The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-03-27


The Great Drama Of Reconstruction In the
South and its Master Spirit.
There appears to be a considerable muddle
among the leading politicians at Washington
touching the policy and the prospects OF this
party, that party and the other party in the
settlement of this important business Of South
ern reconstruction. From the movements of
General Wade Hampton, Of South Carolina;
Ex-Governor Brown, Of Georgia; General Long
street and other prominent rebel civil and mill
tary leaders in behalf Of frank and prompt
acceptance and fulflment Of the terms of resto-
ration laid down by Congress il is believed
that the ten excluded States will have to be
reinstated in the two houses during the next
winter, and that accordingly their electoral
votes will have to be counted in all calcula-
tions of the probabilities and possibilities Of
the Presidential election of 1863 The intro
duction Of twenty members into the Senate and
fifty, sixty or seventy members into the House,
from the ten reconstructed States may not only
neutralize the present two-thirds vote which
can be now commanded in both houses by the
radicals, but it may turn the balance Of power
in each house against them. Hence the anxiety
and misgivngs among the managing republic
can politicians at Washington as to the coming
results of this Congressional scheme of South
ern restoration.
But from the conditions imposed and the
machinery provided in this scheme 1t may
reasonably be expected that unless the ruling
white class of the South proceed at once to
close treaty of alliance, offensive and defen-
sive, with their black laboring class, Mr..
Stanton, the Secretary of War, will reconstruct
these ten outside States and bring them in as
acquisitions to the Northern radical party. He
is the master of the situation. Congress, in
securing him by law in the Cabinet, has rem
dered him Independent of the Presidents wishes
or objections, and, as he has in this capacity
the general superintendent over this work of
reconstruction, Mr.. Stanton, for all practical
purposes, overshadows the President himself
We know, too, that he is not man to be trifed
with and does not stop at trifes to gain his
ends. He is remarkable man. He combines
in himself in no small degree the peculiar
qualities of Carnot, Robespierre, Danton and
Talleyrand. He can manage efficiently the
supplies of an army Of a million Of
men, revolutionary party, hostile
cabal, a nest of conspirators or a political
intrigue. From the day after his appoint
ment to the War Office he was the ruling
genius Of Mr.. Lincoln's administration. The
first convincing exhibition of his force of char
acter and power was in the removal Of the
popular General Mcclellan, and we have seen
in later case that even General Sherman, with
his great military achievements, could not with
stand the witbering wrath Of Stanton In the |
matter of . political blunder. Mcclellan has 1
sought a refuge from his disappointments
among the healing waters Of Germany, and
Sherman, it is said like many other heroes in
distress, contemplates a pilgrimage to the Holy
Sepulchre; but Stanton still holds his position
and is firmly cntrenched between the two
houses Of Congress.
We may venture. then, to say, that under the
watchful eye Of Stanton the commanders Of
these five Southern military districts, and Gen.
eral Grant himself, and even President John
son, will have each to look well to their foot
steps If they do not wish TO be tripped up
before Congress in reference to this delicate
business Of Southern reconstruction. In his
knowledge Of political pipe laying and wire
pulling and the chop logic of the law General
Sickles is perhaps the only one of these
five commanders who can hold o light to
Stanton; but Sickles knows his man, and
will not needlessly tread upon his toes. As for
Generals Thomas, Sheridan, Ord and Schoheld,
not schooled in party tactics or the nice dis
tnctions Of the law, they will, we doubt not
still prove wise enough to stick to the text of
their instructions and keep on the sunny side
Of Stanton. And so, we repeat, unless the
Southern landholdng whites concerned make
it an object to the laboring blacks for the
present and the future to join them in the com
mon interests of new and independent
Southern party, the ten States concerned will
probably be reconstructed under Stanton so
as to serve his radical schemes for the Pres-
Dental succession.
Let the Southern men interested look well to
these things and shape their course according
to the facts and necessities Of their situation
Meantime lei them no longer be .deluded by
the cry that all these late doings Of Congress
are unconstitutional and will not stand the
test of the Supreme Court. We have had
enough of this folly. The people of the South
may rest assured that these acts will stand.
They are but the development Of the sovereign
powers Of Congress embodied 10 the consiitu-
ton, but heretofore lying dormant or covered
up with State rights fallacies. Those fallacies
have been swept away in deluge of blood,
and the sovereign power Of the constitution is
disclosed to be in Congress, backed by the
sovereign people.
The New York Central RaiIroad-Tncoupc-
tent Direction.