The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-08 00:00:00

lators. In all that he said it was evident that the
President approved some plan for protecting the
negro and giving him succour, but that he con-
sidered the administration of the Freedmen's
Bureau was not all that could be desired. It did
not accomplish the true object for which it was
founded.

Passing from this subject, the President said that
the Radical party in Congress talked to the people
as if they had to fear some act of oppression on the
part of the Executive because the Civil Rights Bill
had been vetoed. " But the Veto power," he said,
" could never be made an engine of oppression. It
has only a negative force—it originates nothing. It
can only say when it sees unwise or unconstitutional
legislation attempted, ' Now stop. Consider this
thing a little further. Pass the Bill if you will by
your constitutional two-thirds majority, but I think
it will give you an opportunity to think over it
again.' They have passed the Civil Rights Bill,
and it will not be long before a judge is arrested
for carrying out the laws of his State. Then the
case would be brought to the Supreme Court, and
the people would soon see which was right—Con-
gress in insisting upon having it, or I in endea-
vouring to dissuade them from it." here again
the President distinguished between the principle
on which the Bill is professedly based, and the Bill
itself ; the former he was anxious to see carried
out, but the means proposed he considered obj ec-
tionable and hazardous.

" Congress," the President further said, "repre-
sents the States, but the men who voted for them
individually all voted in my election. I am like the
Tribunes elected by the Roman people—l am to
stand and represent their interests. And what other
object can I have but to represent those interests
—the interests of my country ? I have no party
objects to serve—no selfish interests to promote. If
I were a man of ambition, I do not know what I
could desire more than I have gained. I have gone
the whole giddy round, from alderman upwards,
and I do not value this office (here the President
spoke with great earnestness and feeling) except for
the good which it may enable me to do. I want
but a corner of this house to live in, and I do not
care a bawbee, as the Scotch say, for all the rest.
Let me but see the country at harmony and peace,
and how gladly would I give 'up all ! I suppose I
may say that I have done enough to satisfy any
reasonable ambition, and feel that my race is well-
nigh run. These men want power ; I have enough,
and am indifferent to what I have. We think "
—he said these words with a smile—" we think
this a great position, with our ideas—we are edu-
cated to do so ; but I can assure you that I am often
here twelve [hours a day without it ever occurring
to me that lam President." He evidently meant,
without the pride of power occurring to him.
" These men," he also said, " have raised the cry
of ' mad dog' at me, and the people seem to be
getting afraid. They will understand me better by-
and-by, and understand these men too. I could
not expect to get through without a struggle."
Yet it was most extraordinary, he continued, to
think of the course which " these men" were pur-
suing. By being united again the country would
stand respected in the eyes of the world. It was
now labouring under the evils of an inflated cur-
rency, and while trade is being restricted by the
South being kept in uncertainty—an element of
danger in the State—such evils could not be cor-
rected. Yet there were signs that people were
beginning to be alive to the truth. " Look at
Peoria "—and he mentioned several other towns
where meetings in support of the President's
policy have lately been held since the passage of
the Civil Rights Bill. "It is like water trickling
along the ground," said Mr. Johnson. " You can
see the damp places here and there, and you know
that it will gradually spread. It will take time ;
but, after all, what good can be accomplished
without trial and difficulty ? If I fail, my regret
will not be for myself. I will hope that some one
wiser will rise up to do the work." The President
uttered these words in a somewhat weary and sad,
but very earnest tone. He continued with great
animation :—" My convictions are firm and strong,
and strong convictions arc a great source—the
best source—of courage to a man. I have fought
disunion nearly all round the circle, and if I am
called upon to complete the circle I will. Then I
could say most heartily that I would that I could
depart in peace."
Such, so far as I feel myself at liberty to repeat
them, were the remarks made by the President. I
believe that I have repeated his very words in most
instances, but there were many illustrations which
he employed which I am unable to recall,, and in a
conversation of nearly two hours there must neces-
sarily be a great deal which I cannot pretend to
remember with sufficient accuracy to repeat. 'I hat
the President is as firm and unshaken as ever it was
impossible to doubt after listening to him. He relies
upon the good sense of the people to bring the
present crisis to a favourable end ; but it is clear
that he has no personal objects to serve. He told
one of the most distinguished of American politicians
only yesterday, as he told me on Thursday, that he
will never consent to be a candidate for the Presi-
dency again. I will only add that the President
looked better in health than when I saw him some
months ago, and that he speaks with great clear-
ness, force, and ability, and brings to bear on the
subject upon which he is talking many very sug-
gestive and felicitous figures and illustrations.