The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-06
The Politicians Trying TO Stir Up Troubles
In the South.

In the midst OF gratiiyfng reports OF RETURN
ing prosperity to the South, covering the pro-
gress Of internal improvements, the increase
Of shipping in the maritime ports, the extent
of land planted, the introduction of q valuable
class Of immigrants, together with the influx
Of capital from the North, the rise in the
value Of Southern securities and In the general
development of the resources of the country,
we begin to discern speck Of trouble of a
political character making its appearance upon
this otherwise peaceful horizon. The meddle-
some politicians are again at work. The fire.
eaters are again becoming troublesome and
obstructing the onward tide of Southern pros
perity. In Virginia the mo surrender" imprac-
ticables, led by such irrepressible spitfires as
Henry A. Wise, are fighting the conservatives
who are battling for speedy restoration of
the State to its former place in the Union. A
s'third party" movement in Alabama is arous-
ing the old asperities of partisans, and the
clangor of brazen political trumpets is heard
throughout the State. In Georgia the muddle
among the radicals themselves in regard to
the proprietorship Of the money bags, united
with the rosy colored pictures given in the
fre-eating papers about 'cotton again king, T"
''cotton better than gold" the ''North com
PEELED to borrow from the South" and
so on to the end of the gasconading
chapter, are tickling the vanity of the young
cockspurs who have passed the ordeal Of pan
talettes and entered the arena of active life
since the surrender Of Lee, and making them
actually look upon another fight with the North
as inevitable, if not desirable, with a result
entirely different from that which followed the
last struggle at arms.
This is all nonsense-the height of absurdity.
1t is ridiculous for the Southern papers and
orators to attempt to fire the Southern heart
anew; and those who are guilty Of committing
these acts Of rashness and folly should be
treated as the South's worst foes-the enemies
Of her future opulence and power. What the
South has to do now is to study how to de-
velop her own resources, how to improve her
reputation in the minds of the people of the
Old World and of the North, and to assure
those who choose to go and settle upon her
soil, till her fields work her mines, put her
immense water power into successful use, that
they will be cordially welcomed and protected in
their persons and property. All the vaporing
of old party hacks like Toombs, Wise, Marina
duke Johnson, John Forsyth and the rest will
scarcely affect the political status of the South
an iota at this time. On the contrary, all
they attempt will work to the damage Of the
very ends they, with an eye to immediate pop
ularity, affect to aim at. When General Grant
assumes the reins of government the South
will soon understand that he does not mean to
snake confusion worse COMPOUNDED" by essay
ing the task of reconstructing reconstruction
The work of the past three years will not be
gone over again, with the prospect that
it may continue four years longer and
end nowhere. Grant will not seize the
helm of the ship of State with the con-
stitutional scruples Of Andy Johnson. He
will grasp it with firm hand. He will not
have among his crew troublesome spirits who
are disposed to mutiny at every unfavorable
tide or unproptious gale. In the course of his
political voyage Grant will circumnavigate the
sea Of troubles that have SO long disturbed the
South, and smooth it by pouring oil where oil
is needed, and so disposing of the rocks and
quicksands as to make them harmless for the
true navigator ever after. All Southern fire.
eating buccaneers must stand aside.
In some important particulars we believe
the South will be agreeably disappointed in
Grant, and it should not inaugurate his ad-
Nor will Grant get into an unnecessary
fight with Congress upon the question of
Southern reconstruction. Unconditional negro
suffrage is what the white population Of the
South are apprehending. General Grant may
not be called upon either to oppose or approve
it. 1t may be taken out of his hands alto
gether. There is ample reason to doubt whether
the proposed amendment to the constitution
called the fifteenth article, providing for indis-
criminate suffrage-niggers, Chinese, coolies,
digger Indians and all the rest of The ballot
portion of creation-will be adopted
by the required constitutional majority-three-
fourths of all the States. The West does not
seem disposed to bow down to it. Witness the
tasco Of the Inauguration Ball, where, be-
cause II was placarded by Western men,
mo niggers admitted, some Eastern niger
split off and would have nothing
to do with the affair. The West has ineirase-
able prejudices against negro equality. United
with the South and such Of the Northern
States as are opposed to negro equality the
majority necessary to adopt the fifteenth
amendment cannot be secured. And upon
question Of negro equality or no negro
equality placed distinctly before the whole
people we are firm in our convic-
ton that the affirmative would be voted
down by an overwhelming majority. The
sentiment Of our population is undoubtedly In
favor Of still reserving to the several States
those rights affecting social and domestic rela-