The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-22


The volcano has broken forth in Arkansas.
and we have fire and fame at last and tho
real shedding of blood. It is certain that tho
quarrel has taken a more serious shape than
any event in the South since the war closed,
with the exception of the massacre in New
Orleans during the administration of Mr.
johnson.
The story Of this difficulty has been told 80
frequently that it need not be repeated now.
Two politicians quarrelled for the Governor
ship of Arkansas. One claimed to be Cover
nor by the result of the popular vote the
other contested this claim and obtained the
decision of local Court in his favor One
contestant claimed that the Court was partial
and without adequate jurisdiction the other
insisted that the incumbent held an Office to
which he had been fraudulently returned.
Behind each contestant was large and angry
political party anxious for power, and reckless
Of means and consequences so power was OBJ
tanned. Each party strove to tempt the active
interposition of the general government. but
beyond making an effort to protect the tel-
egraph wires and communication between
Arkansas and the other States the President
has done nothing. He saw very clearly
that to impose the power of tho
federal government upon every State con-
troversy would be to degrade and prostitute
all federal dignity. He saw, further, that to
make the interposition of the central power an
easy matter would be the first step toward the
disintegration of the government. For if .
President could send government troops to
coerce q municipality or o State whenever
there were rumors of disaffeotion, then he
would be constantly tempted to use his army
for political purposes. We see what was done
in Kansas during the time of Pierce and Blu
chanan. The whole power of the federal gov
eminent was devoted to the success of the pro-
slavery party. This party was in the minority.
1t had no real claim upon the government.
1t had no life outside OF the federal authority.
Yet the federal authority was desecrated to
sustain it as practical usurpation.
We can understand how earnestly Presi-
dent like Grant would strive to avoid the mis-
takes made by Pierce and Buchanan. But on
the other hand we have the duty that no Chief
Magistrate can avoid without violating his
oath Of Office Our first blunder in dealing
with the South was our failure to recognize
the dependent condition of these States We
owed them firm, generous severe govern
ment. We had overturned the old condition
of things and given nothing in its stead.
Compelled to recognize the sudden enfran-
chisement Of large, dependent, ignorant
slave population, we established the Freed
mems Bureau, which was to be the means Of
introducing the slave into an intelligent en-
joyment Of freedom. This was work Of hui
manity and duty. Like many works Of that
nature it was abused. The Freedmens Blu
reau, instead of being an agency of en-
lightenment and education, was made the
basis, the superstructure, of the most
tyrannical governments. From this came thu
carpet-bag system, the enforcement Of COM
monwealths like South Carolina and Louis
lana The carpet-baggers" mainly went to
the South as agents Of the bureau. and when
it was closed they remained to plumber and
feed. The result is what we have seen SO long
in Louisiana and the Crolinas and what we
now see in Arkansas.
Our best wishes 60 with the Southern peo-
pie in their efforts TO destroy the vampires
who have fastened upon them and now have
their will. Our reconstruction thus far is
scandal and shame. We have shown that
we could destroy the Confederacy, but we
have not shown how to restore the Union.
Arkansas is only one in q series of distressing
scandals The volcano will burn here, we
presume as it has burned elsewhere, until
only the ashes remain. But if peace is to be
preserved it is the Presidents duty to pre-
serve it.