He had taken an active part in the politics of his state before and after the War.

After he identified himself with the Republican party he was ambitious to be chiefly instrumental in building up a strong party in his State and throughout the South which would not only recognize merit in the colored people and accord absolute justice and fair play to them, but which would include in its membership a large percentage, if not a majority, of the best and most substantial white men of that section.
That he had made splendid progress along those lines cannot be denied.
The announced southern policy of the Hayes administration not only completed the destruction of what had been thus accomplished, but it made any further progress in that direction absolutely impossible.

The selection of ex-Senator Key was, however, not the only Cabinet appointment which clearly indicated the southern policy of the administration.

There were two others,--those of William M.Evarts and Carl Schurz.

Those men had been prominent in their bitter opposition to the southern policy of President Grant.