The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-01-19

are likely 10 De SILL more hon0rou IN mo raSn
The Crisis-Ths Press aad tho Party
Leaders.
For well nigh century republican institu-
tons have been the pride Of the United States
and the envy Of all the other nations of the
earth. Never before did any nation In the
same space Of time make such advancement In
all that constitutes genuine prosperity. Our
recent success in crushing out gigantic re-
bellion inspired doubters in all lands with
the hope that our republican institutions were
destined to be - enduring a. they had been
successful. The forces, however, which
trlumphed over the rebellion and gave the
nation back to itself in oil it, entirety are now
being FILTERED away In paltry and undignided
strife, and peace threatens to be more ruinous
than war. The reconstruction Of the late rebel
States, which in the hands Of intelligent, high
minded and honorable statesmen would have
been SO easily effected, II it has not already
brought the country to the verge Of ruin, Is At
least shaking faith In the permanency Of our
institutions and exposing us to the ridicule OF
the nations Reconstruction, In fact, in the
hands Of our present rulers, has 80 far proved
itself more formidable enemy than
did the rebellion. Three years have well
nigh rolled past since the flames Of civil war
were extinguished, yet the restoration Of the
Southern States to their full privileges under
the constitution seems "a distant and as doubt
full a. ever.
This, however, is not all. Not only has no
progress been made in healing the divisions
of the nation, but, what is worse, obstacles to
speedy and satisfactory reconstruction are
hourly multiplying. The interests Of party
are binding our rulers to the interests of the
nation, and party strife RACES with growing
and almost unprecedented violence. Within
the last few weeks acts have been committed
by our leading ofaceholders and measures
haye been adopted in Congress which in their
revolutionary tendency recall the worst
features Of tie great French and English revo-
lutions. Neither ii the National Assembly nor
in the Long Parliament were more arbitrary
courses followed than those which within the
last few weeks we have witnessed in the Con-
gress of the United States and the neglect Of
constitutional forms on the part Of
our Grants and our Stantons shows us
now possible, even here, is the role Of q
Cromwell or Napoleon II was party strife
which led to Cesarism both in England and in
France and in both cases Cesarism was .
relief Ceesarism, however, is at best but a
necessary evil, an evil to be accepted only in
some dire extremity, when all hope Of deliver
ance and all power Of resistance are gone. II
this extremity would be avoided it is for the
people OF the United States to come to. the
rescue of the constitution. II We are not, as
people, already at the mercy of traitors, we
are at least at the mercy of selfish and un-
note of alarm. Silence is no longer the duty
Of those who love their country.
We feel all the more imperatively called
upon to speak out that party spirit seems to
have taken possession OF all those to whom the
people look for guidance. In country like
instruction aud aid but the press is as much
under the influence OF party spirit as are the
politicians. Bound to no party, free to express
our opinions, and devoted to the interests Of
the nation at large, we call upon the people,
ignoring servile press and ignoring party
leaders whether in or out Of Congress, to
come to the rescue OF the country and the
constitution. We are swiftly approaching the
rapids. Salvation, however. il still possible !;
but united and immediate action on the part
of the whole people alone can effect it.