The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-21

"iicb shall terminate the present adlninistra-
ton, and in the immense advantages which
would derive from a settlement Of the questions
before the country before the Inauguration of
Mr.. Lincoln. Amendments to the constitution
thirds Of both houses of Congress, or on appli-
cation Of the Legislatures of two-thirds Of the
several States, TO be valid only when ratified
by three-fourths of the whole number Of States,
in either their Legislatures or in conventions
These conditions for amending the constitution
cannot be complied with as Congress is now
composed. AS Legislative enactments are"
therefore, /" insufficient to meet and remove the
cause Of impending disaster" and as I" the
Union is in imminent danger of final dissolu-
ton, in consequence of protracted strife and
agitation about the institution Of African slave
ry, Mr.. Biglcr has wisely called upon Congress
to task for the opinion and will Of the people
Of Che several States, on such proposed amend.
ments to the constitution" as shall bring back
harmony to tho republic. dispel the clouds
which darlSen the horizon, and "restore our
distracted country to its accustomed peace and
prosperity" The first section Of his substitute
provides. 'that the citizens of the several States
qualified to vote for members of Congress- be
requested to hold an election on Tuesday. tie
18th day OF February next, for the purpose of
deciding for or against" the amendments emu
merated in his bill. 1t is simply an attempt to
obtain in an informal manner an expression of
the viii Of the people, which shall guarantee
GA
of the State Legislatures or of Congress, that
shall be satisfactory TO the South, and turn
away attention from the alternative Of civil
war or q disruption Of the coDfederacy. 1t is
proposition fair to all parties; and, if the pro-
iession OF Mr. Seward, that whatever sacrifices,
private or public, shall be needful for the pre-
servation Of the Union shall be made" is con
sstently adhered to by himself and his friends,
il will be supported by them They can only
oppose it from a fixed determination that the
popular voice shall not be reached, and to per
petuate the ascendancy of those 'tempestaous
passions which they pretend to deprecate.
The greater number Of republicans in the
North are divisible into two classes-.hose who
would reduce the South to submission by force
of arms, and those who would coerce it by
means of Il mastery inactivity" These latter
witness with rejoicing the daily increasing
storm at the South. They chucklc over ex-
cesses which are the natural consequence Of
civil etIifc--passcd out Of the hands of thinking
sober men who seek for the recovery OF their
pristine rights, into the power Of rude, IN
mob-as though they were an
abolition triumph. They desire an intcrnecine
war, as means Of stereotyping anti-slavery
fanaticism in the Northern States. The events
Of the next day or two will demonstrate, be-
You'd cavil, whether the republican ranks in
Congress are completely filled with such men;
whether there still exists any desire among
them to restore order out of the chaos which their
own sectionalism has created. If, as a sequel
to their voting against the reconsideration Of
they shall pcrscverc in rejecting them, and
maintain a firm stand against permission being
given to the people to express "their judgment
and opinion in the present crisis, two things
will be eyident-that they are reasonable to
the interests Of their constituents, and that they
know that their policy is reprobated by the
popular heart. Nothing will then remain but
TO wait until the issue can be made at the State
elections which are approaching; but the spec
tacle will be none the less mournful and sad,
Of representatives elected under abygonc con-
dition of things, refusing to allow those who
voted for them to rescue country from ruin,
which they have determined to destroy.