The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-07-14
The Political Prospect in tho South.

The collapse of President Johnsoh's South
ern policy was death blow to the hopes of
the Northern rump of the old democracy. The
copperhead leaders Of this party, with the sue
cess Of the Presidents restoration programme.
counted confidently upon thu restoration OF
their old Southern political balance of power.
Quite as confident, too, appeared the fire-eating
school Of leading Southern politicians thlt in
a short time, with the restoration Of the Bour-
bons, things would be reinstated subst ,n'ially
as they vera before the war that the South
would again control the government in man
aging the nominations and elections Of The
democracy as of old, and that even 1, regard
to negro slavery the institution would be sub
stantially re-established in th subj ,ciion OF the
black race to q system of peonage or a coolie
system, utterly ignoring the negro in poll al
affairs except as an element 10 be counted for
white representation.
Such, we say, were the estimates Of Southern
fire eating politicians and Northern copperhead
politicians of the old Bourbon democracy, rest
ing upon Mr.. Johnson's ch,rming policy of
Southern restoration. Mr. johnson himself we
dare say, shared in these delightful Bourbonic
calculations But the reconstruc ion plan of
Congress intervening, scattered them to the
four winds Of heaven. They are all gone.
The last ghost of chance Of Bourbon resto-
ration vanished into thin air with the recon-
struction bills of Congress. Tn, old Southern
democratic balance Of power being thus ex-
tnguished, the Northern rump of the old de-
mocratic party must 60 the way Of all created
things It Is defunct, and it will soon 60 into
the political graveyard where lie the remains
of the old federal party, the old republican
party, and the anti-Masonic. wing and Know
Nothing parties, and there will be recon
struction Of parties, North and South.
First, however, under these Southern recon-
struction laws of Congress, from all the results
before us, and all the signs Of the times Of the
practical working of those laws, the republican
party, with the solid negro vote and q consid-
cradle and very active portion Of the white
vote, will most probably carry six, seven or
eight of the ten excluded Southern S.a.es in
carrying them through the appointed ordeal Of
reconstruction. The republicans will thus,
pefnhps, >eCufc scNcuty VI eiShsy VI "vo"s Vuo
hundred OF the members of the lower House,
which, IL is calculated, will come from the
rebel States, with the addition Of those two
fifths heretofore excluded in the counting of
the people for representation in Congress.
Thus the prospect is that the republican party
will be immensely strengthened in both
branches Of Congress with the reconstruction
and restoration Of the outside rebel States.
But with these acquisitions Of strength the
work OF disintegration and of a reorganization
of parties will begin. The negro question
being settled and out Of the way, there will be
new division of parties on the great money
question, involving banks, bonds, tariffs, taxes,
and everything else. Upon this great and all
absorbing money question oil existing party
lines will be wiped out and new lines will be
established which will transfer the helm Of the
ship Of State from New England to the great
Central States and the powerful Northwest.
In this grand work Of political reconstruction
all the fanatics Of the day Of the tribe Of Sum.
ner. Wendell Phillips and their followers, will
he cast adriit with the few im2lacable South
ern are-eatcrs and stupid Northern copperhcad,
Who cannot be made to believe that the world
moves. or who insist that Il Is moving back
varas The South is now being politicall,
revolutionixed. This work Of reconstruction
IA soon a finished, will be followed bya re
construction Of our national parties.