Year: 1877

The course adopted by President Hayes


with reference to the South has unquestion-


ably inaugurated an era of what may be


termed good feeling. 1t has closed the bloody


chasm. 1t has brought the people of the


South and the North together. 1t has oblit-


Grated in great measure sectional lines and


hid the foundations for great nationality


for government of the whole people. This,


too, has been accomplished without the sacri-


fee of principle or without humiliation on


either side. tt is the only way that it could


have been brought about. The war which


was forced upon the country in the interest of


human slavery destroyed that institution, and


removed the chief cause of sectional bitter


ness. In the haste of the North to reconstruct


the States that had wandered into rebellion


against the government mistakes were no


doubt committed, and had the work to be


done over again it would unquestionably be


done differently. But all that is, with the


war, in the past. The mistakes that were


made can not be corrected. The years and
the work that followed the close of the re-
bellion can not be recalled. These are among
the dead past. We are dealing with the living
present, and, in doing so, we must look for


ward for results, while the past is useful for
Lessons that are to be drawn from experience.


Hayes, before he was elected President,
and after the election before he knew that he
would be President, decided upon new pol
icy with reference to the South. He did not


condemn the past, for of that he was part, but
he thought the time had come for new de-
parture-for trying peace methods rather than
war measures. This was not conditional upon
his Inauguration. Those who talk this way
are ignorant Of the facts. Te inaugurate this
new method required far more courage than to
have moved forward in the course of his pred
icessor. To have sustained Packard and
Chamberlain at the point of the bayonet
would have been approved by the leaders of
the Republican party, while to change that
policy seemed a sacrifice of those men, and
their supporters, including the Electors who,
through blood, and fire, and persecution, car
ried Louisiana, s 'uth Carolina and Florida for
the Republican panty in 1876. At the same
time, it riskcti ever, thing upon the good faith
of The Southern Democrats


1h.; q':cs ion Was not whether it would
build up the Re. :.u.icun ,,.rsy in the South,
the Constitution with all its amendments, and |
che recognition of the rights of all classes,
without regard to race, color or previous con-
dition. This was the objective point of the |
Republican party, and the question with |
Hayes was whether, by putting the white
people of the South upon their honor, it could |
be accomplished. If he should succeed, he |
might not build up the Republican party at
The South, but he would secure peace and
good feeling everywhere, and that would
build up the Republican party in the nation.
In this movement Hsyes did not follow his
party. He led it. and in this he risked much.
1t was an experiment, politically, and its sue
cess depended upon the action of the Southern
people.


1t may now be said that il is no longer an
experiment. It is a success. This is demon
strated by the reception of the President in
Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. In these
there has been much plain speaking
and very little blarney on either side. Hayes
was honest and outspoken, and in an equally
candid way he was received.


The result of these demonstrations can not |
fail to have good effect throughout the
South. The common remark was that Hayes |
had done for the country, as the leader of the
great Republican party, what Tlden could not |
have accomplished. The Southern people are
satisfied They accept the results of the war, /
the Constitution as amended, and |
now, in this year of grace, 1877, we have i
uaited country, one flag and comnon desti-
ny. with slavery, the grert blot upon our ma
tional escutcheon, removed, and its removal |
in by those who formerly sustained |
and fought for the institution. This is a
grander achievement than could have been
reached by force of arms 1t is all the more |
important because it will be all the more en-
during, having been reached through peace
able methods, and through the cheerful con-
currence of the ruling classes of the South.


An now what? What is to be the effect, !
politically, as regards existing parties. There
are those in the Republican party who are not
satisfied, but the number is growing smaller
every day. The Northern Democratic party
Is not satisfied, because it threatens the loss of
their stock in trade. But the country at large
is satisfied, and this must strengthen the party
in power, which is the Republican party.
This will be seen, II we are not greatly mis-
taken, in the vote in this State in October. ]
The Democratic party is beating around Wild