Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1877 — The Southern Question. [ARTICLE]

The Southern Question.

Surprise has been expressed at the nomination of a southern democrat to a posltlou in the cabinet of a republicau president. It is on innovation calculated to disturb people who have not awakened to the fact that a new era in the treatment of the southern question is about to be inaugurated. It. has.uot been the fault of the republican party hitherto that the southern question was not plaoed in process of solution. Never until now [tee there appeared a solid, substantial conservative element in the southern society upon which a republican president oould rely for co-operation in the work of permanent pacification, a result that has been earnestly desired by the sincere members of the republican party uorth from the day of Johnston’s surrender, and we believe anxiously desired by General Grant and bis administration. 80 long aa the southern whites either sullenly refused to participate in local government, or, driven by inisgoverument, aa they claim, resorted to the shot gun and assassination as a policy to stamp out southern republicanism, a republican administration could extend none other thau (he mailed hand. Now, however, an eiemeut has appeared in the south with which the republican. party and administration can operate, without a. compromise of houor or justice, to secure tire pacification of that disturbed section of the country. The people bail with Sladpess the auspicious omens to this ireotlon attending the Inauguration of President Hayes’ administration, and no feature of hie proposed policy wiil be more heartily sustained and Insisted upon by the public than the treatment of the southern question as foreshadowed In bis inaugural. There is no intimation of an abandonment of any of the rights guaranteed to the freedmen by the constitutional amendments. What ia proposed ia, that there shall be such a general tone of administration of federal affairs relative to the southern states aa will develop in them the same complete and local self-government that is enjoyed in New York or Vermont, In Maine aud Indiana. In this every wellwisher of bis country will support President Hayes. In connection with tbe appointment of General Key to a place in the cabinet, a letter from him to a friend in Washington, and which decided Mr. Hayes in nis favor, published iu our telegraphie columns, will be read with interest. Mr. Key aays: “If I were to become a member of tbe administration I should not feel at liberty to place myself in opposition to Its general policy, but should feel boqud to build it up and strengthen It Inr the hearts of the people; snd if the time arrived when I could not heartily 00-onerate with it I would resign. If, as I hope and believe, the-administration wtil develop a broad aud liberal policy toward the people of the south, I would not hesitate to incorporate my fortunes and myself with it.” The letter ia the lettef of s gentleman who can be trusted. The experiment of reconciliation aud pacification is worth an earnest and candid }rlai, and we much mistake the temper of Rutherford B. Hayes If he allows himself to be deterred from his purpose.—/nd»* anapolit Journal.