The New York herald., 1868-03-28

occasion was worthy OF being joyonsly cele-
brated II naugurates, we may hope. a new
era in the history of European emigration to
the United States. For hundreds of miles
along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and in
fact everywhere throughout the fairest portions
Of Maryland, Virginia and the entire South,
incalculable resources of agricultural and min
eral wealth, of home happiness and public
prosperity, are awaiting discovery and devel-
Opment by the multitudes of immigrants who
may be expected to arrive at Baltimore as soon
the tide Of foreign immigration shall fairly set
in towards the South and the Southwest The
pioneer steamer Baltimore will lead the way in
movement which must result in happily re-
constructing the Southern States, despite all
the bnndering and malevolent legislation Of
Congress.
Southern Negro Reconstruction a Failure.
The first case of Southern negro reconstruc-
ton Chat of Alabama) coming before Congress
for decision puzzles the two houses. They
hardly know what to do with it. The consti-
tuition framed and the Legislature and members
Of Congress elected are satisfactory to the Re-
construction Committee, while the little diff
Guilty of an aggregate vote on the constitution
less than the requirement of the law is con-
sidered no impeachment at all and yet the ac-
ceptance of Alabama is matter which re-
quires "a great deal of mighty nice considera-
tion." The trouble is here: Alabama, if
restored to Congress and the State right to
manage her own local affairs, though radical
this year, may be revolutionized next year-con-
stitution, negro supremacy, universal negro suf
rage and all. And SO of Virginia, North Caro-
lima, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Louisi-
ana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas. While
under their present military governments and
the direct supervision of Congress they can be
managed; but once reinstated into full commr-
nion as States they may become as intractable
and offensive to radicalism as Maryland and
Kentucky.
Next in Importance, therefore, to the restora-
tion of these ten States as radical States be-
comes the proposition, how can we keep them so?
The radical leaders of the House have finally
hit upon the expedient Of another batch of fun
damental conditions in regard to suffrage, dis
franchisement, &c, by which these States are
to be bound for the future and held subject to
the judgment of Congress. But this is shall
low device. Let us suppose, for instance, that
all these ten disabled States are reconstructed
and restored upon these fundamental con-
ditions, and that next year the opposition party,
say in Alabama and Georgia, get control of the
Legislature, call new State Convention, get
the majority therein, frame new constitution
reducing the negroes to a qualified suffrage,
and so elect an anti-radical delegation to the
next Congress- what then? OF course if the
radicals, excluding these States, still hold the
control of both houses, all these proceedings
in disregard of the conditions of Congress, ap-
plying to the future regulation of said States,
will be upset. But suppose that in the next
succeeding Congress the conservatives get
decisive working majority in both houses, and
that they abolish this whole radical system of
Southern reconstruction, will not that be the
Congress may be repealed by another, all these
securities and conditions for the future with
which the present Congress is endeavoring to
bind the States concerned are liable to be over
thrown with the first change Of the dominant
party in Congress.
struction, then, may be pronounced failure.
We find that even in Tennessee, where this
system has been fixed in the State constitution
and government under Brownlow, the presence
Of the United States army is necessary to keep
it on its legs. OF course standing army will
be necessary in all the other States under the
same system, and the reign Of these Southern
standing armies will not much longer be tole-
rated by the taxpayers of the North. Acts of
Congress, as we have shown, will not avail to
save this system. What, then, can the rad-
calls do to save themselves and their Southern
policy of reconstruction from complete ship
wreck? They might save something by fall
ing back upon the constitutional amendment
known as article fourteen and in proclaiming
lis ratification. But as that amendment leaves
the question of suffrage 60 the several States,
subject only to loss of representation in pro-
portion to the restriction of the franchise, il is
too much in conflict with the compulsory uni
versal negro suffrage system to be adopted
until the ten excluded States are made secure
on radical basis, at least for the coming Presi-
dental election. 1t is enough, however, for
the present that Southern negro reconstruction
may be pronounced miserable failure.
Mayor Hoffman and His Promises.
Before the last charter election the commu-
nifty were fed with golden promises by Mayor
Hoffman as to the reduction in the expenses of
the city government which he was going to
bring about if reelected. These promises
were made in all quarters of the city and es-