The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-07-06


ghost Of chance for the ultimate success OF
President Johnson's Southern policy they
looked to the restoration Of their old Southern
balance of power. But the decisive interven-
ton OF Congress, with it's stringent conditions
of reconstruction, and the developments which
have followed in the rebel States, have scat
tered all these calculations to the winds On
the other hand, from rebel disfranchi sements,
negro suffrage and other things, it appears
that there is no organized opposition to the
republican leagues in the South, and that with
their financial means, their powerful military
machinery and active political managers, they
hold to-day every one Of the excluded States
within their grasp. With Congress again in
session to rectify the mistakes of President
johnson, we cannot doubt that the vantage
ground in the South which the republicans
have gained through his laundering Southern
policy, will be made secure against oil pro-
bable contingencies, and that accordingly
these outside Southern States, in being restored
to the general government will each and all
come back radically revolutionzsd and in full
communion with the republican party.
In view of this decisive solution Of the great
problem of reconstruction, 1t makes but
little difference whether the outside States are
restored to voice in our national affairs be-
fore or after the coming Presidential election.
l. is enough that all calculations of regaining
their old Southern political balance of power
must be thrown out in any programme for
thu Presidential ruccoa.;op xvh;ch tho Markham
democracy as separate party may adopt In
this view, no doubt, q democratic journal "away
down East" the Portland Argus, in casting
about for the chances against the radicals, hits
upon the Presidential ticke. Of Grant and Far
ragut as the only democratic hope of salvation.
1t is thus suggested that if General Grant is a
candidate for the Presidency, as we believe he
will be, the party that dominates him must
take him without pledges, other than these !:
that the best good of his whole county will be
his chief aim, and the constitution of his coun-
try his constant guide" that, in short, he must
"occupy position similar to that of General
Taylor" 1t is assumed, however, by this dis
tressed democratic philosopher OF Maine, that
if the radical wing of the republican camp
can defeat the nomination Of Grant they will
do it, and that then, If nominated by the demo-
Gratis, he will be elected.
Now, in response to this proposition we
have to put this question is it quite certain
that even General Grant would be elected as
the nominee of the present Northern demo-
cratic party, casting off his own record of the
war and taking up that of the party represented
by the Chicago "Peace-at-any-Price" Con-
vention. In 1865 General Slocum. a distin-
guished Union soldier of the war, and on the
same platform as his republican antagonist for
Secretary Of State Of this Commonwealth, was
beaten by some thirty thousand votes. And
why? Simply because he was the candidate
of the democratic party, which had become so
obnoxious to the people of the North, from its
opposition to the government and the Union
cause, and from its rebel sympathes and affilia-
tons during the war, that no political can
didate, however mertorious as a Union
civilian or soldier could save it from popular
condemnation. Even General Mcclellan, in
1864 for the Presidency, very popular Union
soldier, was, after he had fatty repudiated the
Chicago platform. rejected by the people
because he was the Chicago democratic candi.
date.
We are inclined to the opinion, therefore,
that the popular odium which has fallen upon
the Northern rump of the old democratic party,
in consequence of its obnoxious and dangerous
line of conduct during the war, is too much for
any candidate to bear against the war record
of the republican party. Nor do we think that
General Grant would accept nomination for
the Presidency as the candidate of the Northern
peace party Of the war. What then? It strikes
us that the best course for the Northern
democracy to pursue is to wait and
watch the shaping of events. There will be
tremendous struggle in the repub-
lican camp for the Convention of 1868,
between the radical Chase faction. sup
publican conservatives supporting General
Grant. The result, in all probability, will he
a split Of the republican party into two DIS
tinct parties for the succession. In this even.
the Northern democracy will hold the balance
of power, and by casting their weight into the
ecalc OF tue oraut, oT anii-Iauicai party, tney
will carry the election. The idea we are driv-
ing at is this--that in order to remove the
label OF the Chicago-vsllandigha Conven-
ton the democrats must take OF their cold
clo'," and appear in some new uniform, or as
the allies Of some new party, before they can
expect to work out political revolution. Old
things being done away with, including the
whole democratic fabric resting upon State
rights, as cxpounded by Calhoun, and upon
negro slavery and the bred Scott decision, and
the unreconstructed States being absolutely
in the hands of the republican Congress now
in session, there is no other way to success
than that Of reconstruction TO the Northern de-
mocracy, including new organization, q new
name. Q new outfit and q new departure II Ia