The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-13

Prospect for the Southern States.
The first Monday in December next, the 4th
of the month, is the appointed day for the meet.
ing of the new Congress. II the Southern
States therefore, engaged in the work OF re-
construction, desire to have their members on
hand at the organization Of the two houses
they must accomplish their work of prepara-
lion within the brief remaining interval of
three weeks. The States of Virginia, North and
South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisi-
ana, Tennessee and Arkansas have elected their
members to both houses, and before the end
of November we expect that Georgia and Flo
rida will have done SO, leaving only Texas
still under an unmixed provisional military gov
eminent. So far, then, az the admission Of the
late insurgent States to their old places in Con-
gress will depend upon the election Of their
members Texas probably alone will be behind
hand.
But in connection with these elections there
are certain conditions attached which must be
met by the States concerned before they can
be accepted by the President as qualified to
resume their relations of members Of the Union
in good standing. What Is their situation?
They lately belonged to the rebellious league
Of the so-called Confederate States" Under
that rebellious league, by force of arms, for
four long years they devoted all their means,
resources, forces and energies 10 the task of an
Independent Southern confederacy, resting on
the corner stone of African slavery. They
plunged into the rash experiment Of war
against the sovereign authority of the United
States to make good their assumed right of
secession and to perpetuate their institution
Of slavery. The redemption OF the debts Of
their league incurred in this war was made
dependent upon their success. Their armies,
however, were beaten and dispersed, their
Southern confederacy collapsed, and the States
concerned were thus reduced to submission to
the Union.
In this condition, and in the absence of Con-
gress they fell into the hands Of President
johnson. His immediate predecessor in the
White House had made the extinction of slavery
war measure in behalf of the Union. Thus
this Gordian knot of Fslavery was severed by
the sword, while, with the downfall of jeff
Davis, the debts and doings of his confederacy,
and of each of the States as members of the
league, and the dogma of secession which gave
birth to their conspiracy, all went down to-
gether. The armies and fleets of the United
States had made clean work Of their branch of
the business, which was the tearing down the
Southern confederacy root and branch; and it
was so recognized by President johnson.
With this clear understanding of their situ-
alton, President johnson assumed the task of
reorganizing the late insurgent States. They
were not destroyed, but they were in chaos
They had rejected their loyal State govern
ments, and their rebellious governments had
been put down by the strong arm Of the Union;
and so they were left without any local gov
eminent whatever. We need not recapitulate
here the progressive steps pursued by the
President in his programme Of reconstruction.
1t is sufficient for our present purpose that he
asks no more and will accept nothing less from
the several States concerned than what they
have justly lost by their rebellion, and what
the Union has fairly gained. He thus demands
from each Of them as the conditions precedent
to their restoration to the national councils
First-As indemnity for the past, the recog-
milton, in the new organic STATE law, of the abo-
lition of slavery.
Second-As security for the future, the ratif-
cation by the State Legislature of the amend
ment to the federal constitution, prohibiting,
for all time to come, the revival of slavery
anywhere within the limits and jurisdiction Of
the United States.
Third-A clear declaration, as the voice of
the State, that secession is a nullity, and that
all its doings, debts and obligations are null
and void.
These are the essential conditions, resulting
from the war, from which the Southern States
directly interested cannot escape. There is
not the remotest prospect that solitary mem
Der from any State concerned will be admitted
or recognized by the President "a eligible to a
seat in Congress short of the fulhlment of
these conditions. His late instructions to the
parties engaged in the work Of reorganization
in North and South Carolina, Florida and
Georgia leave not shadow Of doubt upon the
subject.
We have lately, on several occasions, argued
in favor of the admission Of the members elect
from the South, by the Clerk Of the House, upon
his roll Of members regularly elected. But
unless before the 4th Of December, or onthat
day in season, in some official proclamation
from the President, the eligibility of said men,
bers is recognized, the House Clerk can do
nothing for them. He can only say that he
has no official information that any Of the late
rcbellious States have been fully released from
the pains and penalties Of the rebellion. From
present appearances, those States will be
wholly excluded from the roll Of the Clerk
which will form the House for the election OF
the Speaker. After that election. under these cir.
cumstances, it is morally certain that the condi.
AZ - - III