater liberality of feeling
among Southern Democrats than North.
orn ones, and If the South controls the
party action as heretofore, as well for good
AS it has for evil, we may look to see an
administration party in Congress compos.
cd of the more Conservative Republicans
and Democrats. 1t will take the full
four years Of Mr.. Hayes administration
10 decide whether his line of policy to.
ward the South is the correct one or not
If, during these four years the various
States recognize the civil and political
rights of all classes, if they refrain from
the passage Of such laws as disgraced
their statutes when the course of Andrew
johnson led ex-slave holders to hope that
the days OF their seven kingdoms had
come again, if men dare write, speak
and vote their sentiments as freely al
the South MS at the North, we may con.
cude that the course of Mr.. Hayes is the
correct one, otherwise the seeds of con.
ciliation haze been thrown away.





EIGHT TO SEvEN,-Tho institution nj