The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-04

The fate of NE wise recommendations to
Congress of Mr.. Buchanan in his annual Mes
sage; the reception which has been given to
the amendments of the constitution proposed
by Messrs Crittenden, Cochrane and others in
the Senate and House Of Representatives; the
sheer weakness and imbecility that have been
manifested by the committees of thirteen and
thirty-three; together with the incapacity, stu
pidity and gross ignorance which characterize
the proceedings Of our national representatives
at this critical period in the history Of the
country, render il as manifest rs an axiom that
no relief whatever is to be hoped for from
that quarter. The habitual Capitol routine
Of bribery, jobbng, lobby intrigue, and the
manufacture Of fresh conduits from the Trea-
sury into the pockets of the venal hordes who
batten upon federal corruption, having been
broken in upon by the eventful crisis through
which we are passing, the occupation Of the
majority of the representatives of the wisdom
of the land seems gone. At moment when
the discretion, Judgment, patriotism and prestige
are needed Of statesmen such as the days Of
Washington and Jefferson produced, there is
only to be found one desolate blank in politi-
cal knowledge and sagacity at the source from
whence sound and healthy legislation should
proceed.
II our hopes revert to the incoming admins
tratiou, the prospect is equally sickening. Mr..
Lincoln seems wholly occupied with the con-
struction Of Cabinet, and with the childish care
of distributing spoils he has not yet the COM
mand of. Among his adherents, not one of
those who hope to possess administrative power
after the 4th of March next has as yet shown
signs of activity beyond the requirements Of
petty individual interests. Under such cir
cumstances the grave, momentous question OF
the hour becomes, what remedy can be devised
for existing and impending evils? And mature
deliberation renders it evident that, as there is
no reliance to be placed on Congress, and
equally little on the approaching government
of Mr.. Lincoln, it is indispensable that the
people themselves should enter upon the stage
and save the Union. The President Of the
United States, in his Message, recommended
that Congress should pass certain amendments
to the constitution, to be submitted to the
States. 1t is in vain to expect that his sugges-
tons will be attended to; and, even if tardy
repentance should inspire part of our ma
tional representatives with desire to satisfy
the Just demands of the South, the requisite
vote of two-thirds of each House of Congress,
and then of three-quarters of the States. could
Of the separate States initiate some proper
course of action, nothing can stay the rapid
downward descent Of the nation in its progress
towards disintegration and anarchy.
Had there been an adequate appreciation by
the people of the North of the dangers which
imperil the future peace, unity and prosperity
of the Union, it cannot be doubted that con-
stituent conventions would, long since, have
been called in the several States. and that the
most efficient Of all remedies would have been
applied by grand National Constituent Con-
vention. The circumstances are not in any
great degree worse than those which surround
ed the confederation when the convention a.
sembled which framed the constitution of
1887. The legislative assemblies Of the
non-slaveholding States are, however. so
entirely in the hands OF short-sichted re-
publican fanatics. that there neither has
been, nor is there likely to be, any chance Of
their adopting measure so directly calculated
to rescue the Union. The heat and burden of
patriotic endeavor devolves, therefore, on the
South, aud il is believed that reflection upon
the probable consequences Of decided action
on their part will inspire them with both the
viii and the desire to strike such death blow
to disunionism as shall secure their own inte-
rests and at the same time consolidate the ma
ton upon foundations too secure to be again
easily shaken.
Let separate State Conventions OF each of the
slaveholding States call without delay, "a Con-
stituent Convention of the Southern States, to
the exclusion of all others. Let them adopt
amendments to the constitution, such as the
Central and Western States can honerably
accept, which shall cover tho reasonable
grounds of difference between themselves and
the North, insisting upon the recognition of
the property rights of their citizens everywhere;
upon other needful stipulatons, which have
heretofore been denied; upon full liberty to
carry slaves into the common territory, and
upon the recognition Of universal liberation of
opinion respecting slavery as social institu-
ton in the several States of the Union. Let
them submit these different amendments to the
different Northern States, earnestly inviting
their acceptance of them, and assigning
period. similar to that which was appointed for
the ratification of the constitution Of 1897,
when all States which should have agreed to
their propositions should be considered as
thenceforth forming the future United States
Of America. The responsibility will fall upon
the republicans of the Northern States If they
shall refuse to consider such amendments. and
the peril will be theirs IL they elect TO remain
out Of such a confederation rs, beyond a cavil,
the Central. Western and Southern States will
be ready 10 form together. New York, Penn
sylvania and New Jersey cling to the Union