New-York tribune., 1867-04-05
HOT 10 BELL TIE CIT.

Stdlc WHICH pdlllClpdbtu Ill lhc hcpOiuoh '''
has been or may speedily be restored to all
that it ever claimed as its rights-that OF de-
grading and expressing part OF Its own people
only excepted. True, it can manage somewhat
| to delay this consummati0n If 1t insists on so
doing; but the blame will be wholly its own.
Congress has opened the door, and rather more
| than invited every State now outside to walk
| i'm. Whatever compulsion it may exercise tells
on the side, not of keeping out, but OF bringing
| in.
| Before the late election in Connecticut, we
| warned the people of that State that Demo-
cratic triumph therein could only operate to
embarrass and Obstruct the beneiicent prog
rcss of Reconstruction. That warning has
already been fully justified. The National IN
| telligencer exh0rts the Southrons not to acqul-
esce in and organize under the Reconstruction
act, but, taking courage by the result i'll Con-
necticui. hold off and hope for kindred results
throughout the loyal States-results which will
enable them to march into Congress with iiy-
ing colors, and put the Blacks wholly into their
power. And it will manifestly be the first I'M
pulse of the badly reconstructed to heed TINS
pleasing though perilous counsel, and try to
regain by finesse all that they lost by lighting
Against this temptation, THE San raises Its
voice, saying:
I've doubt not that the new law would be thrown
down and trampcd upon IN in an instant Dy the southern
people. if they fully convinced that less o9eGtlo
able terms could be mad neI m tiS$ re iet htfcr
terms cot be had They are practically advised hoI 10
accept the proposition offered to them hut to wait until
other Northern states. following the example NJ Connect
cut shall have ranged themselves Dy tlc sue Oh the
sh Negro suffrage We hope the Southern people Will
not allow themselves TO be deuded In this manner Ihe
Northern people desire to see no mpediWent placed III
the way Of speedy reconstructlOl' nor WIZ tneS I S
the sentiment Of the Connecticut Committees address
RED ON the ssuc OF annullng the law; and desire
this assurance to 90 Southwark along with the other
This is sound and just. We only beg The
Sun to remember that those by whom the Re
construction act would gladly be thrown down
and trampled on are not "the Southern people"
but n part of thcm--wc believe them consider
ably les, than majority. Why rW lumin-
ary that shines for all 50 persist in ignoring
the LOYAL Millions whose homes are in the
South
The World with unwonted sagacity, likewise
warns It's Southern friends against trusting i'll the
latest dodge intended to revive the hopes un-
timely nippcd by the di,avOwal at Washington
of the ShcIman-Johnston treaty of April, 1867
IL anirms the rghtfulncss Of the attempt to
uullfy the Reconstruction act, passed by three
fourths of Congress, through a vote of to
in the Supreme Court, but has grave and
reasonable doubts of its practicablity. On this
| point, it says:
But while We are positive as TO the right Of the
Southern people To ouis ini, Question pgoI, . ,g % M
law ~ once n b. sO De upset a all we are by no lh'@,-
,t one ~ thcsc three DECISIONS Gsu that the law is
constitutional; Cd that 10 Is unconstitutional: or Eu
that they have no jurisdiction the subject The fnt
cal purposes Identical and # the Court do not declare
the law null they will probably dodgr the question 10y
di,cllimng ur'ctOn. 80 far as other considerations
| than strict regard 10 the Constitution influence the
INK the question instead or deCdhg n Inc HtoiE ot
the excitement which followed lne Rft9 g. s,1tt & us.on
and ot the lnischeyous reaction Nhc ll utel'l1 pIu
yokcd will naturally make the Conservative mcmb9rs OF
| rwbcr. of Radlcalism The Court impairs It's
credit and estimation by making decisions when Qther
departments Of the Government refuse To he bound by
II thev declare the law unconstitutional President John
son will ~ cOuySe withdraw his Generals ana refuse 10
execute H. But Congress viii no more AUNT me south
cru member. than they did before They can shut them
0ut and the supreme Court cannot review tger acton
They can refuse 10 count the Southern electoral votes,
and there il no authority competent To call them 10
account The result would probably be that the Radicals
would then be increased by Radical Judges enough To
make majority. when the arrested experiment
biies view. the Supreme Court will probably consult
their dignity and eyde the main question, on the ground
| that they have no jurisdiction
Nor is IT by any means clear that. in adopting his
ch,efmstlce Taneys decision IN he Rhode Island rebel
lion case may furnish me Key 10 ther asSo DECIDE
what government established state for the United
to each republican g"'e,rmrn ongss m.
necessarily decide what government established the State before
epe.cn,are. State admitted into he councils Of the Union
authority the government under which they appointed s. wea,
is ,tiu,oual character recognized By the proper constitutional
authority md rs d>e'on Is bnsg o. ,'g ohlr d'a5"g' q ~ M
true that did last og enough 10 bring !hs
ma.f % tho 10 1 Of Lc M DorT vas
| pi1rof Op,re. and not Ia ne courts -,
lecture without much hazard OF error that The supreme
Court will decide that the subject about TO be brought be
fore them does not fall within their purview
All this is not merely cogent it is conclu-
sive; but, if there be any who do not think 50,
| there is one other view of the matter that
should preclude further agitation. The -Four
! Millions of Republicans who have been enfran-
chised by the Rebellion and its collapse are not
going back into Slavery, nor even serfdom, and
| the Republican majority of the people OF the
United States will not consent to be rendered
a practical minority by their disfIanchisement.
In other words: Seventeen Millions of Amerl-
cans will not allow themselves to be put under
the feet of Fifteen Millions by the simple pro-
cess of ignoring the political existence of -Four
Millions of the majority If the little game
shall hereafter be attempted, and majority OF
the Supreme Court judges shall lend themselves
to its purposes there is still thirds majority
in Congress whereby the constitution of that
court may and will be modified. This will bc
simply following the example set by the people
of Pennsylvania III 1868, when Il Democratic
majority of their Supreme Court @ to y de-
cided the National Enrolment and Draft act of
Congress unconstitutional. An election being
then pending, and one of those Democratic
judges II candidate for reelection, the. People
chose Republican over him, and the Court,