Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/163

 RUTHERFORD BIRCHARD HAYES 129 was organized, the new president addressed him self to the composition of difficulties in several southern states. He had given evidence of his con ciliatory disposition by taking into his cabinet a prominent citizen of the south who had been an officer in the Confederate army and had actively opposed his election. In both South Carolina and Louisiana there were two sets of state officers and two legislatures, one Republican and the other Democratic, each claiming to have been elected by a majority of the popular vote. The presence of Federal troops at or near the respective statehouses had so far told in favor of the Republican claim ants, while the Democratic claimants had the pre ponderance of support from the citizens of sub stance and influence. President Hayes was re solved that the upholding of local governments in the southern states by the armed forces of the United States must come to an end, and that, there fore, the Federal troops should be withdrawn from the positions they then occupied; but he was at the same time anxious to have the change effected with out any disturbance of the peace, and without im perilling the security or rights of any class of citizens. His plan was to put an end by conciliatory meas ures to the lawless commotions and distracting ex citements which, ever since the close of the war, had kept a large part of the south in constant