Year: 1879

THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.


A staff correspondent reports below con-
versatiOn which he had few days ago with
President Hayes at his Ohio home. The Pres
ident expressed himself earnestly on the sub
ject of the revolutionary attempt OF the
Democrats in Congress to coerce the Executive
by refusing to pass appropriation bills, and
spoke frankly upon other subjects his opinion
upon which the country will be glad to know.


THE PRESIDENTS FRANK UTTERANCES.
PROBABLE COURSE OF TIE NEXT CoNGREss-A


HOPEFUL VIEW OF THREATENED DANGERS.


frRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRmUNE.1


TIFFiN, Ohio Oct. 13-I had only an hour be-
tween trains at Fremont to-day in which to call
upon the President at his homestead An inyalided
hack long since retired from service in some city,
transported me from the depot through dusty
streets to the southern edge of the town. and
through the oak and hickory forest in the midst OF
which is hidden away the modest brick house built
by Sardis BurclaTd for his nephew. There was no
servant at the open door, but scarcely had aighted
upon the piazza when Mrs. Hayes came through the
hall. hearing the sound Of wheels upon the gravel,
and gave me a cordial welcome. After successful
search in the house for pameaf fans, she returned
to chat about The Kansas trip. which she had en-
ioyed greatly, the near return of the family to
Washington and the visit they meant to make on
the way to an old aunt of the President living In
Delaware his own birthplace. Then she went to
look for Mr.. Hayes, who was IN the woods back OF
the house helping the Young folks gather hickory
nuts. The want of any intervention of servants
aud cards aud Mrs. Hayes's friendly, easy chat
made the visit seem like call upon old village
friends of TO pretensions TO wealth or station.
Soon the President came upon the piazza, wearing
an old felt hat aud a sui of black clothes, about
which there was a comfortable absence of all ap-
pearance of newncss. His hair has grown gray
great deal since ! saw him year ago. and his face.
always of rudy hue. Is sunburned from his long
Journeys in the West | found him, as l always
have in years past, aboundlng IN interesting tax
Now had not come TO Fremont meditating an In
tervIew. 1t is the misfortune OF journalists that
all great men with whom they come in contact
think they are after their opinions aud between
the men who want to be put IN PRINT and those who
don't. their position is often uncomfortable. When
the President seated himself for talk on political
affairs was not at all sorry. however, for there
two or three questions to which knew he
would give answers that would interest TRIBUNE
readers. Mr. Hayes has no dislike 10 talking for
the newspapers. " If mistakes made In report
ing my conversations" he said. I" / know that they
will be corrected perhaps by some other newspaper
reporter. aud the truth will come out in the end.
As for mlsreDresentations. they defeat their
own purpose and the people are not long In coming
TO correct conclusions" This said in speaking
of a recent interview by Gath" which the Presi-
den had not seen, but which he said he had no
doubt was accurate save for the coloring OF the
correspondents mind. from which no conversations
reported from memory were entirely free.


The ouestions wanted to ask were reached after
a few minutes talk about the Western journey and
the OHIO campaign; and the first was, DO you
think the Democrats will renew the fight over the
appropriation bills and the election laws next
Wintcrp


"If 1t were not the year before tho Presidential
election shonld say no. but il Is always impossible
TO predict what is gong to happen In session pre-
ceding the Presidential contest. The friends of
rival candidates for the Democratic nomination
will be ready to bring up issue that will give
their favorites an advantage in the struggle for
nomination. Otherwise there would be little dis
position to carry oil contest with the present
Administration, which has become the setting
sun"


THE old issue between State Rights and Ma
tiona Supremacy will survive, in any case. Will 1t
not"


"Oh, yes; that will always survive. 1t Is not,
however so much an issue between the Republicans
aud the Democrats as between the opposition and



the outs and the ms. The party in power has al
ways favored vigorous assertion of National
authority, and has denied the rights of
the States to place obstacles in its
way. Jefferson and Jackson maintained
the paramount supremacy of the Nation Just as
strongly as Lincoln did. When in power the Demo-
Gratis have always been National party, and before
the Republican party came to power in 1861 1t
stood by the rights of the States against the Gov
ernment and opposed the execution of the Fugitive
Slave Law. The progress of the world has. how
ever we should bear In mind, been strongly in the
direction of National unity of late years. Railroads
have done great deal toward this work OF CONSOLE
dation.n


"was not the issue the Democrats raised last
session new issue. quite distinct from the old State
Rights doctrinep


IAN entirely new issue. No party ever before
set up the claim that the House of Representatives,
because Of its right to originate money bills could
coerce the Executive. That was the Democratic
claim at first Afterward, when they got the
Senate they took that body into partnership with
the Honse This theory. If carried out. would be
utterly subversive of the balance of powers be-
tween the three great departments of the Govern
ment established by the Constitution, and would
make Congress supreme


The President warmed up noticeably while talk
ing this subject. and went on at some length,
arguing with good deal of animation the revolu-
tiOnary character of the Democratic claim OF the
right of Congress to refuse appropriations unless
the Executive would sign ts'measures. Evidently
the struggle of last Spring and Summer Is fresh in
his mind. II the Democrats expect to frighten him
from his position by renewing il next Winter they
will make as bad a mistake as they did when they
kicked against the stone wall of his vetoes at the
extra session. Mr.. Hayes spoke Of the i'm
portance of preserving the prerogatives OF
the Executive He said the policy of the Govern
ment was shaped by the Executive more than by