The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-17

Tho New Political Complications Down
sOuth--THs Administration aud tue Sac
cessiOs.
The late elections in Virginia aud Tennes-
see aud the present attitude and drift of the
old democratic elements in all the States below
to Texas, and including Texas, mark new
organization of parties down South, and new
diversion of the Southern political balance of
power. The present attitude of the admins
tration in the opinions promulgated from Cen
eral Grant in reference to the contest in Mis-
sissippi between the radical and liberal repub-
licans is in favor of tho Southern minority
party, as things now stand, and the question
is, what will be the consequences in relation to
the Presidential successionr
This new and so far victorious Southern
party organization in opposition to the radical
republicans has already resulted in some Gu
rious complications on the general chessboard,
which threaten at the same time the complete
overthrow of the carpet-baggers South and the
Generalization and dissolution of the democ-
racy of the North. For example, General
Grant having defined his position as against
this new Southern party, we may assume that
such henceforth will be the position Of the
Northern republican party. On the other
hand, the Northern democrats in Maine, Con-
necticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio and elsewhere,
having reafirmed their fixed hostility to
universal negro suffrage, stand in open
and declared antagonism to the new depart
ure of the democracy OF the South. Where,
then, is this new Southern party to find its
allies in tho North, or to what practical pur-
pose as third party can this new Southern
balance of power be diverted, except in q
diversion of the Northern democrats2
Rejected by the administration as an oppo-
sition party, this new party of the South can
only secure the favor of the administration by
surrender to the regular republican church.
Repudiated by the northern democracy, it can
only hope for restoration to that party by a
miracle among the Northern Bourbons OR by
a Southern right-about-face on negro suffrage.
In the last resort of an Independent course it
is hard to see how 1t can be abandoned, what
ever may be the consequences. AS new
attractive. 1t accepts the situation, the thir-
teenth, the fourteenth, and even the fifteenth
amendment of the constitution. This new
party, in word, is ready to concede universal
negro suffrage with the equivalent of a univer-
sal amnesty to Southern whites concerned in
the rebellion. 1t must come to this sooner Ut
later but the difficulty is that this platform of
Greeley and Brownlow is pronounced by Cen
eral Grant substantially Trojan horse against
the republican camp-a trick of strategy
adopted by the opposition elements for the
dislodgment of the party in power, and there
fore not to be trusted.
But why should General Grant be 80 very
anxious to maintain the integrity of the repub-
lican party? In assuming that he contem-
plates second term in the White House this
question is Unanswered. He is taking care of his
party, then, because he expects it to take care
of him-a rational and very reasonable
calculation, and almost as safe as any of the
fixed rules of war; Nor, while the democracy
of the North remain In open hostility to their
late brethren in the South, will the administra-
ton meet with any serious difficulty in manag-
ing this new Southern outside party. But if
the Northern democrats could only be brought
to recognize as fixed fact, few months in
advance, that which is sure to come-universal
negro suffrage in the proclamation of the fif-
teenth amendment-they might, in the interval
to next years elections for new Congress,
inaugurate new political revolution, even
against the strategy and tactics of General
Grant.
Upon this point, however, we apprehend
that General Grant properly estimates the
stubbornness and stupidity of the Northern
democratic BOurbons In their adhesion to their
old party dogmas and constitutional jack-o'-
lanterns. The old party leaders of the South
have been thoroughly cured of all these falla-
cies. After foundering in the mire Of John
sons policy for three tedious years of confu-
sion worse COMPOUNDED, and after vainly trying
the short cut proposed by the Tammany Ma
tional Democratic Convention of reputation
of all the reconstruction doings of Congress
as Unconstitutional, revolutionary, null and
void the Southern democracy, looking at
their actual situation, have simply accepted
it and taken their new course. They have
said to their Northern brethren, eve have fol-
lowed you to the end of your tether, and here
we part, unless you choose to follow u.s." So
we have now three political parties in the
field. The regular republican party, North
and South, supported by the administration;
the democratic party Of the North, and the
new and powerful liberal negro suffrage party
Of the South, embracing liberal republican
whites and blacks, and all the elements of the
late Southern democratic party. Here they
are; and while the Northern democracy stand
opposed to this new Southern party General
Grant, with Congress at his back, will be mas