Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 November 1878 — The President of Southern Outrages. [ARTICLE]

The President of Southern Outrages.

loan authorized interview, given to the Washington I'ational Republican, on the evening of the 12th, the Prtsident very sharply outlined what may be termed bis new policy toward the Sojith. It wak prepared at the White House and has all the importance and gravity of a special message. The President was first asked whether Southern outrages had been discussed in the Cabinet. He replied: “ That is a mistake. The time for discussion has passed. It is now too late foixanything but the most determined and vigorous action. This determination was reached several days ago, and the deliberations of the Cabinet on the subject since then have been comparatively brief and confined mainly to the consideration of the duty of the Attorney-General in the premises.” To these remarks the interviewer replied approvingly, and then asked the President how he accounted for the result of a solid South in the face of the pledges of fair dealing by Southern Democrats. The President—That question leads directly to a discussion of what has been latterly termed the Southern Policy of the Administration. When that policy was inaugurated it was with an earnest desire to conciliate the Southern leaders, to round off the sharp angles of sectional differences, and to soften the asperities of political strife. No one will deny that an attempt to enforce this policy was earnestly made, 'nor that it was carried out with a conscious desire 'to accomplish the result for which it was inaugurated. Of the personal and partisan sacrifices I made in this effort and of the consequent ' interruption of certain relations which had previously existed between myself and some of my supporters I have nothing to say just now; but it appears that the leaders who made those pledges either did not exert themselves to keep them or were unable to do so. In fact, lam reluctantly forced to admit that the experiment was a failure. The first election of importance held since it was attempted has proven that fair elections, with free suffrages for every voter, in the South are an impossibility under the existing condition of things. Interviewer—And the Republiean party, except in North Carolina, has thereby been wiped out of existence in in the South? The President—lt is not because the Republican party appears as the sufferer in these results that I complain. It is because free suffrage and freedom of political rights have been interfered with I am called upon to take cognizance of these disturbances. If the facts were exactly reversed, and if Republicans had permitted these outrages upon Democrats, my duty would be the same. It will not do for me, or for any official before whom these questions may come, to treat them otherwise than in a non-partisan way. The partisan press will naturally take a partisan view, and I will be held to account for aiding Republicans—stalwarts, I mean —in flaunting the bloody shirt, as it is called. • Interviewer —Yes, it has been charged . that you are following in the footsteps of your predecessor. The President—Well, I expect all that and more. I can’t expect to hold the office I do without being kicked and cuffed a little, you know; but for all that I shall do my duty as Chief Magistrate of all the people, Democrats and Republicans alike; and if in the faithful execution of the laws justice shall demand the punishment of this man or that man, whatever his political connections may be, I shall not be deterred by partisan criticism. All that I know is that great crimes have been committed and it is my duty to aid in the punishment of the criminals. ' Interviewer—And you do not think the Southern leaders—Democrats, I mean—who have promised so often to protect the blacks of the South in the exercise of their rights are responsible for these crimes? The President (frankly)—l do not. Gov. Hampton, for example, has tried repeatedly to repress the violence which has characterized the compaign in South Carolina, and failed. Such Republicans as Judge Lee and Mr. Rainey, and ex-State Senator Swails, of that State, have advised me of these facts. They say that Hampton cannot control the “red-shirts,” as they call them, and they have repeatedly informed me of speeches he has made deprecating violence in the conduct of the campaign, and it appears that Gov. Nicholls in Louisiana is earnestly opposed to these proceedings in his State. Interviewer—Then officers of thb Department of Justice have been instructed to carry out the proceedings already begun against these depredators?

The President—Not only against those who have already been arrested, but against others who will soon be arrested. It is proposed to make a clean sweep of this business and exhaust every legal resource in the execution of ’Justice. The integrity of American citizenship has been grossly violated in widespread localities. It must and shall be vindicated. Interviewer —Will it be necessary to make any removals or changes among District Attorneys in the Southern States? The President—l hope not, and believe wot; but if it is discovered that any officer of the class you refer to is not already endeavoring to do his whole duty in the matter, there will be no hesitation in taking proper stepstoreplace him and to secure a vigorous prosecution of these cases. At the close of the Cabinet meeting, on the 12th, Att’y-Gen. Devens said that he had some facts to submit relating to political outrages in the South. The President then asked him to remain alone after the Cabinet meeting, remarking that there oould be no difference of opinion among them about any course he might pursue. There being no dissenting voices, the subject was not discussed in; the Cabinet, notwithstanding the full reports of a debate which were published in the evening papers. Gen. Devens’ conference with the President amounted to this: Well-authenticated reports of political outrages and cheats have come within the last month from Louisiana and South Carolina, especially from the latter State. It has been customary in past administrations to make a great ado about these political outrages up to the day of election, and then say nothing about them afterward. In this eaqe,Gen. Devens has rcSblved upon quite a different policy. He is going to employ all the machinery of the Department of Justice to investigate every individual case of alleged outrage, and, where guilt is found, to bring to bear the whole force of the Government to secure the prompt and summary punishment of the guilty?— Telegraphic Special to the Chicago Times. ——>— '"*4- ' ■ i When a grasshopper eats it is only a simple hopper-ratic®. „