The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-02-09

Tnc rEesaoency and the Slavery Ques-
tion-TAe Cauidron Beginning to8otl.
The hints which We have thrown out In
reference to the opportunity now presented,
and tho expediency and necessity Of an amend
ment Of the constitution providing for the
complete aud permanent abolition Of slavery
throughout the United States. appear to be
running like wild6re among the politicians Of
all parties
Mr.. Senator Sumner, for instance. abandon
ing his original disorganizing and destructive
programme, involving the reduction of the
rebellious States to the condition of one vast
wild territory, has just come out with the EN-.
phatic declaration. that no halfway tinkering
devices for the removal Of slavery will avail,
but that "the constitution itself must be so
amended as to prohibit slavery everywhere
within the limits of the republic-placing uni
versal emancipation under the sanction Of the
constitution-so that freedom shall be engraved
on every foot Of the national SOIL" This is an
important step in the right direction on the
part OF Senator Sumner. In returning to the
ark Of the constitution we are disposed to
give him all the benefits of President Lincoln's
amnesty.
But. again, it appears that at an emancipa-
, ton meeting in Washington the other night,
that distinguished conservative leader Of Mary
land Senator Reverdy Johnson, "not. only de-
nounced slavery as the cause of the rebellion,
but declared that the constitution must be 80
amended az to remove all national recognition
of the evil" Verify we are in the midst Of
mighty revolution when such hitherto antago-
johnson are foundrevolving in harmony around
that great central light. the New York HERALD,
as the planets of our System revolve around the
sun.
But the best is yet to como. The Washington
correspondent of an evening contemporary as
sures us that 'this creed (the amendment of
the constitution suggested) will be religiously
adhered to by the radical wing Of the republican
party in the coming Presidential contest" that
'it will be substantially embodied in the plat
form Of q convention which is to assemble at
Louisville on the 22d instant" and that that
convention will nominate Gen. Fremont, who
will not accept foreign mission; and neither
will he withdraw in favor Of President Lincoln
under any circumstances" But the General
will give way to any other candidate occupy
ing the platform of the proposed amendment Of
the constitution, against tho imprsoticable aud
inconsistent schemes and crotchets of Mr.. Lin
coin.
This simply means that there is an "irrepres
sible conflict" between the republican radicals
and "Old Abe" growing out Of his policy Of
tinkeriDg slavery out of existence in Arkansas,
for example, while warming and nursing
it into life again In Kentucky, and that Gen.
Fremont Is the man to kin him of Nor
can we doubt the disposition Of Fremont to do
this thing. If We look carefully over the cir
cumstances resulting ia tire revocation OF his
Missouri emancipation ediot and his removal
from his military command in the Vest, and the
appointment OF Gen. Pope over his head in
Virginia
General Fremont, however, will give way To
General Grant if brought forward on the
HERALD constitutional platform; and this i'm
portant fact should be sufficient to induce tho
friends of General Grant to bring him out
formally before the people on the 22d Of Feb
ruary, the day appointed by Simeon Draper for
a general movement Of the sboddy republicans
in behalf of President Lincoln. and the day set
apart for this Fremont anti-Lincoln conven-
ton at Louisville The spirits are at work,
"black spirits and white. blue spirits and gray"
and the csuldron is beginning to "toil aud
bubble
ca - AZ.