The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-05

We hear from all parts of the South that in.
telligent and observing people there are
becoming seriously alarmed about the political
future of the Southern States. They regard
the present political situation as pregnant
with danger to Southern interests, and argue
that the utmost care and moderation should
mark the course of their friends in the North,
or the South will be involved in irretrievable
ruin The men who take this view of things
are not the skulks and towards who in the
crash Of battle either fed ingloriously from
the held or remained in security afar from
scenes OF peril but they are those who fought
10 tue last for what they conscentiously
believed to be their rights, and, when they
failed, yielded like men of honor and candor
to the stipulatfons of their victors. These are
the men who are willing to submit to any
reasonable sacrifice to be restored again to the
embrace of the Union; and no line of policy
should be pursued by the friends of the South
calculated to inspire them with hopes of better
terms of restoration than have been presented
by Congress in the pending constitutional
amendment All such hopes will, we feel safe
in predicting, prove delusive and fallacious
They may be beautiful to the eye, but will be
found ashes to the taste. On the other hand. il
is barbarous for the majority, or that portion
of them represented by the radicals, to inn
pose unjust and merciess terms upon the
South as prerequisite for restoration. But
it fortunately happens that neither Of
these extremes expresses the view. of
the Northern people on the subject.
Neither the copperheads, on the one hand,
who advise the South to hold off in expecta-
ton of coming in upon its own terms, nor the
radicals, who would keep the South out until
it accepts the most abject terms OF submission,
represent the true sentiment of the people Of
the North. By taking the advice of the former
in 1860, when the South might have chosen its
own basis of adjustment, the fatal arbitration
of the sword was selected, and in the contest
the South lost. 1t will lose still more if it
1866, who have not the good sense and sagacity
to counsel the South properly, if they had the
power, which they have not, TO help it in its
extremity. On the question Of the constitu-
tonal amendment the copperheads and radi-
Gals agree, but from different motives-one
that it requires too much, and the other that it
demands too little 1t was passed by Con-
gress, not by radical or cope rhead votes, but
in spite of them. 1t was ado pied as middle
and moderate course by the conservatives, as
asking not too much, under the circumstances,
for the South to accept, nor TOO little for the
North to grant. How unfortunate is it, then,
for the interests of the whole country that
Congress and the President have got into
quarrel on the question. The temper shown
on both sides has not comported with the dig
nifty that should attach 10 these coordinate
branches of the government, and the sooner
the breach is healed and the legislative and
executive functions of the government are
made to work tremendously together, the better
for the prosperity OF the nation at home and
its standing and influence among foreign
Powers.
Now in this crisis Of the South is the moment
for President Johnson TO stamp himself as one
of the wisest statesmen OF the age. Let HIM
Of restoration, accept the constitutional smend-
meat, which embraces propositions he has
himself at one time and another recommended
as basis for adjustment, and advise by procla-
NATION the Southern States 10 convene their
legislatures and ratify the amendment without
dely. This he can do gracefully vt this time.
II h, hesitates or procrastinates the fitting mo-
men may be forever lost and the future of the
Souh be one saddening 10 reflect upon. Now
is tie opportunity for President Johnson to
make great man of himself. He has the
shaping of the future Of the South in his
hands He can do this now without menace or
coercion. II he waits until the approaching
electins are over he may be SO overwhelmed
by republican victories that he cannot with any
degree of grace modify policy which he may
be Ultimately compelled To abandon. Tho
President can do nothing for the South while
he Wages war against republican Congress,
supported by vast republican majorities. This
the Souherners know, and hence is he urged
by the most intelligent among them to 80 shape
his policy that the South will be saved from
those dangers in the future which an obstinate
adherence 10 that policy as at present framed
il almost sure to entail.
Our COAsT DErENCEs-THE INSTRUCTIONS Ar
HE'LL GArs.-We have already had demonssra-
tive evidence that the coast defences OF our