The New York herald., 1874-09-10
The Way 60 ReconstructiOn.

country and more especially In the South py
the HERALD's advocacy of a national conven-
ton as the sure means of solving the DIM
culties now surrounding reconstruction shouiu
not be misunderstood. We have presented the
case as q cold problem in political economy
as the means, or, what we profounoiy "u'''
may be the means to q most desirable Gnu
The reception of this idea by the country
shows the activity of the national mino III
grasping political problems as wen as oi ING
svtrame constituencies of the Northern States
nnon all questions arising out OF the war. II
;s this sensitiyeness, which we have discussed
as the want of courage on the part OF the
North. which we now dread as the principal
obstacle in the path of reconstruction.
As general thing the temper Of these dis
cussions is admirable. There is every desire
on the part of the North to be kind to the
South, to remember the appalling burdens
that necessarily fell upon its people from the
war +; to assist the people in resumng their
position in the Union. The National RepAoa-
can, generally conservative as becomes gov
ernment organ, in dealing with the southern
question surprises us by an argument Daseo
upon the principle that the rebels should re-
joice and feel that they were magnificently
treated because we did not hang them. MIR.
Senator Anthony, in the Providence Journal,
sees many difficulties in the proposed conven-
ton, mainly arising out of the necessities OF
the republican party. Some journals, whose
editors do not read to the bottom OF subject,
complain of our advocacy of plan to pay the
shareholders a large sum of money for their
slaves, not seeing that We expressly regarded
such proposition as impracticable and IN vlo-
lation of the constitution. One thick-witted
critic sees in our plan an insidious attempt to
restore the democratic party to power. and
affects to believe that we speak in some way
for that party. The grotesque averment is
also made that the HERALD is in favor Of dis
union, and that in proposing convention of
all the States to consolidate the Union and put
an end to the frightful scandals that now per-
wade the South we are really Supporting dis
solution of the confederacy.
Our readers yesterday had the advantage of
seeing what Governor Wise, of Virginia,
thinks of this proposition, and this morning
we print On elaborate expression of the views
of r. NJ. T. Hunter, as given to our Rich
mond correspondent. MIR. Hunter has long
been one of the most eminent leaders of the
South, Anan who in his time welded COM
manding influence not merely in the councils
of the Union, but also in the councils OF the
Confederacy. man of rare and comprehen-
sive ability, who went into disunion not pri-
marily, but rather in the eddies OF Virginian
secession, his influence has always been for
humanity and peace. Since the war he has
aided reconstruction in Virginia in the hum
blest, most self-denying but most efficient man
ner; and there is no man in that State more
entitled to our respect and attention. What
Mr. Hunter admires in the HERALD plan is its
wisdom, and, ''what is even better, its good
spirit toward the South" and he does US the
honor to say that ''if the government had
been governed by such views in its conduct
toward the South heretofore and since the
war it would have been better for all con-
cerned" The evils in the South he argues
arise from the studious attempt to destroy
the selt-respect of the people and clothe the
worst classes with power. History shows no
record of such treatment as the South has
received from the North since the times of the
Spartans and their helots. The South suffers
from ruined people and the North must
soon suffer in sympathy; for if the South, once
potent agent in the production of wealth
and credit, had not been stricken down, the
panic would have been less severe in its effects.
The South is now pinioned by the action of
the government. IT, as President Lincoln
suggested, emancipation had been accom-
panied by ga small compensation, even by way
of q loan," sit would have gone far to revive
the credit Of q section which for so long fur
nished the bulk of the foreign exports of the
country" Why should the South be in
duced to ''destroy its own liberties to OBJ
tain immunity from outrage or oppres-
sion,' to take '.that long step toward des-
potism, the third term?" If the South is to
be punished by the North and the East, what
is to prevent an alliance with the West on
injury to the national credit? Mr.. Hunter
does not know whether convention could
decide these questions, but 'the model Re
public should find some more appropriate
work for its soldiers than to Africanize and
barbarize the Southern States.
Thus far the drift of the discussion. We
shall mark its progress from time to time, for
it is question that cannot be discussed with
too much earnestness and candor. And let us
say now, in answer to many criticisms, and Sc
that it NAV be clear even to the most Dreill-
diced mind, that the arguments presented by
the HERALD do not contemplate any interfer.
ence with the negro except to give him every
right that belongs to free American citizen.
Nor do we propose to vote the old slavehold
ers certain sum of dollars as an indemnity.
Nor do we mean to affect in any way the mora
and political value of emancipation. Nor dc