The New York herald., 1874-09-12
SAVE THE SOUTH.
Ihuriow Weed and the Proposed National Con-
vention-Ihe Example of Jamaica
in Negro Emancipation.

In Negro Emancipation.
HERALD representative called upon the vener.
able Thurlow Weed At his residence in West
Twelfth yesterday for the purpose OF obtain
ing MS views on one OF the prominent topics OF
poltical consideration at this time-namely, the
proposed assembling OF national convention TO
dehDerate upon the prevailing condition OF Things
In the south, and to suggest remedies for existing
evils. The "Nest0r OF the Press, was not in very
good health, and his mind was already preoccupied
with the labor OF arranging data and memoranda
Tor use at the coming Syracuse Convention at which
he intends to be present. But after the subject OF
the interview had been broached Mr.. Weed re-
marked tnat II was q matter Of vast Importance,
and demanded careful and deliberate consldera-
ton. The article In Mondays HERALD on the pro-
posed National Convention was then at his re.
quest read to him, Mr.. Weed inrerpolating some OF
his sage reflections as the reading proceeded.
rHURLow WEED REVIEWS ONE OF THE HERALD,s
ARTICLES
The first paragraph reciting that ''the principal
thought In the minds OF the Northern people, SO far
as the South Is concerned, at least since the close
OF the war, has been one OF selfpreservation, he
said was emphaticany true. That 1--WE
have been anxious to preserve the fruits
Of that struggle without risk or per-
adventure" did not admit of q doubt
And the reference to the expenditure Of "treas-
ure," "bOod," "efortn and .'sacridces,n beside
the great accumulation OF the public debtn was
not to be disputed. He thought this paragraph,
as also the second one referring to our policy OF
ably expressed, He lndorsed the OplnlOn that
"Pres1dent Lincoln would nave carried out q
comprehe nsive had not death intervenedn and
that "JonnsOn would have succeeded IN hts gene
rous plan PVT Tor the massacre AZ New Orleans In
1885," And he assented to the fact that 'anarchy
IN Arkansas, reputation IN Louisiana, and con.
fscation In south Carolina" not only was evident
but that wherever we looked "there Is chaOs.n
WHEREIN MR.. WEED DOES NOT ACCORD WITH THE
HERALD.
"There are" observed Mr.. Weed, certain assev-
true; butt he continued, ''when the writer com.
pares the situation OF the southern States after
the war with France after the struggle with
Prussia, he makes serious mistake. The seeding
States were not punished by q fine, but were
visited by penalty, that resulting from the TACT
that they had unnecessarily made war upon the
Union. During the war the South represented to
lOreigners-and succeeded III inducing some of
them to believe it-tnat the war was forced upon
not not in in any ' sense the nc AGGRESSION. r "is
protect slavery in the States where It already ex-
listed, but was unwilling to aid In extending 1t into
the new Territories. 1t wished simply TO check
its extension. This was what
FIRED THE SOUTH,
and for this reason alone its leaders threw down
the gage OF oattle. The North was wholly in the
right; the South wholly In the wrong The pun
tshment which followed (and now felt throughout
the Southern States) was and Is the penalty
brought upon the people because of their own con-
duct-vlz, for the crime OF attempting to over
throw the Union"
iNrERvlEwER-Buv, Mr.. Weed. do you not see
danger in this interference by the general govern
ment in the affairs OF the Southern States,
whether designedly Drought about Dy Southern
Union haters who would prefer to have q des.
CarOet-OapuerS.
rule the only hope Of political success2 Ii one BY
one the Southern States should be placed under
military rule could not this pave the way for
placing the Northern States under similar rule
the pretext being always IN such cases expediency
things be productive OF serious danger
Mr. WEED-UndOubtedly. Military rule under
the circumstances suggested by you would De a
serious matter, not to say dangerous; and 1t Is OF
no consequence whether the President be q mill
tary man or civilian. There are other elements
that would go toward making the question alarm
fNTERvIEwER-The army, navy. national banks,
great moneyed interests and great corporations
you mean 2
Mr.. WEED-And, besides these, there is the gen.
eral moral corruption permeatlng the Whole coun-
would contribute toward making the safety OF tne
Union exceedingly critical. AS to the
PROPOSED NATIONAL CONVENTION,
the veteran editor preferred to be SILENT at least
for the present He said, as we have before men,
toned, that 1t was great question: looking to all
the surroundings, and he must have time to iully
deliberate in his mind the question whether such
convention could be productive Of good or not.
There were many and varied interests TO be con.
suited. 1t was not alone the South which was
suffering. Unless there was q revival or trade
here we were, ne averred, on the eve OF many
GRAVE TROUBLES gl
Calamities were ahead OF us, unless matters
should speedily change for the better, and he
feared that the next winter would be uli Of suffer
ing and sorrow.
Not wishing to trespass further upon the already
preoccupied time OF the veteran editor the inter.
viewer at this point, after wishing Mr.. Weed sue
cess in his efforts at Syracuse, bade him for tie
present adicu.
The Example Of Jamaica.