Year: 1877




q purpose to array the approaching
Republican State Convention in op.
position to the said "policy" Of the
Republican Administration. In view
of these circumstances respectfully
solicit, for publication in the Gazette
o brief statement Of your views as to
the duty of tho Republicans of Iowa
in the present emergency, with refer.
ence to the duties owing to the Ma.
tional Republican Administration by
all true Republicans and by all good
citizens. 1t would also be desirable,
If agreeable to you, to learn your
views direct as the policy of President
Hayes. Respectfully Youra,


EDWARD RUSSELL.
| LETTER OF SENATOR KIRKwOOD.
EDIToRs DAVENPORT GAZETTE I'm
your letter of the 29th ult., you ask
me to furnish you, for publication,
my views of the proper policy to be
pursued by the Republican party in
this state touching what is called the
Presidents southern policy. I am not
at all sure your readers will care to
know my opinion on that subject, but
as you seem to think they may,
comply with your request.


In my judgment any action by the
Republican State Convention either
approving or disappearing the Pres
ident's policy would be untimely and
unwise. It's evident that an attempt
to pass any resolution on the subject
would produce division and dissen-
sion in the convention, and any such
resolution, If passed, would not be
held as binding by those who did not
favor it.


The action of the President is final
in this matter so far as he has acted
what he has done cannot be undone.
Those who do not approve his action
may find fault with It, but they can
not, nor can he, reverse it. They may
scold bitterly, but my observation has
been that scolding is not very use
full or decorous employment. / feel
perfectly sure that in doing what he
has done, the President has done that
which he believed would but promote
the public welfare, and l sincerely
hope that time will show that he has
judged correctly. But If the result
shall show that he has made mistake
could not condemn him for having
done what he honestly believed was
the right thing to do. On the other
hand, if, as think all good men
hope, the Presidents policy shall
prove success, would it not be rath-
er awkward for the Republican party
in Iowa, ifit should have denounced
| In, oly
truth, as I understand, is that the
President himself regards his policy
as to some extent experimental-an
experiment rendered necessary in his
judgment by the failure of the form
er policy to effect what all desired
and desire yet, the restoration of
good feeling between the different
sections of our country and the pro-
lection of all parties, races and per-
sons in all their rights, civil and
political, and he and his advisers
have great hope for a happy result.
confess l am not very hopeful-my
fears of failure are greater than my
hopes of success, but 1 am willing to
wait, and no one will rejoice more
than myself if it shall appear that my
fears are unfounded, The result now
rests largely, if not wholly, in the
hands of the southern democrats, and
it seems to me that in view Of TIE ex-
perience Of the last twelve years IL
requires very vigorous exercise OF
all three of the virtues of faith, hope
and charity, to count confidently up
on such conduct on their part as their
own good and the good of the coun-
try require. There is one thing con.
nected with the Presidents action
from which good must necessarily
result. He had, before he acted, the
positive pledges of honor of the
Southern leaders for the protection
of all the civil and political rights OF
all persons in those states. If those
pledges shall be kept, good must re.
suit. If those pledges shall not be
kept, 1t it shall appear that the South.
ern leaders and the Southern peo.
pie have had in view in making
these pledges only party success and
not the public good, and that they
will use the power thus placed in
their hands for the purpose Of oppres.
sion and injustice; still, think good
must result. The persistent but ut
terly unfounded assertion that the
Republican party has acted toward
the southern people in a spirit Of vim
dictiveness and hate, has produced an
effect on many we'll meaning people
In my judgment the history of the
world does not show an instance in
which q government after putting
down rebellion against it has deal
as generously as has ours with those
engaged in rebellion. Now if il
shall appear that this additional act
Of generosity and confidence by oul
President shall be disregarded, and
has been used only to make and keen
a "solid South" / think we shall find
it not difficult to make and keep q
"sOlid North" and asolid North" II
the stronger. l should regard the
division Of our people into parties
upon sectional lines only less unfortu.
nate than q restoration to power oi
heBourbon Democracy. But If il
must be so we must make the best we
can of 1t, and in the end the country
will be safe, and the party that seeks
to do the right and just thing to ali
our people will triumph. There il
one thing that must not be forgotten
We all know that but for the firm
manly and honorable stand taken du-
ring tho Presidential count, by some
of the most prominent Southern men
in Congress, the count would NOT
have been completed and we would
probably have had in Washington
the condition of anarchy that has Sc
lately ceased in South Carolina and
Louisiana. If they shall continue to
act in the Same spirit and shall be
able to carry their people with them
It will be a happy thing for the coun.
try. But whether the pledges given
to the country through the Fresfden,
shall be kept or broken, 1t will Ger.
tainly be unwise in US to furnish BY
our acts, to any who may be dis.
posed to break them, q pretext for &c
doing Irepeat, then, that in my judg.
ment, our State Convention will &C,
wisely in letting the matter alone
and that we should wait patiently
and SO far as we can hopefully, the
event.


You ask me for my "views direct
as to the policy of President Hayes
|, That is q much more difficult ques
tion; one that l have neither tht
. time, the inclination, or the .informa
ton necessary to form q final opinion
upon. There is one point in connec
, tion with 1t upon which have NO
seen any discussion, and which seem
70 me vital. The President did NO
decide whether Chamberlain Of
Hampton was the lawful Governor
, of South Carolina-whether Packard
, or Nichols was the lawful Governel
Of Louisiana. Was It not his duty
under the Constitution and the Law
to decide these very questions2 TAX,
the case Of Louisiana. There wer,
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