Year: 1877

not President Hayes declared Ills opinions upon
these two subjects in his letter Of acceptance,
and the people accepted the declaration as
honest and sincere. The theory was good
enough for the campaign, but the practice by
the Administration meets with strenuous OPP
position.


President HAYES has neither done anything
nor indicated purpose to do anything that Is
not in entire harmony with the letter and
spirit of his carefully considered utreraDces
upon accepting the nomination. Some promi-
nent politicians have been disappointed. In
public they lift their eyebrows and shrug
their shoulders at what has been done already,
and talk significantly about waiting until the
policy of the President is more fully devel-
Oped before expressing an opinion OF 1t,
while in private it is said they indulge in
criticism and complaint and expressions
of profound disappointment and disgust. They
have too long separated theory from practice;
the habit of considering performance as hav-
ing no relations whatever with promise. in the
conduct of politics has become so much
second nature that they were not prepared for
this Ohio mans plain common sense and
homely honesty. He has taken with him into
the certainty and the possession of his
Office the memory of what he said
as candidate, recognizing as the
only change in his circumstances his ability
now to do what no before agreed. TO the
mind of the ordinary politician, political sue
cess enables the candidate not to fulfill his
promises but forget them Gov. Hayes was
brought into the political prominence which
gave him the nomination for the Presi
dency by the great fight he made in
Ohio as the representative of the politl
cal idea that promises, whether made
by individuals, parties, or governments,
on bank notes or treasury notes, in political
platforms or letters of acceptance, are of some
binding force upon the maker, and that fulfill
ment is the first great duty. He did not seek
the nomination; he showed no anxiety as to
the election. Having been named for the
place, he stated mOdestly but very distinctly
what would be his policy if elected. Having
been elected, he reiterates his opinions, pro-
ceeds to put his theories in practice and to
fulfill his promise.


Whoever is disappointed at this has himself
to thank for it. For certainly no candidate
ever more frankly and explicitly avowed his
purposes and indicated his policy than did
Gov. Hayes In his letter OF acceptance ltSt
Summer; and no public officer ever more
frankly and courageohsly avOwed his response
bihty and entered upon the task he had as
signed himself than did President Hayes last
Monday. We are sorry the mem who expected diff
ferent things have been deceived; but they have
deceived themselves. The talk of the stump
and the press about reform they thought
was well enough in its way, but they never
dreamed that it meant anything more than
"greenbacx promise, which some of them hold
was never made to be redeemed except by the
issue of another. President Hayes has differ
ent notion about the meaning of promises. He
has not deceived the people, nor have the
people been deceived in trusting him. Ii
few politicians are disappointed, they
are victims of selfdeceptiOn, and would do
well to bear up under it with cheerfulness and
good nature. There's a notion abroad among
the people that President Hayes is man who
tries to do as he agrees, and so long as that
notion holds the politicians will make little
headway in any fight against his admins
tratiOn.