Year: 1876

We are glad to notice that in several in
terviews to which Governor Hayes has been
subjected this week he has been careful not
to deny the substantial correctness of the
account which a Cincinnati correspondent
of the HERALD gave last Monday OF his
policy in case he should become President
The two points on which it was asserted
that Governor Hayes is determined are TO
make an entire and complete sweep Of the
leading officers of the present administra-
.ion, not only in Washington, but all over
the country, and to give to leading public
men of the South their fair share of infu-
ence and office in their States, getting rid OF
the carpet-bag and adventurer element
down there, which has long made the
very name of the republican party odious
to honest Southern men.


We should be sorry indeed, considering
that Mr. Hayes may be the next President,
to hear him deny that this represents accu-
rately the policy he has determined on.
He could not deny it without turning his
back on himself and forgetting his own
letter of acceptance, in which he laid
down substantially, though less plainly,
precisely this policy. In that letter, which
the republican politicians treated with such
contempt, he planted himself conspicuously
on civi. service reform, and promised to re-
move no fit men in subordinate positions,
and to appoint no unfit men, and none for
merely partisan services. That was at once
fell by the party leaders TO be deadly blow
at them; for it is by appointing their
favoritcs. by bestowing Office almost exclu-
sively as the reward OF partisan services, by
prostitutng the public service all over the
country to the basest and most unscrupu-
ors partisan uses that they have maintained
themselves in power. They pronounced
Mr.. Hayes "a dreamer-not n practical poll
tician," and thereafter never mentioned
either his namo or his letter in their
speeches. What they thus recognized he
cannot but see-that their retention in office
is not compatible with his policy, and that
if he means to carry out civil service reform,
while he will retain in their places the null
titude of subordinate clerks who do their
duty faithfully, he must rid himself as soon
as he enters the White House, of the leaders
who have formed and who protect the mis-
chievons system which he has promised to
destroy.


1t was therefore but the expression of
self-evident truth that Mr.. Hayes would not
give place or power under his administra-
ton to any one who had held prominence
under General Grant. How could he do
otherwise? What would civil service reform
come to if he retained in Office or allowed
any influence to Mr.. Chandler or Mr.. Tyner
or Mr.. Cameron? What indeed, would his
promises be worth if he did not mean to rid
himself of every man who has, by his silent
consent or his cooperation during the last
seven years enabled the President to cor
rupt the public service and fill it with his
creatures and the creatures of his creatures?
II Mr. Hayes is to be n reform President he
must necessarily surround himself by re-
formers-that is to say, with the very men
who have been out Of favor with the present
administration. He must of necessity re-
fuse both place and influence to all
who have been prominent under General
Grant.


We are of those who, though doubling the



lie promised. have never thrown doubt on
the sincerity of his intentions. We rejoice,
therefore. now that he may become
President, to find reason to believe
TINT he still entertains the sound
policy which he announced when he
was nominated We trust he will ad-
here to it, and we shall give him jealous
support in it if he shall enter on the Presi-
dency. That he should desire to call some
prominent Southern men into his Cabinet
and to consult with such men upon all South
ern questions. seems to MS not only to be emf
nently wisc but to follow necessarily from
his determination to reform the civil SER
vice. To do that he must turn out Of the
offices they have abused for political and
selfish ends the army of camp followers
who call themselves republicans in the
South. the proteges Of Kellogg, Spencer
and Chamberlain the associates of Moses.
Whipper and Packard In fact, merely to
reform the federal civil service, merely to
appoint to prominent federal offices in the
Southern States men of character, fitness
and local influence. would be to settle the
whole Southern question. The abuses of
power and the constant political intriguing
OF General Grants nppointees in the South
have done more TO maintain constant state
Of irritation there than anything else, ex-
ccp. his unconstitutional interference in
those States.


That Mr.. Hayes should, therefore, design
to call to his councils such Southern men rs
Mr. Lamar and General Hampton. seems to
MS TO be more crcditable to his Judgment
and patriotism. Mr.. Lamar has been con-
spicuously wise and courageous member of
Congress-; lie has endeavored to harmonizc