The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-11-24

po" - cho0Au - boAicus
The most serious question now before the
people and government of the United States
ia that of assembling general Convention of
all the States, for the purpose of considering
existing evils and providing remedial mea-
surea
That such an assembly has become neces-
sity no man can deny who rightly contem-
plates the alarm and spirit Of resistance and
revolution which recent events have awakened
in the South. Whether these feelings have or
have not sufficient cause Is not nov to the
point They exist and there is every reason
to suppose that they will not only continue to
exist, but will increase, until remedy Ia found.
Practical statesmen must deal with things as
they are, and not "a they should be. The
alarm Of the South arises not from the election
of any one man to the Presidency, but from
the constant advance in its hold upon the
people Of the Northern States, that has been
exhibited by the fanacy that "savery
is an evil and q crime" They see that the
constitution provides no shield for the States
possessing the Institution Of slavery for the in
feror race, and they foresee that, when the
Northern States obtain great representative
majority IN the government. reused but blind
conscience on the part of the Northern people
may impel it TO commit the same great njus-
tice to the weaker Southern States that blind
anc wildly excited conscience in England
forced the British government, against the ad'
vice of many OF its most sagacious statesmen,
to commit towards its West India colonies. 1t
Is not that the whole Of the black republican
party is ready 10 do that great social and poll
teal evil now; that party contains many who
absolutely reject the idea of doing so great a
wrong now or ever, and this fact makes more
feasible to day, By convention fresh and
direct from the people, the ENGRAVING of such
amendments upon the constitution as shall
forever guarantees the Southern States against
any possible alteration on the part OF the
federal government.
The question as to how this convention should
be called and elected we deem to be equally
clear In free and popular representative
government like ours, it il manifestly within
the scope Of the legislative and execu-
tive powers, when they concur in the
necessity of the people considering any
want or excess In their constitution OF
&c gerDmens, to call a convention for that pur-
pose. This concurrence is expressed by the as
sent of majority of the two federal legisla
tive bodies and the approval of the executive.
But when the fathers of the republic established
the constitution, they contemplated two other
possible contingencies than that Of calling a
national convention by the simple concurrence
of the two branches of government, which
might be exercised at any time. These two contin-
gencies were-First, that the amendstory clauses
might become to all 40 evident that their pass
age by vote of two-thirds Of both houses
would be possible; and, second that owing to
the inequality of population in the several
States, and hence their numerical power in
Congress, q few of the larger States-less than
two thirds Of the whole number-might
exercise the power belonging to sim
pie majority in Congress, and, by re-
| fusipg to call national convention, usurp
the power to Cypress the smaller States.
| Hence the enactment of the fifth article of the
constitution, the first portion Of which is per
missory, to meet the first contingency we have
Just cited: and the second portion is mandatory,
in order to meet the second contingency.
Between these two lies the natural power Of
popular representative government
ARTICLE v.-AnESDMExTs.
The Con whenever tao thirds OF both houses shall
deem necessary shal propose amen 1msntS 70 this
stuon the application Of the Less atures OF two
thirds Of severl States shall cal, convention for
proposing amendments, which, In either case, shall
on when ratified by the Leg saturss foarths
the States by conventions In three fourhs thereof az
one or the ether mote Of RATIFICATION may be proposed by
There is something peculiar in the present
condition of public affairs and the public mind,
which should operate on Congress and deter
mine the manner In which National Conven-
ton should be constituted. Already since the
Presidential election, there has been an i'm
mepse revolution In public opinion, and this
revolution will steadily extend as coming
events develope themselves, II IL evident that
the South il earnest in lis alarm, and, except
ing the fanatics, the disposition Of oil men
Is towards peace and it's guarantees. This
has swept away all old party distinc-
lions and organizations. There i now
no democratic party. North or South, and
within six months there will be no black re
publican party in the North. But the State
governments In the North we're elected before
these political organizations were broken up
and hence they form an expression Of an old
state OF the public mind which does not
now exist Therefore. In calling a National
Convention, Congress should determine that
the delegates TO 1t shall be elected by popular
vote IN each Congressional district. and not by
the STATE Legislatures. BY this means we shall
obtain in that body true expression of the
public mind after the existing evils had become
developed aud apparent; while, II the election
Of delegates is left to the State Legislatures,
~ Il wac before the results OF the recent Presi-
Dental election were known Since that day
we have lived half century OF political life