The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-05-22

cities and he defeat Of oil the Southern armies
would not destroy tho confsderscy, IL had 20
great hold on the hearts OF the Southern
people. But now the head Of that confede-
racy-the impersonation Of its power-is car
ried through the streets of three Southern
oities through crowds 30 dense that 1t Is hard
to find passage, and yet two or three hundred
Union soldiers are sufficient to guard him. No
one attempts rescue. No one even has the
consideration to provide for his natural wants.
and bis guards have to buy food for him in ono
of the largest of the Southern cities. The
people had no desire but to see him, and that
merely from curissity--that kind of curiosity
that gives every malefactor so great suite:--
No Indian prince has to his PALACE
More followers than rogue TO the galows
Negro sunrage-President Johnsosa's Po-
lioy-Chicf Justice Chase and His Presi- 2
Dental Programme.
The question of negro suffrage is looming up
as the great political issue in the work Of the
reconstruction of the rebellious States On
this subject and various others connected with
the African race, especially with their political
rights and claims, we publish to-day chapter
of very interesting extracts from Northern and
Southern newspapers.
In the Tennessee House of Representatives,
for instance, Of the initial Legislature elected
under their new free State constitution, .
motion to print five hundred copies of peti-
ton from the emancipated blacks of the State
for the right of suffrage was adopted by vote
of forty-one to ten. This is an indication in
favor of the blacks, and 1t is probable that
their petition will be granted. The arguments
presented in the debate In support of the petit
ton are strong, and the new Governor of the
State, Parson Brownlow, at one time travel
ling defender Of slavery against the Northern
abolitionists, is now earnestly in favor Of
neutralizing the disloyal whites Of the State by
the votes Of the loyal blacks. : This will serve
to show the wonderful revolution at work upon
this question among leading loyal Southern
men,
But mainly to Andrew johnson, as President
Lincoln's military governor, Tennessee owes
her present position as State restored to her
allegiance to the Union on the basis of emanci-
patton. Thus reorganized, the State is declared
in its new constitution as absolutely purged OF
the institution of slavery. Her late slave popu-
lation is free, AMI the restoration of slavery II
peremptorily inicrdicted. But this new consh-.
tuition leaves the que ION Of negro suffrage to
the discretion Of the Legislature, and hence this
petition and this dcoate. This policy Of q re-
organization on the basis of the abolition of
slavery, and leaving Negro suffrage to the State
Legislature, will doubtless be adopted in every
rebellious State, under the rules and regula-
tons of President johnson, in the interval to
the regular meeting of Congress. ~ N1 ~
As in the reconstruction Of Tennessee, too,
we may be sure that sharply defined test Of
loyalty will give to the convention which is to
frame the new constitutions solid vote in favor
Of free State charter, and to the initial Legis-
lature majority recognizing the services Of
the blacks in putting down the rebellion. The
new Provisional Governor Pierpont, chosen By
President johnson. to. put old Virginia in her
new garments as free State, will shortly issue,
we learn, proclamation from Richmond which
will show that the Tennessee plan of Andrew
Johnson is to be followed up, including the
limitation of the right of suffrage in the initia-
tive proceedings Of reorganization, to white
men of unquestionable loyalty, II they amounA
only to five thousand, more or less, In the com.
monwealth.
We understand that President Johnson does
not feel authorized, without the advice of Con-
gress, to breach this subject OF negro suffrage.
II will, therefore, remain an open question, I'M
less this branch Of the work of reconstruction
be delayed till the meeting of Congress. Upon
this contingency will perhaps depend the ques-
ton whether negro suffrage or the financial
problem shall be the controlling issue of the
next Presidential campaign. Chief Justice
Chase, it would appear from our Washington
advices touching his present Southern journey,
is impressed with the idea that the issue Of negro
suffrage will remain unsettled, and will be the
winning card in 1868; and it is said that he
thus goes South on political reconnaissance
as the champion of negro suffrage.
Whatever may be the facts, however, In re-
gard to this mission of Judge Chase, II requires
no gift of prophecy to foresee that, If unsettled
in 1868 in the Southern States, this thing Of
negro suffrage will give us another Presidential
election, with sectional division Of the cleo
toral vote, although negro suffrage, so far as IL
concerns the general government, may by that
time have become o mere idea The power
may have passed over to the several States, but
the idea will control the Presidential election.
In this connection we may mention that in the
Legislature of Connecticut in which this ques-
ton Of negro suffrage was taken up the other
day, the republicans in body ranged them
T.. - a Ia xubi
Gratis, as by instinct, were found en- nasse on the
other side. From this example we may guess
how the issue will be settled If carried TO .
Presidential division Of parties.
The war has put an end to slavery; tho