The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-11-18

Th~ approaching Sesshou ol SonSress No
the New Epoch m Oar Political
ATAtss.
Appreh b. usions are widely entertained among
our prophetic politicians that the coming SEES
zion Of Congress will be signalized by scenes
of sectional excitement, violent collisions, and
NONE and confusion" unparalleled In the
annals Of American politics But we can
not regard these things as Inevitable, al
though we fully adopt the idea thai the reas-
eembiipg Of this Congress will mark q ueR
epoch in our political history an epoch Of
peacesbte recon suuction, or Of a pacific or vio-
lent dissolution of the existing league OF the
United States
Considering the deep and general excitement
in ,he Southern Statee, resulting from the ad-
vancpm+nt OF the anti slavery republican party
OF the North to the occupation OF the federal
government, it would be folly to suppose that
! tbis short session Of Congress will have the
time. or that the Senate will have the temper,
10 do any thing on the tariff question, or for the
Pacific Railroad, or upon free homesteads, or
upon the bill for the admission of Kan
sas into the Union, while the absorbing
be we'll il the ordinary bills for the necessary
wants of the government are passed, pending
This greater issue OF the continuance or dissolu-
ton of the government The people Of the
Southern States have been brought to the exact
point Of demanding additional safeguards with
in the Union, az the price of their continued
allegiance and this, we expect, will be the
main question before this three months session
Of Congress-
The proposition, as we anticipate, from the
movements afoot in the So ath, will come before
! Congress in the form of an appeal from the
Southern States for convention of all the States
for the purpose of 80 revising the federal con-
stitution as to render the institution of slavery
alike secure against abolition emisaries and
conspiracies, underground railroads, and North
ern anti slavery State Legislatures and Northern
msjorities in Congress. The inqniring reader
may ask, wherefore this demand for the rejec-
iion of the constitution of our fathers, and for
this new charter for the benefit OF the slave
States? We may answer that ii is because the
checks and balances Of the constitution of our
fathers are insufficient to secure the institution
Of slavery from the hostile aggressions of the
overwhelming and still increasing representa-
tive majorities Of the anti-slavery North
But what will Congress do with this demand
for the adoption OF new system Of government
for the United States? We cannot tell. The
two houses will probably reject the proposition.
But IL they are wise they will give the subject
careful consideration, and if they cannot imme-
diately accept It, they will leave 1t an open
question, a. q safety valve for the otherwise
dangerous disunion excitement In the South.
The programme involved In this proposition In
cludes the alternative Of the secession Of at least
the extreme Southern States in body from the
Union. Their idea is that the junction of the
South for q convention of all the States to re-
model the constitution will secure the desired
Southern coalition for the alternative Of dis.
union should o new constitutional convention
for their protection within the Union be denied
them. 1t Is also believed that against the move
ment even of the cotton States In body from
the Union no measures of coercion will be at
tempted.
The alternative, then, which Congress will
have to consider, will be convention for the
revision Of the federal constitution for the So
curity OF the South, or an independent South
ern confederacy. Give the South little mar
gin Of indulgence and of time, give them this
idea Of new federal constitutional conven.
ton to work upon, and within year or two
the North and the South may be brought into
"hsppy accord" Reject CONTEMPORARY this
proposition for federal convention, and be.
fore the end Of the second year OF Mr.. Lin.
coins administration the New Yorker travel.
ling to Charleston, Mobile, New Orleans or
Galveston may have to cross the boundary Of
. foreign government
All the parties Of this late Presidential oAn.
vass, excepting the republican party, have been
broken 10 pieces and dispersed with the cleo
ton Of Lincoln. The reassemblng Of Congress
will give us an exhibition Of the confusion OF
tongues of Babel The republican party,
though compact body is In the minority In
the Howe and in the Senate. OF itself 1t can
do nothing; but with large and generous de-
votion TO the Union 1t may secure allies which
will enable II to do everything essential to the
public safety.
We do not apprehend that Southern men
will come up TO Washington 10 wrangle and
6ght, as heretofore, over paltry intrigues for
spoils and plumber They have gone beyond
that small business. y was thrown up at the
Charleston and Baltimore Conventions. Nor
will Southern men come up to Congress TO pre-.
cipitate q dissolution Of the government Ia
scores Of personal or fsctious violence. Whether
acting to remain In the Union or to leave II,
the true policy Of the South is calmness, delibe-
ration ard order. Thus, falling to accomplish
new federal constitution, they believe they
may quietly pave the way for a Southern
confederacy
In any event, II the republican party In Con-
gress would derive any benefit from Mr.. Lin
colns administration, they will endeavor By