The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-02-16

debts and claims for slaves, and its binding
obligations in reference to the national war
debt; and they do not like Mr.. Johnson's idea
Of equal suffrage. even to the reading and
writing niggers of the Freedmen's Bureau.
II an educated niger is admitted to equal
political rights all the niggers will soon be
educated by those intermeddling Yankee
school marms !" and what then will become
of "the white mans government in the
Southf
This is startling question; but the point
for our present purpose Is the virtual rejection
by his North Carolina Legislature Of the COM
promise agreed upon between Mr.. johnson and
his Southern governors as peace offering to
Congress. II his Southern legislatures will
not help him he 10 no longer under any obi
CATION to uphold them. If he has taught
them that they have the constitutional rights
Of States, as he has reconstructed them, they
may be excused in sticking 10 that text; but il
he has thus placed them beyond his own reach,
the best thing that he can do is to turn them
over to. Congress. We expect that soon after or
before the assembling of the new Congress in
March the great amendment Of reconstruction
will be proclaimed by act Of Congress part
and parcel Of the constitution, binding alike
upon all the States, in or out Of Congress. If
So the outside States will have no alternative
but to build their local governments upon that
foundation ; but at the same time, If they do
not at once accept it, they will still be subject,
as unreconstructed States, to the more strin-
gent terms of the Louisiana bill.
In any event, by his own unauthorized,
crude and slipshod measures Of Sc.thern
reconstruction, Mr.. johnson has thrown ri,st
business entirely out OF his own hands. If,
therefore, it is rejected by Congress there is
an end Of it, and Congress must begin at the
beginning. Nothing can be more preposter-
GUS than the idea that in setting up State
accordins to his own notions, and in pro-
clairing it restored, Congress has nothing to
d. but to admit its elected members to both
houses. That fallacy is certainly at an end
by this time. Mr.. Johnson's policy of rebuild
ing States would apply just as well to the Ter
ritory Of New Mexico as to Texas. He ought,
therefore, to higgle and haggle no longer about
1t, but surrender at once absolutely the ques-
ton and the powers which belong alone to Con-
gress. But there is the question of consist
ency Fidilcsticks! Who cares for the con-
sistency of Mr.. johnson? Nobody What does
it amount TO-, when he is consistent only in
adhering to his plumbers? That is the weak
est fallacy of all.
Regardless of what men say of his consist
NJ bav oho IN
sides of the bush, can afford 10 turn once
more right about face. And what then? The
will still despise him and the
will return to. their old abuse of
him as "ranting demag0gue," san unprin-
ciplcd renegade" and 20 boorish tailor"
Who cares for thats Nobody but the green
in politics. Calling some able
financial men 10 his assistance, let Mr.. johnson
next frame new programme for the new Con-
gress on the money question, embracing the
substitution of legal tender notes for the cur
rency Of the national banks, the consolidation
Of The national debt and sinking fund 60 its
redemption, the reduction of the tariff %
moderate revenue standard, the abolitsor of
the income tax and the simplification Of our
whole national revenue system. with view
specially to The relief Of the working classes,
and let him associate with these reforms q
specific system Of retrenchment and economy
in the national expenditures, and he will soon
rally the masses Of all parties to bis policy.
On the national bank question alone there is
a field for grander success than that Of Old
Hickory against the old United States Bank.
For example, we are paying twenty millions
. year for our national bank currency, which
could all be saved by substituting legal ten
ders, and this is but an item in the general
account.
While the complete abandonment Of his
Southern policy, then, will save Mr.. johnson
from impeachment and removal, this new
programme we have indicated will put him as
firmly upon his legs IS Jackson stood upon
the bank question.