The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-15


developed for their own sake. They want
that strength, both at home and abroad, which
q restored Union only can give. This is the
secret andumotive of the present important
movement in Congress.
If the South be wise 1t will cease talking
about its fancied rights and imagined griev-
ances, learn that there has been . revolution,
querors, and accept promptly the Congress
sional plan of reorgsnixs ton and restoration.
If they do this they will be fully restored to
the Union within year or so their troubles
will be ended, their beautiful country will
enter upon glorious career Of prosperity and
they will help to elect the next President in
1868.
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
BEIMoNr's OPPoRTUSITY.-Mr. Auguste Bel
mont has not had very long nor very bril-
liant career as the engine-driver of the Northern
democracy. In fact, at his famous Chicago
Convention, where he excited the wonder and
admiration of s'the outside barbariansr from
the Far West with his coach and six, in select
ing Vallandigham to draw up his instructions
to General Mcclellan he made great mistake.
But there was one shrewd thing which Mr.. Bel
mont obtained from that convention. II was
the extraordinary power, as head of the Execu-
tive Committee, of calling the convention
together again, before or after the election, at
any time which he might deem expedient and
proper. There was no telling what might
hoy,v IN ho iuto Ia Mar
man, who at the sitting of this Chicago Conven-
ton was at Atlanta, might be gobbled up; and
General Early, from the Shenandoah Valley,
might make another dash into Washington, and
might possibly even yet catch "Honest Old
Abe" mapping and carry him of. In anticips-
ton of some such turn in the fortunes of the
war, it was shrewd idea, we say, to hold the
Chicago Convention subject to another call,
especially as it had pronounced the war q
failure and declared for peace at any price.
The war turned out, somewhat differently
from the estimates of the convention, to be
sure but still we contend that the power of
reconvening the convention given to Mr.. Bel
mont was shrewd idea, and may still serve
good purpose, though not the purpose antici-
pated. The democratic party has come out of
these late elections routed, "horsc. foot and
dragons !" but we mny say of 1t what the
great Napoleon once said of Old Blucher:--
"Out Of the wayl No, sir. Give him half q
chance, and that fiery Dutchman will soon be
at us again." So with his democratic forces of
the North still remaining OF over million of
men, Mr.. Belmont may, in recalling together
his Chicago Convention. and in shaping out
new plan Of operations, soon have the demo-
cracy in good fighting trim once MORE
In these days, when all sorts Of politicians,
by their ground and lofty tumbling, recognize
the revolutionary forces at work around them,
why should Mr.. Belmont stand still! Why,
there Is no reason why he should, but many
why he should not. A few words will make 1t
plain. Suppose, for instance, that he has called
together again his Chicago Conventions; that it
has cast away the last remains OF the vallan-
digbam platform and built mp new one--not
according to the constitution az IL was and the
Union under Buchanan, but upon the constitu-
ton "a IL is, upon the Southern situation as il
is, and with the banner flying aloft of the
pending constitutional amendment and tho doc.
trines embodied in "Old Thad Stevens new
bill Of Southern reconstruction-let us sup
pose that all this has been done by the de-
mocracy, and that once more, upon this new
platform Of new timber, in the name Of Gene
raj Mcclellan, they are in the field for the
Presidency, can they not make splendid
fight?
Satisfied that they can, and ready for the
sake of old times to help the democracy out
of the dirt, we urge this programme, and in
the name Of General Mcclellan. We may,
perhaps, have a scrub race among the repub
licans in 1868. The Chase faction are working
like beavers with their banks against the SOL
diers Of Grant, and Ben Butler has Brother
Bcecher, Wendell Phillips ard his colorei re-
serves at his back; and, lastly, the Johnson
republicans are not all dead yet. In any view,
as the democracy have no mere fight In them
ms they stand, Mr. Belmont ought to call their
chiefs together and put them in new
position.