The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-10-19
The Rccon.truction Question in Congress-
- what Ouoht tn Re Dane.

What effect will the late elections have upon
Congress? Will the two houses still adhere to
their radical leaders and their extreme mea-
sures, or be guided by the instructions Of the
late elections? The voice of Ohio, for example
warns the party 10 power of tho rocks and
shoals which lie before them as distinctly as
The elections Of last autumn point out the way,
of safety and success. If the republicans
would settle this business of Southern recon-
struction on a fair and enduring basis, if they
would retain the power which they hold to the
finishing of this great work OF restoration, the
way is SO plainly marked before them that he
who runs may read it. On the other hand tbs
road to swift destruction is not less plainly
Indicated. Which road will the two houses
take What will Congress do?
The experimental measures Of the last three
sessions on negro suffrage for the reclamation
of the rebel States, as far as submitted to the
bar Of public opinion, have been condemned
by the loyal States. The developments Of
Southern universal negro suffrage under the
as they clearly do, to Southern negro political
supremacy and to negro balance Of power in
our national affairs, have startled the public
mind of the North, and Its first warnings have
been heard in these recent elections II this
radical programme is adhered 10 by Congress
these warnings will assume a holder form of
expression, and in the elections OF next year
the party deeming itself too powerful to be
dislodged will be shattered into fragments and
dismissed in disgrace. There will be polti-
cal revolution in the settlement Of the Presi-
Dental succession as remarkable and decisive
as that which broke up the old pro-slavery
democracy at the Charleston Convention.
Mr.. Stevens, the impracticable radical leader
Of the House of Representatives, thanks God
for these late elections, as involving the proper
rebuke to the republican party for playing the
towards part He is mistaken, for in Penn.
sylvania, where this universal negro suffrage
issue was avoided, the party substantially holds
its own while in Ohio, where tho friends Of Mr.
Chase distinctly presented this issue in the
form Of an amendment to the State consttu-
ton, they are terribly defeated, and by repub-
lican votes. We may expect similar result.
on the same question in New York in Novem-
Der, though here the republicans. snufing
danger in the air, have postponed the issue rs
an amendment of the State constitution. "Old
Thad" aud Wendell Phillips, and oil their
disciples Of the radical school, are all wrong.
They would charge bayonets against an i'm
passable stone wall but in a council OF war; IL
common sense Is to prevail, their foolish in
structions will be rejected, and they, too, will
be set aside.
The constitutional amendment submitted
from the Thirty-ninth Congress, first session,
and ratified by sufficient number of States to
make 1t part of the supreme law Of the land, is
the true policy for the Fortieth Congress. All
those subsequent measures pushing to the
hazardous ultimatum of universal negro suf.
frage in the work Of Southern reconstruction
ought to be repealed and the conservative
republicans and democrats OF the two houses
have the power to do this thing and to re-estab-
lish the conditions OF this aforesaid constitu-
tional amendment. What are they! They are
First, that in all their civil rights citizens
of the United States, Of all colors, shall stand
in all the States upon footing Of equality.
Second, that suffrage and representation in
Congress shah 60 together, as each State
for itself may eject; that where there is any
sbridgement Of what 10 known a. universal
suffrage thore shall be corresponding reduc-
ton in counting the people for representation.
Third. that certain leading rebels shall he
dsfranchisei and excluded from ONCE until
absolved by two-thrd vote Of each house
of Congress. Fourth, that the national debt
and soldiers bounties shall DO held "a sacred
obligations but that all rebel debts and all
claims for slaves shall be void. Fifth, tha.
Congress shall have power to enforce ,hess
provisions of tho supreme law
Ia not this plan Of reconstruction enough?
All the Northern States have emphatically
approved IL; Tennessee has been restored
under II, and why no. the others Of the
rebel Statess Because they rejected Il. Try
them again, then, and they will be wiser.
They will be glad to take IL, on the sober
second thought Thus, within elk months from
the meeting OF Congress this whole business
may be settled, and permanently, too--civil
rights. suffrage aud representation, rebel dis
abilities, rebel debts and claims for slaves, and
tho national debt and soldiers bountcs aud
all--in being fxei 10 the federal constitution
We mus. have some OF these tbings in the con
sIituHon, or we shall have no sccurity for The
future. This great amendment, then (altcady
ratified II we are not mistaken, Is the policy
ior Congress md The party In power, while to
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