, 1865-11-16

The Copperhcads have within the past
month very suddenly cooled down in their
former praises OF tho Presidents reconstruc-
lion policy. On tue contrary, the loyal
American people have felt their doubts allay-
ed and their confidence improved. Without
directly reversing any OF the earlier features
Of his policy, and without departing ftom
that theory which we believe Is fundAmen-
tally wrong, viz. that The whites alone, Of the
South, n1c to participate In the franchise, the
President has yet taken a series Of steps
Which show thnt he Keeps tstaut REIN on
the whole policy of reconstruction, and TINT
he purposes 10 drive the Southern team and
not be run away With i,s - III. a.~>~.s' ~.
requirements that they shall .repudiate tho
rebel State debts, annul the secession ordin'
ance, and pass by their Legislatures the Con-
stitu:ionM Amendment vestins in Congress
The legislative power to protect tho liberty Of
the freedmen, and in his annu1ing the clec-
tious of The secession Governors In Missfs-
eIppi, South Carolina and North Carolina and
requiring those States 10 continue under their
former Provisional Governors tie President
really reconstsucts what the Coppcsheads had
supposed 10 be his hTeversable policy Of
reconstruction, and wipes out nine-tcuths oi
The supposed "mcrits" for which they had
applAuded the President to the echo. None
ofthese acts have the CoPperhead press ven
tured to approve, though they were lately
claiming to be the special champions Of the
Presidents policy. They Aave attempted to
rrevaricatc his requirement OF the passage
Of the Constitutional amendment into
d mere Recommendation. The differ
enee Is really inapprecfable. His nulli-
ncaiion Of The Southern elections they pass
over In wonderful and expressive silence. But
endurance has It's bounds, and when the Pres
idcnt, re they say. "trewards the distinguished
political services Of Gen, Fitzpatrick on his
late raid through New jersey" which result
Cd In rolling the wave Of abolitionism in final
triumph over TINT long benightcd region, by
giving him the mission Of Minister
Fienipotentiary to Chill, with sal
ary of twelre thousand q year,
then, indeed, Copperhead indignation boils
over. Al last, under pressure OF these variou
erents. all tending one way, the New YorS
World and Chicago Times resume their old
attitude of hostility to the Administration
II such straws may be considered reliabl
merely as pointing which way the wind blow :,
II may be inferred that 1t has get il from the
right direction.
The President has not yet taken any step
to settle the suffrage question at the South,
beyond intimating, as In his letter to Ns}or
Stearns, his individual conviction that III.
Siates ought to md ultimately will extend
the suffrage to eertain classes. But it is 60
plain that "he who runs may rcsd, !" TINT Ii.
President has the same power 10 ask the
States to extend the suffrage ns to i'm.
pose any Of the requirements which he
hns cnjoined upon them-and TINT Il
so required to extend partial suffrage they
would do so to aroid universal suffrage. The
question Il thus rsduoad 10 ono CT t.1za and
e1pediency, upon which, moreover, We ma,
presume the President would prefer thai
Congress should take the inltiative. The
are fresh from the people, md their voic,
represents the popular will, 10 which th
President h1s already shown that he pay
great Difference. It Is rumored, but We doubt
that the President has fears that even
Emitted extension Of The suffrage, such as h
advocates IN his letter to stearns, mlgh
increase the discord and animosity hetwee
the raccs at the South but We believe th.
cyents will rapidly teach Us all that ope
questions alone 1nske trouble. Question
that have been decided, especially whe
decided In accordance with justice, leas
nothing to quarrel about.