The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-16

'aFiH Oh 1901, and II appears TO be looking
with too much trepidation TO the border slave
States, while they, in turn. are begging aims of
the republican party of the North Nor is this
view of the subject mere thing of fancy. In
this Southern provisional government there is
decided winking and blinking at recon-
struc'ion Of the Union. President Jefferson
Davis is, in fact, conservative man, and Vice
President Stephens, TO the last point of resist
ance, labored with all his great abilities to pre-
vent the secession of Georgia, on the ground
that her true course WAS to exhaust all expe
dents for her rights within the Union before
resorting to the desperate last alternative of
revolution.
The Yanceys and the Rhetts in this inchoate
Southern confederacy have been superseded
by mose moderate men and by wiser counsels.
provisional government, open TO treaty of
reunion with the Northern States, is the conse-
quence; and its limitation to one years exist
ence indicates, no doubt, the margin within
which it is expected treaty of reunion will be
made. Under this Interpretation, let the gov
eminent at Washington forbear yet little
longer to bring the seeded States to any acts
OF warlike resistance, in the matter of those
federal forts, arsenals, custom houses, 60, and
let the incoming administration make its first
business a treaty Of reconciliation with the
seeded States, and they will be reclaimed.
This border State compromise will not be
adopted, nor will anything approaching these
concessions command two-thirds vote from
the present Congress But, if upon test vote
it shall be shown that a promising break has
been made into the republican camp, Mr.. Lin
coin may soon complete the work; for his word
will be the law, with all the spoils and honors
Of the government in his hands. Mr.. Seward,
bis Premier has the capacity, and has manifest
ed the disposition, to abandon the republican
platform for the country. Let him do 80; for
in truth the mission Of the republican party
came to an end on the 9th of November. A
great revolution has followed, in which all pre-
existing parties have been, or must be, swal-
lowed up. The new administration cannot de-
pend upon the republican party of 1860. The
work of that party is done; and Mr.. Lincoln
must look to new party upon Union plat
form for the support of his administration.
the first acts, if not the very first administra-
tive stroke of policy on the part of Mr.. Lin
coin, will be the call Of an extra session of the
new Congress, of which quorum of the
House has already been elected; and that,
when assembled, he will submit to the two
houses some plan for a revision of the federal
constitution in behalf of the Union Hence,
as it now appears that the border slave States
will be encouraged to await the disclosure Of
the policy Of the incoming administration, and
as it is probable that Mr.. Lincoln, under the
advice Of Mr. Seward, will move promptly,
not to maintain the Chicago platform, but to
re-establish the Union, our hopes are revived
in behalf of the Union and of peace.
Let the border slave States be promptly APP
peased, and they will reclaim the seeded
States, and, perhaps, within the year allowed
to their provisional Independent government.
The Southern confederacy is looking to the
border slave States. They are looking to the
conservative masses of the North, and these,
in their turn are looking for relief TO the party
coming into power on the 4th of March. The
President elect is the last link in the chain. 1t
all depends upon him. Let him promptly
move for Union compromise, and we predict
that even If it be to the fun extent of the Crit
tenden propositions, it will be endorsed by a
bundsed thousand majority in the Empire
State if submitted to a popular test If Mr..
Lincoln would have an all powerful party at
his back, North and South, let him strike out
boldly for the Union and for peace. Let us
hope that on or before his arrival at Washing
ton he will find the good cause too strong to
be resisted or postponed.
FRfGHTruI DEFALcATIoNs AT WASHINGTON