New-York tribune., 1868-12-31

! the last gasp OF COpperl cad malice was Venteu
| in the assassination of Lincoln only our
superior physical force, the product often as IN
! this case of moral force, was vindIcated
| Cannon aud bayonct had restored the South to
the Union, but bad not solved the ques-
! ton of the social condition of tile two
classes of the Southern people, the late
masters and the late slaves. This problem
| has now been solved by the enforcement
though imperfcctly, of the Reconstruction laws,
| the virtual impeachment of their great adver-
| sary, the readmissiOn of most OF the Southern
| States TO the Union on the basis OF equal
! rights for all men. and the election on the
same platform or Grant and Coliax. While
| the Southern Rebels hoped TO return to the
| Union on the basis of caste and the renewed
| subjuga,On OF the black race, a large share oi
the Northern Democracy hoped to punish by
rcpudiation the leaders whose wealth had
! bought our victory. This hercsy also is dead
, Looking back on these signal victories of
| Justice and truth they seem of such importance
and bcncRccnce "a those now living may mover
! hope perhaps again to see crowded into single
| wear These transition epOcls in which ancient
! strata arc broken up and new foundations lad.
are too destructive 10 come often and too Tar
reaching and permanently salutary III their
! effects 10 be- often needed. The revolutions of
! the past eight years are like the uphcaval OF
! Europe under Napoleon, or OF England under
| Cromwell We have the guarantee of internal
peace for the remainder OF the nineteenth cen
t,lry in the fact that the whole Of that period
| will be required to recover from the cXhaus-
ton of this conflict aud to accumulate forces
for another The moral and plyscnl courage
with which The cause of truth and justice has
been sustained during tho past year has insured
! ms peace for the next half century.
Had the South been restored with all po-
ltical power in the hands of tho whites, the
political suhcction of the negro would have
soon restored him to personal slavery. Slavery
of the negro would have qhcnchcd freedom,
! education. discussion, religion. and progress
! for all classes We should ngain have had a
defiant aud united South. a divided North.
| Reputation. Secession. = nov Rebellion, aud
! this time II successful one
| Had Couer,ss yielded To the usrrpations Of
/ President determined 90 reconstruct the
| South and reflect himself on the single basis
Of scoru for the negro, regardless Of law and
! Of the aw-making power onr Government
would have become m autlrIacy Mover with
=
five have been comDoll,d q 20 obey the law. We
believe that justice. iaw aui staicsnaHship
demanded the conviction 80 well ~ thc
mere impcaclurni Of Andiav Johnson. II
would have saved . thousand lives
in the Southern States which have btcu slcii-
feed since Isis acquttil, ia tie insane hope to
give succo,s to his political folly. La our iudg
mcnt, the blood OF = th0uuud Southern Union
lists crying 10 Heaven, II not for Vengeance,
/ 40 least for Protection and Peace, y oi more
account thun robes OF office which have been
so stniucd by deceit and polluted by vice that
We doubt whether they most deserve abhor-
| renee or cIptcmpl. For the sake of the past
/ wo wish this bundle Of ttcachcties had been
I removed Eat The eject of the precedent
on the future viii be hardly less
valuable than il his Impeachment
| had resulted in conviction. For the first time
in the worlds history, the Chief executive Of
Gcer Of great empire. commanding the Army
and Navy, was calmly tried at the bar OF the
Senate, Oh the charge of the Representatives,
of the people, for n disobcdicncc of "a statute.
lie appeared by counsel, bowed TO the jurisdic-
ton, and through counsel, higglcd. shy stored"
begged, pleaded, twisted. and wriggled for
days and weeks, aud at last, by a majority
lacking only one of being two-thrds of the
Senate, ne was morally, virtually, and histori-
cally convicted, though technically acquitted.
The principle is vindicalcd that the President
| il responsible to Congress for his obedience TO
the law, aud this was as important as TO virii'
cato the sovereignty OF the Union over the
States.
The discussion in what mode the Southern
States shall return 10 the Union. Is nobly and
happily ended. All rights for all men are es-
scntial to the highest prosperity of the South
AZ well "a the safety 0f the country. The
Southern States will enter on the practical en-
joyment of these rights on the fourth day Of
next March. In the turmoil Of the past three
wears industry at the South has so nearly held
It's own that nothing more serious than pow
crty has resulted, even TO the suffering class.
From the present year the South, whole,
comes out better than in many former years OF
peace. Having raised all its own food it
has not CONSUMED the cotton crop in advance,
as formerly, but will net n substantial profit on
the years industry. A better condition of the
South than was ever before known will be in
auguratcd during the coming year Our incOm-
ing President, in the course OF hls four years
! tour through the Southern States, won the
respect, though lac did not enjoy tlc hospitality,
of the Southern people. We believe he will
continue to deserve it, Freedom, Peace, and
that security to capital, and prosperity
to industry which result thcrelrom, will
speedily cover thc wasted fields OF Virginia
| with tho cultivation and wealth Of Ncw-l Ork,
and make of Georgia more genial and sunny
Ohio. Texas will arise from her rags aud