New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-11-14
TrE EFFEop OF TIE ELEcTIoNs.

THE EFFEGI QF Tie FL EGA1SNa' tn
The New York Herald speaks Of the re- nc
MT elections as an ipr essive le sson to the Oh
outh, the lesson contrasting ii the demon y; u
ration Of the fact thai the NJ rth are in favor y
+ the constitutional amer .dment, and the =. =.
Of the fur ther fact that the \ \
amendment VII be ado4,ted by all the North
srn States. The fo' e of the South, " con y y
tinues the Herald, is in the hands Of the !
North, and the Nortth has pronounced, ilEe-
vocably, the conditions. If the Southern I
states should refuse to accept the constitu-
tiona1 amendment, it will become part OF
the, Constitution in spite of them, while y
their resistance they gain nothing and VIII
only iniure themselves. =
ThereHs much Of the Herald's Wild ana m
consequential dogn1atism about this PROPOSE
sion. Plain, reasoning people cannot helP
lreHesting that if the amendment IS sure . oe
adopted in spite of the opposition OF the
South, there IS really no reason for 50 nucn
passionate persistency Shat the South shall
aid in ratifYing it. If the Northern states can
Iforce the amendment into the Constitution
IN spite of the South, the North Will have ac-
1compiished ell that she desires. 10 declare
THAT the people Of 5he South are to be SUP
-iiected to punishment, amounting to absolate
rnin rs al1e Herald declares, because they de
!, cline toyote at tEfs dictation of the Reppbli-
can party, is to exhibit degree Of yindictive-
J ness not only incompatible with justice, but
/, shocking to the qaoral sense of humanity Ii
] II fs.worth swhile to submit the amendment
to fhe suffrass Of the Southern States at all,
there must BE d arecognftion Of tho night OF
g opinion in the States to which the amend
4 nlent is submitted. Otherwise the whole pro-
y lceeding becomes d simple farce. The radl-
], cais have quite as much right te amend tbs
It tlEtonstitation BY mere minority in other
words T5y sthe exercise of numerical power,
regardless of constitutional limitations, AZ to
impose their views on The South.
The Herald still insists that the Southern
States are prevented from ratiffying theamen6l-
! n,ent bys Tie influence Of sss,roh men as Wade
! Harnptor, Governor Orr and Perry Of South
8 Carolina, Stephensof Georgia, Patton Of Ala
I barna, Humphreys Of Mississippi, Worth O
q North Carolina, and Wise of Virginia.
] Nothing could be further from the truth
1 These gentlemen are simply conspicuous re
{ representatives. Of Southern opinion; but the.
do not create Southern opinion. The min'
.as Of the South is made up on this question 9
kel the.anendnent; and a change of sentimen
te on tlls part of the persons referredsto woul
se onlr separate them from the communities i
,2.l which they i've, and compel them to abdieat
g. their positions as political leaders So at th
N North. the idea would be repudiated tina
Us Northern opinion is created BY such men a
ls Phillips, Greeley, Stevens and Butler. Thes
as persons areIea6lers and representative n1el
simply because it is through themsShat North
aa1 er,l opinion expresses itself. If they were t
/ Ichange their utterarrces, they would cease L
3 he true representatives and would, inevitably
i lose their power.
~ But, unless the Herald means chat the Re
I 7 publicans intend to insist on the adoption 9
Eftheiamendment by less than the constitutions
o. vote, that paper is mistaken in saying that
viii become part of the Constitution in spit
of Southern opposition. The United State
s. are composed of thinty-six States, counting
IL West Virginia as one. IL therefore take
81 twenty-seyen States to ratify an amendmen
Ito the Constitution. AS long as ten Stat
y l.refuse the amendment cannot be adopted
.fs And, if ten States refuse the number Of State
m must be inereasadt to forty before an amend
an ment can be carried. 1t is now settled tht
~ snotione Of the late Confederate States vi
se' vote to Tatify-the pseudo ratification of Tel
nv nessee, not being recognized by the seeretal
er- of state. These States are eleven in numbe
est If they hold out it will require total Of fort
eXt -four States in the Union to adopt the amen,
ess 1nent. In naddition to these 1t is sure thi
we Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware will vol
~ in the negative making fourteen stat'
IAN IN opposition. Thus it will be seen that the
me is no chance whatever Of a constitution
o. 9 adoption of the amendment, and it the r
ne spubieans really mean it as q plan Of adius
ely ment they have had nothing but their troub
Z eW for their pains. All that they can do is
tne ,kaep the Southern States out of the Union
y 9 refusing to4allow them to.be represented
gar Congress. Beyond this they are powerles
ley' unless by the bold assertion and exercise
a'h revolutionary powers.