Year: 1866

Spirit Of the Northern Press.


One Of the incidents peculiar te the pres


ent disOrdered state Of public morals, is th,


venality Of the press. Papers which, few


weeks since, were bitter in their denuncia
tions Of Congress and unqualified in thcil
support of the President have changed
their position with the readiness Of the
weathereock, and from influences very SINH
lar. To understand the true situation Of
the country, it is necessary TO observe their
changes and chronicle their premonitions.
The recent Philadelphia Convention, gotten
up in the interest Of the conservative policy
Of the President, was the special baniIing Of
Mr. RAYMOND, the editor Of the New York
Times. He conceived it, fashioned it,,
fathcred il, and was the first 10 abandon it.
il is necessary 10 bear these facts in mind
in order TO fully comprehend tie drift and
bearing Of the following extract from an
editorial Of the Times, headed "The Presi-
dent and the Restoration Question" :"


The South errs in its blunt, unconcilia-





looks like defiance. and defiance from con-
quered States is what the conquering States
are not likely 70 endure In the same way
and for similar reasons, the President would
commit a fatal mistake if he were simply 70
step aside, with the attitude Of a passive
spectator, as between the North and South.
With the South and the President both un-
yielding, Congress would be put upon its
mettle, and either the present amendment
or another amendment Of a more sweeping
character, would be engrafted upon the
Constitution The time is not distant when
the Pacific Railroad will bring three, four
or Eve new States into the Union. Or If
delay be deemed inexpedient the doctrine
may be acted upon that the States now rep
resented are the only States whose approval
is necessary to adapt the Constitution 10 the
results of the war which they prosecuted
successfully. Issues ofthis nature we would
gladly see avoided. And the only sure
method Of avoiding them is to settle the
question Of restoration as early as possible,
and in conformity with the objects which the
Union sentiment of the country has made its
Ogn.


IL is with reference to these features of the
question that the altered purposes ascribed
20 the President possess special signif-
cance. lie is represented as inclined to
favor plan Of qualified negro suffrage for
the South as the best available form of
guarantee, and with this, il is said, he would
associate a nearly complete amnesty One
statement is that he contemplates an am
nesty proclamation; but we trust that this is
mere conjecture. lie should consider his
actual word concerning restoration ended
and should neithersgrant individual pardons
nor encourage thoughts Of amnesty pending
the action of Congress. To that body Of
right belongs all further authority in the
premises. All that the President can pro-
perly DO is TO PROFOUND the suggestions
which occur TO him, and 10 exert his inhu-
ence TO induce the acceptance by the South
of the terms which Congress- after further
deliberation, may finally propose.


In this connection, our attention has been |
arrested by the tone Of the Washington Star,
also, which a few weeks since held itself out |
as one Of the most jealous of Conservative |
journals-ardent in support of the President
and bitter in its opposition to Congress. 1t
now speaks as follows


at is futile for the South 10 fancy that the |
present Congress will consent to any terms |
Of settlement or compromise that will amount /
10 a resignation of their mastership Of the /
situation, in favor Of that of Messrs. DICK
TAYLOR, HOWELL CoBB, john SLIDELL
HENRY A. WISE, & Co. As the universal
amnesty now being talked about so much,
means but the temperance Of the South in
Congress, more bitterly hostile to the Gene
raj Government than ever before, and with
that hostility strengthened greatly, il cannot
become the law Of the land by Congressional
sanction"


In future what faith can the people Of the
South have in the professions and promises
Of Northern politicians of any party, creed
or sectY