New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-11-10

be read ont of the Republican party
TIE REJECTION or THE CONSTITCTiONAL
AMENDMENT.
Thus far, there has been no important movement IN
any of the Rebel States in favor of the Constitutional
Amendment, unless we except the attempt to elect
Cen Dockery in North Carolina as representative OF
its principles There is certainly an earnest ard in
telligent party in the South which approves it, and
includes not only Loyasts but the more moderate oil
the late Rebels Yet, this minority is poweress. In
North Carolina, Gov Worth was elected by majority
of over twenty thousand a platform which repu'
dated the Amendment; in South Carolina, Gov. Orr
advises IFS rejection in Mississippi Gov
Humphreys has taken the same ground; IN Georgia
Gov Jenkins in his message described 1t as degra'
dation the South could not endure and the Legsla-
ture will certainly reject it; in Texas, 1t has been
formally rejected by vote Of 20 to 8. Thus five oil
the ten States have in effect refused 20 accept the
terms offered and the tone oi the press in the Others
leaves little room to doubt Of their rejection by ALL
Encouraged by the President and mised by the
promises of the Northern Democrats the Rebels affect
TO consider as dshonorabe an offer which at the end
Of the war they would have been too happy to accept
Mr. Johnson has drawn them up in battle array, and
th. allies in the Rebellion stand with them as of Old
The South still presents united front to the NORTH
and is as ready TO fight now a. it was in sGl-more
ready perhaps having mora trustn It's weapons. With
the President willing to do It's bidding il prepared to
meet the issue with Congress, and trusts, as 1t dd
through the war; that bt long stubbonness It WW rTe
ont The North, and compel Il to submit The CONNER
cal interest, of the Free States it believes will finally
compel an adjustment upon any conditions; Northern
merchants may like principle but they love money! tue
North will yield at last finding that the South will not
In this faith the Rebel States prepared to stay out
Of the Union until they can reente, upon their own
terms They look back upon the Rebellion with open
regret for is failure and deny that it was wrong;
they Indignantly plead not guilty TO the charge OF
treason, and spun the suggestion that any penalty
attaches to their acts Naughty and scornlul, they
claim absolute equality with the loysl States and
challenge them 70 the contest Who shall wonder at
tbeiE pride Astounding in ITSELF it has ceased to
seem so for the South has had every encouragement
and temptation TO assume this domineering attitude.
Not Rebel has been convicted Of treason, aud even
jeff Davis is likely to be liberated without tral by
usurpation Of the President the Rebels were allowed
70 organize State Governments and suddenly, to their
great astonshment found themselves the masters OF
every Union man in the South The Civil Rights Dill
passed By Congress thanks 10 the President samost
dead letter and Rebel Judges declare 1t unconsti-
tutional The Freedmens Bureau Is unable to pro-
tect the freedmen, and in nearly every Southern
state the new Labor laws establish seTidom in the
stead of slavery Union men were massacred IN New
Orleans, and the President justified the act and has
refused to punish the assassns The Southern States
we're not only tempted but were almost forced,
TO resist the will OF the loyal nation. The Rebel
leader, pushed them, the Copperheads coayed them,
and the President dragged them into the support OF
hi, policy. and into defiance Of the representatives Of
the people in the Congress of the United States.
This was the situation mp to Nov. g. How far the
Union triumph will change Southern policy it is too
early 10 Judge; but 10 is safe to assume tina, the
Amendment will not be adopted. The opposition has
gone TOO far But the North will not recede from
It's demand for sufficient guarautees the Amend
ment may become part of the Constitution
without the ratification OF the Rebel States, and,
therefore, the South may be shrewd enough 70
disarm coercion by making offer Of its own. The
Third Section OF the Amendment received the Bit
tere,i opposition in the South il disqualified many
of is most influential leaders aud they will not con-
sent to ratfy an article which forbids them TO hold
civil or military Office. We believe that these
leaders sincerely prefer Universal Suffrage with
Universal Amnesty TO the Amendment and trust
that when they iore>ee, now they must, the
necessity Of q choice, they will freely make il.
We cannot expect il al once but if the North is true,
and if in the South there is honesty aud
courage enough TO look the situation in the face,
IL must come IN the end. Impartial Suffrage will
der the conditions Of the Third Section unnecessary;
it will solve all the questions in dispute; il will satisfy
the Free State. without imposing solitary penalty
for rebellion 1t would be the highest wisdom for the
Rebel States to make this offer; il would be more
than shrewdness il would be craftsmanship. They
know now that the North is resolved, and will remain
resolved Either the Amendment or the concession.
which makes the Amendment superhuOus is de-
handed. and the offer Of Impartial Suffrage by the
South answered with Universal Amnesty by the North,
would be the first honest compromise in fifty years
strife; it would he the union of the two sections upon
principle which would make future compromise un.
necessary.
CAUSES or THE Loss or THE EIENLNG