The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-11-20

Ueeen9v0 Sotea0m ont.
Desperate Diseases call for desperate reme-
dies, and the case Of the unrestored South d
desperate. The late Northern elections, nom
the Atlantic 10 the Pacific Ocean, with an
emphasis unparalleled In our political his
tory, have spoken the voice Of the North In
favor of the conditions Of the pending oonsti-
suti0nal amendment These are the best terms
TO the South which the States holding and con-
trolling the government have TO o6er. On tho
other hand, in response TO these Northern
elections, the unreconstruoted Southern States,
through their governors and legislatures
reject the conditions Of the amendment a 90
deeply humiliating and degrading to Southern
honor and 90 outrageously In violation Of
Southern rights that they can be treated only
with derision, defiance and contempt
This condition Of things ID styled BY q cop
perhead journal "a dead lock-" and it may
turn out to be 80 If Congress shall determine
to recognize the excluded States, as they stand,
~ rghtfully restored TO the control OF their local
a6AirA Bat Congress Is not committed to this
theory, and tho reconstructive work done BY
the President GOES for nothing till approved
by Congress- The two houses have not yet
recognised the end of tho rebellion, and in
the prevailing spirit opinions, acts and
declarations Of The State authorities and
leading politicians, from Virginia to Texas,
there IL abundant evidence that over ell that
region tho rebellion, though disarmed, still
exists, and that the oath Of Hannibal of
"eternal hatred to the Romans" Is the oath Of
the ruling classes Of the South against the
sdetested Yankees" The same men who
preached the constitution in their conspiracy to
destroy the government accept the pardons Of
President johnson only to return to the old
claptrap Of their constitutional rights, and are
impudently urging the President to try coup
d'etat for their dsliverance from what they call
an unconstitutional Congress.
Have we not had enough of thisf Is not the
fact established that confidence and indul-
gences are thrown away upon the intractable
rebellious elements of the excluded Statesf Is
1t not apparent that if left to their own discre-
tion in the matter Of this amendment they will
only use it to infame their people to riots, in
surrections and anarchy What, then, is the
remedy demandedf In view of the great ends
Of law and order, the restoration of the Union,
solid and strong, security and confidence, JUS
tice and generosity, we think the time is at
hand when Congress should interpose Its au-
thority, beginning de novo In plan Of recon
struction, which will be at once comprehensive,
"short, sharp and decisive" We want no
delendd est Cdrthago-no destruction Of Car
thage-but we want no more tinkering or
tsmporizing with this Southern difficulty. Un-
der the constitutional war powers Of Congress,
by which the armed forces Of the rebellion
were put down and dispersed, its disarmed
forces may be compelled to accept and ratify
the terms Of a fair, just and generous ultima
tum of restoration.
We would accordingly submit to the Con-
gress which is to reassemble In Washington on
the frst Monday in December new constitu-
tional amendment or modification OF that
before the States, 20 as to embrace, not the
cheating proposition Of impartial suffrage, but
universal suffrage and universal amnesty as
the basis of Southern restoration. The nniver-
sal suffrage we mean Is the admission to the
ballot box of all males OF all races and colors
Of twenty-one years Of age, except criminals
and lunatics and Indians not taxed !" and
the amnesty we mean Is one which will
reach from the rebel bushwhacker to JEFF
Davis and his Cabinet, beginning with the
release Of Davis. We would further propose
the enforcement of this settlement upon the
rebellious South, as President johnson en-
forced the amendment abolishing slavery. To
this end an act Of Congress requiring the Pres
ident to place an army Of one hundred thou
sand or hundred and fifty thousand men un-
der General Grant for the purpose Of hurrying
up the good work In the excluded States
would be agood thing Something Of this sort
people that an unsuccessful rebellion brings
its pains and penalties and that 1t is the victor
and not the vanquished that dictates the
treaty Of peace.
President Johnson's efforts at restoration
have turned out to be gloves labor lost"
Let the rightfdl authority Of Congress, then,
be interposed, and in q manner which will
admit Of no more triling and no more delay.
Let this new plan be placed In the hands Of
General Grant for Its enforcement, and the
thing will soon be DONE Peace, restoration
and harmony will speedily follow; forwhile the
universal amnesty will throw the veil over the
offences and offenders Of the rebellion, uni-
versal suffrage, blacks and all, will hold the
recovered States firmly in the Union and with
the cause Of the Union. Moreover, by this
plan, there will be the additional positive
advantage to the South Of gain Of some
twenty odd members Of Congress over the plan
Of negro exclusion from the suffrage. The
authority and the power are In the hands Of
Congress, and this Is our plan, Is matters now
stand, for short, comprehensive, complete
and speedy settlement
NM