The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-06-21

surrender at Appomatt Court House. All
that has been done in he way of reconstruc-
ton since must be rejected, and the ground
must be taken that with the surrender of the
rebel States they were already restored to
their old relations with the general govern
ment and as much beyond the reach of Con-
gress as New York in their local affairs. That
tho Democratic Convention in taking this
ground will scatter the party again to the four
winds of heaven is morally certain; that it can
take no halfway ground upon the reconstruc-
ton question with any show of success, North
or South, is sufficiently clear to need no argyll
ment; that the recognition of fixed facts is the
only course of safety and common sense, in
view of the speedy restoration of half dozen
or more of the rebel States, no rational poll
tician can doubt. The constitution gives to
Congress the exclusive jurisdiction over the
admission of States. The Supreme Court in
the Rhode Island case, has 80 affirmed and
has recognized this decision in the West Vir-
ginia case. Hence, with the restoration of
these rebel States, all questions as to the
terms and the modas oper0ndi of their restora-
ton will be decided as in the cases Of West
Virginia and Tennessee.
What then? Why then the debate on
negro suffrage and reconstruction will be
settled The amendment-art fourteen
providing among other things that each State
shall regulate the right of suffrage to suit ITSELF
subject to the enlargement or reduction Of its
| t,oI I,a
extended or restricted, will settle the negro suf
frage question from Maine to Texas and from
New York to California. Practically, there
fore, there will be nothing to fight about upon
reconstruction or suffrage in this campaign.
The only great and comprehensive national
question remaining will be the all important
money question in all its bearings and compli-
cations. Upon this paramount and absorbing
question Mr.. Chase is the man for the demo-
cracy and the country. The masses of the
of the country recognize him as the only man
of all presented capable of graspng this ques-
ton practically and competent at the same
time to neutralize the military popularity of
General Grant. His nomination by the demo-
cracy will, indeed, involve new departure to
the party, but it will effect also new depar
ture in the governments change which the
people most desire.
Mr.. Seymour of New York. in the generous
surrender of his own high claims in favor of
Mr.. Chase has shown himself the sagacOus
patriot and statesman. He, we are sure, will
bear us out in this opinion that with Chase as
the democratic nominee the party majority OF
fifty thousand in this State last fall will be
more than maintained, even against Grant and
this of itself is q solid foundation to build
upon. On the other hand, we have only to
say that if Rhett and his Southern secession
lists and their congeners of the Western cop
perhead school dictate the candidate of the
Tammany Convention it will most probably be
some fifth rate military chieftain or some use
less politician of the calibre, antecedents and
affiliations of poor Pierce, and that against any
such democratic nomination General Grant
will walk over the course, carrying along with
him to Washington four-tifths of the members
of the next Congress, radicals out and out.
Grant or Chase is the only alternative in this
| contest for Grant in the present situation OF
things can be fanked only by Chase.