The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-27

TINS revolutionary doctrine instilled into the
blood and bones Of the anti-Calhoun demo-
cratic party established BY jackson that when,
in 1850. the work of Southern secession had
commenced, Buchanan, Pennsylvania, as
President Of the United States, could and no
power in the constitution to coeroe or interfere
with . seceding State. This monstrous and
prepostsrous notion that the government had
no right to defend itself against . reasonable
domestic conspiracy was In perfeot keeping
with the Hartford Convention fallacy, that 1t
had no right to protect itself against foreign
invasion. In either case the Je6ersonian and
Calhoun theory Of State rights and State SOW
ereignty was only pushed 10 Ii logical oonclu-
sion.
The bones Of three hundred thousand Union
soldiers, scattered about In the soil OF the
lately armed insurgent States, form only the
main item in the bill Of costs which the coun-
try has run up in order. to put down these
State rights heresies. But here ID the point
gained for . new departure. These heresies,
by that final appeal Of the. sword, hare been
put down. Not only 70, but in this contest Of
arms the negroes rights agitation Of Massa-
chusetts has boon settled with the State rights
agitation Of South Carolina. We 60 back, then,
to the constitution Of Washington, with this
important and comprehensive dinerencs-that
the amendment abolishing slavery carries with
1t all the appendages Of slavery, and puts the
black race on the common political level Of
the "free persons" mentioned In the constitu-
ton; for, slavery gone, there Is no distinction
of persons left in the instrument excepting up
prentioes and Indians not taxed"
But how is any such construction to be ap.
piled in the South against the unanimous voice
of the ruling white racet Let the pending
constitutional amendment remain on trial in
the intractable States until they are ready to
accept it. Time works wonders, and necessity
is powerful teacher. II the States concerned
prefer to sacrifice the great advantages of res
toration to their old negro prejudices, for two,
I've Of ten or hfisen years, give them their
margin, and when cured their cure will be
complete Let the amendment take its course,
and let Congress turn its attention to the
national finances the currency and orr ex-
cessive taxations, internal and external, and to
the question Of a general bankrupt law and
other practical measures of relief retrenchment
and reform, and the two houses will be legislat-
ing TO the general advantage and satisfaction
Of the country. .ss r1
A MEAN PxEcB OF BUsNEss.-Ons Of our
contemporaries who has been carping and
snariinS at our inadequately paid Congress-
mon for number Of years past, because they
have drawn mileage from the government and
annually voted themselves q few worthless
books a. perquistes, is now DINING the ears
Of the public with indignant outcries because
the two Boards Of the Common Council have
agreed to give few poor clerks two hundred
and fifty dollars piece to help them over the
holidays. This Is one Of the meanest and most
contemplate pieces Of reform hypocrisy that
We ever knew even mean mileage concern to
be guilty Of In our own business we should
think very little Of giving an honest and use
full employee two hundred and 6fty dollars, II
he should need Il, and no business nan Of
liberal views would regard suoh . reward for
As to tho poor clerks Of the Boards Of Alder
mon and Councilmen, they must have suffered
enough from the bad grammar, the tiresoms
0rations, the strong breaths, dirty boots, to-
bacco juice and filthy habits generally Of the
members of the Common Council to make
gift Of one thousand dollars piece an insufn-
cient recompense for all they have undergone.
The HERALD Is the advocate Of honest econ
omy and of reform, in broad, comprehensive
and liberal way; but we thoroughly despise
the meanness and littleness Of the plea
yune retrenchment demagogues who raise IN
outcry about such 0 small piece Of bust
ness as this. We should be glad, If 1t were
possible, to get into the pockets Of some OF
the wicked old rats Of the Corporation who
have been thrust ont of office recently, aud
extract therefrom. for the benefit Of the tax-
payers, the four or I've million dollars
they have plundered out Of the city treasury.
We have lsborsd to secure the clearing out Of
the several city departments and to pat
stop to tho shameless corruption to which
they have been subjected There is Some
sense and some benefit to the city in this, and
we hope that Street Commissioner Mclean,
who ia an able, discriminating and reputsble
business man, will aid our efforts by routing
out OF his abused department Deputy Tweed
and all of the club clique who have been
doing his dirty work, and retaining only the
worthy. Woodworking subordinates who have
properly discharged their duty to the public
and earned their salaries by hard and faithful
service. Our fight Is not against such men a.
these, neither does our demand for city reform
contemplate the Withholding of paltry two
hundred and lfty dollars q piece from fcw
poorly paid clerks ne Christmas present
NAVY YARD FOR IRoN.CIADs-We have re-
ceived . great many communications, PAM
phlets and arguments on the subject Of
locating navy yard for building and repair