The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-05-25


nrn - general thing; but only small business was
done. On Change things were naked. Breadssuis
were arnes but provisons we're lower Flour was loc
49,, wheat 20 . 30, end oeca o. 30 better Oats
wore % a. lower Pork was irregular. Lard was
tribe nrusr. whiskey o. lower. selling a 81 o.
Tho rsveaus tax IL o.
President sandy Johnson's aad ats Oabi-
net Meetings.
President candy Johnson" like "Honest
Old Abe" is an industrious worker. He has
entered with tho win Of . resolute, earnest
man, upon tho stupendous task Of rebuilding
the Southern States from the ruins of the late
desolating war. As an enterprising architect
would look over the broken walls and piles Of
debris of the burned district Of Richmond, 30
President johnson looks over the ghastly
scenes Of the rebellion. He perceves at
glance that there Ia great work before him;
but he sees that in doing It the time has come,
and the means are at his command, for vast
and beautiful improvements upon the old order
Of things. He has canvassed the ground, he
has hit upon the general outlines Of his system
of reconstruction, and, with his coat off and
sleeves up, he is already working like Trojan.
His frequent and protracted Cabinet meetings
indicate the earnestness of his labors; and the
initiative steps which he has already taken, as
made known through his proclamations and
the orders emanating from the executive de-
partments, show that he Ia beginning in the
right way for perfect and thorough accom-
plishment Of the business in hand All the
instruments and acts of the rebellion, whether
Of the rebel Confederate or State authorities, are
declared null and void; and traitors and rebels
have no rights except those which the govern
ment may graciously oonoede them. Tho
rebel masses, however, will be absolved, and
even their leaders, Notwithstanding the magni-
tude of their treason, will probably be exempted
from the extreme penalty, except such as may
be proved guilty as fellow conspirators
with those directly involved in the crimes of
assassination, arson, and the deliberate muir
der by starvation of our poor Union soldiers
held as prisoners of war. The rebel leaders
who can pass the ordeal of these fearful
charges will most likely, under an exercise
of Executive clemency, be permitted to 60
into exile, although by the constitution they
G6ltOIot uuu W VIC AoWo oAO OuoJOos
to the penalty Of death. The paper money
issues, debts and contracts Of the so-called
Confederate government, and Of the rebel
State governments, and Of corporations and
individuals under those governments, are
wiped out; they are 80 much blank paper and
nothing more. Slavery throughout the South.
ern States, except in Delaware and Kentucky,
is extinct; and in those States II will soon be
abolished by the pending constitutional amend
ment That bloody abomination of State
sovereignty is also dead and buried.
Thus far we know what Is to be the policy Of
President johnson in the reorganization of the
rebellious States. He opens q new set Of
books. He begins new epoch upon the con-
stitutional platform of the supremacy Of the
government of the United States and the SUBJ
ordination of the States to the Union, and
with the abolition Of slavery and universal
liberty. Negro suffrage, it is apparent, is a
question which he intends to leave the several
wind" and thus far the Cabinet be has inherited
from his predecessor has served him. But as
the rubbish of the war is cleared away, and as
new questions arising from the new order Of
things shall come before him, President John
n.will realize the necessity Of harmonizing bis
Cabinet and oil the machinery Of his admins
tration so as 10 work In harmony with his own
general views and designs In due time, there
fore, we may look for q reconstruction of the
Cabinet and government policy touching our
domestic and foreign affairs as distinct from
the administration Of President Lincoln as was
his from the issues and policy Of President
Jackson.
From the crude and loose organization of
the republican party Of 1860, Mr.. Lincoln, for
the purpose Of cohesion and strength found II
expedient TO take two or three of his rivals for
the Chicago nomination into bis Cabinet. But
two Of them continued to hold the field for the
succession the Secretary Of the State
and the Secretary Of the Treasury, until
the one was ruled of by his more
active Cabinet competitor, and this COM
petitor defeated himself in presuming LII
tic too far upon the good nature Of "Honest
Old Abe" All this time, however, the President
was enabled 10 keep his Cabinet in subordination
to the paramount business of the war, and thus,
in the presence Of their directing superior, the
members Of the Cabinet and all their little side
scenes Of rivalry and jealousy, though embsr-
RAISING, could be tolerated. We cannot doubt,
however, that had President Lincoln's life been
spared, his second term would have been
marked by decisive reconstruction Of his Cabi-
net, in view Of that harmony demanded in its
councils upon the numerous questions Of policy
In our foreign and domestic concerns, growing
out Of the sweeping political revolution effected
by these last four years Of terrible war.
President Johnson, at all events, as he gets into
the deep water Of the open sea of reconstruction