The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-08-31

Observation-Disclosures Necessity OF sup
porting President johnson.
The restoration Of the Southern States is the
most important question before the country.
We have shown with what enthusiastic readi-
ness the people will support the government
when called upon, how we can wage war, and
| how immense our resources are. The grand
necessity now is to show that after all these
efforts the country is able to assume again
| and at once its former character and position
as a nation II must show this by the demon
stration of its ability to restore order and to
establish healthy political life In the very
communities so lately arrayed against it,
It must show by the reconstruction of the
Southern States that 1t carried on the war
honestly in the interests Of the people and to
maintain freedom; and not, as our enemies
declared, to subjugate the South and set up
military despotism over her. And the only
real, feasible or possible plan to do this is
the plan inaugurated and thus far carried out
by President Johnson-the establishment of
provisional government and the immediate
resort to the voice Of the people as expressed
by the ballot.
Yet there is before the people faction
kept together solely by the purpose to oppose
that policy, to postpone settlement, to retard
and delay by all possible means, fair or foul,
the reconstruction of the country and the
return of the elements Of national life to their
proper channels of peace and progress. 1t is
a rule or ruin party, and more utterly without
conscience than any seen in the world since
the Jacobins, in their horrible political de-
bauch, were drunk with the blood of France
It. does not care over what ruin it must
trample so that it goes to success. We have
debt Of three thousand millions or more-it
is impossible to say exactly what-and we are
increasing 1t every day. We have still very
large army on foot and steady depreciation
Of the currency going on. Moreover we do
not know what rottenness the financial surface
covers No one can tell where is the end of
what began in the house of Ketchum & Son, or
what general revulsion may be the result.
Developments like it were made in Europe
throughout the twelve or fifteen years that
followed the great wars against Napo-
leon. All those circumstances call upon us
with the most imperative force to recon-
struct and settle the society of the whole coun-
try once more on permanent peace basis.
One more consideration requires that we
should set our house in order perhaps more
than any of these. 1t is that of our foreign re-
lations. We have outstanding questions with
England and France that we will soon have to
settle peremptorily or relinquish all claim to
national honor and dignity; and we must have
a pacifed and reconstructed country behind us
to 20 into those matters with the proper power.
Yet with all these calls, these obvious neces-
sites for the settlement of the country before |
us, our American Jac0bins dare to raise their |
voices in opposition to reconstruction and |
peace-to oppose every good plan for the set
Element Of the country-to endeavor to main |
tain the chaos that exis is, and to push anarchy
to such point that war of races must inevi-
tably ensue. Their whole idea is to carry out
their factious and horrible hate against the
South, and to keep down all expression of the
Southern people by military occupation that
must run into despotism How can we pay
the debt we already haves How can the coun-
try stand the continuance Of tho disorganized
condition of Southern society and Southern
labor? Can we afford to keep up an army and |
carry on social war, to ruin the country, for
the qualification Of these political thugs? The
country is in danger from these men, and they
must be put down by the people. 1t is sim
pie issue. The government favors the acts Of
reconstruction that are necessary, and the radi
calls oppose it on all such points. The people
must rally in support Of the government and
the country against these enemies as they did
against those that threatened four years ago.
Let the merchants of New York have meet
ing for the open expression of their opinions
on this topic. Let the voice Of the metropolis
be heard in support Of the government and
striking down faction.