The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-10-31

cy-Whst the soashsva ststes Have
The Southern States, rescued from their late
bloody and ruinous rebellion, have been
making wonderful progress in the work Of =
loyal reorganization, all things considered. II
the sudden collapse Of their Confederate rebel
lious armies Of three hundred and nifty thou.
sand men, scattered over an area of six hun
bred thousand square miles, is without q
parallel in the history Of any other people,
80 likewise is their ready submission TO the
unprecedented and startling consequences Of
their failure. So, too, without an example In
its spirit Of fraternal magnanimity, stands
President Johnson's wise and benefcent policy
of reconciliation and reunion. Thus Ii is that
he is accepted by the Southern people, not as
a conquering despot, but a. welcome bene-
factor; and hence their progress in the great
task enjoined upon them OF rebuilding their
State institutions upon the enduring corner
stones of the sovereignty Of the Union and
universal liberty.
But while the prevailing spirit among the
Southern people, in view Of the necessities and
duties Of their position, is admirable, we find In
their reorganizing State conventions various
incongruities and DEFICIENCIES which urgently
call for correction. 1t is our present purpose
to make them plain, and to show to the people
Of every State concerned what they have to
do, what they must do, in order to secure an
early readmission into the national Congress-.
President johnson is master of the situation.
The war and the events of the war have made
him 80. He holds that the rebellious States
have never been out of the Union, but that all
their doings and all their obligations contracted
as rebellious States are null and void. He
holds that the war has overthrow the institu-
ton Of slavery, and that in the reconstruction
Of the late insurgent States the abolition Of
slavery must be confirmed and established.
He holds that the war debt of the Union must
be paid, and that all the States must share in
its obligations. He holds that the civil rights
of citizens should be given to the emancipated
blacks, and he thinks they should share in the
political privileges Of citizens under certain re-
strictions though he does not demand this con-
cessiOn.
These are the essential features of President
Johnson's programme Of reconstruction; but
its execution belongs to the several States con-
cernea. He has submitted the work into their
hands, providing them with the necessary pro-
visional agents for a commencement 1t is
just here that the trouble in the States begins.
The State Convention of South Carolina, for
instance, recognizes the abolition Of slavery
orI Ia hos rrd;ra n ~ ~ aacooo;rv ;rotooN
of declaring il null and void; leaves the ques-
ton Of her rebel State debt untouched, and
transfers the subject Of the civil rights and
political privileges OF the blacks to the Legisla-
ture, and then adjourns. The new Legislature
next meets; but 30 far it has taken no steps to-
wards the fulflment of the indispensable con-
ditions Of recognition at Washington, as laid
down by the President himself.
From the official instructions and suggestions
Of President Johnson, beginning with his Vir-
ginia and North Carolina proclamations of
May last, the essential conditions Of reorganiza-
ton required Of each of the late insurgent
States are these:-
First-The recognition, in the new State con-
stitution, of the abolition of slavery.
Second-The declaration that the State ordi-
nance of secession, and all the acts, debts and
obligations of the State under the rebellion,
are not repealed but null and void.
T1ird-The declaration that the obligations
of the national debt must be shared by the
State, in common with all the other States.
Fourth-The ratification by the initial State
Legislature Of the amendment Of the federal
constitution abolishing and forever prohibiting
slavery within the limits and jurisdiction Of the
United States.
FyfM-The concession Of the civil rights Of
citizens, in the courts, &c., to the emancipated
blacks
These are the essential conditions Of restora-
ton emanating from President johnson, in the
form Of Official proclamations or dispatches, or
familiar conversations with Southern men. He
has further declared, in = conversation pub
lished with his endorsement, that IL he
were in Tennessee, acting in behalf Of
the State, he would urge the concession Of the
elective franchise to the blacks, under certain
limitations first, to the colored soldiers Of the
Union army, next to the freedmen Of n certain
standard of intelligence, or within the limits Of
property qualification Of two hundred and
fifty dollars, as in New York. This is a sugges-
ton merely, and not condition precedent,
thrown out for the information OF the Southern
States; but we are sure that they would gain
much and lose nothing by acting upon it. Pre-
sident johnson pleads that this question Of
suffrage belongs exclusively TO the States, and
he holds, moreover, that It is not right Of the
citizen, but a privilege conferred, and that
therefore he cannot exact II. But the other
five conditions Of Southern restoration we have
named he holds to be essential to the para
mount sovereignty, peace and safety of the
Union, and therefore they must be met and full
filed.
Now we want the disorganized Southern
gtatos In uroceaa 0f rec tion Restored Tn