The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-09-17
1Jublif Aaoirs.
Interesting Interview with the
President.


President.
The Grand County wis. Herald contains
a very interesting letter from Hon. John T.
Mills, Judge of the Fifth judicial Circuit,
giving an account of recent interview with
Mr.. Lincoln, with a report of the remarks
of the latter in regard to the consequences
which would follow the adoption Of the war
policy urged by the friends Of General
Mcclellan.
Judge Mills was accompanied by EX-Gov.
Randall of Wisconsin, who introduced him
to the President, and whom he warmly
| thanks for his readiness to serve his friends
from Wisconsin at the capital. They found
the President at the Soldiers Retfeat,
" building not imposing in size, half hidden
in foliage, the grounds tastetully laid ou.'
The following is Judge Mills account OF
his interview with the President, what he
said, and his impression of Mr.. Lincoln -.
The Governor asked q man in waiting if
the President had arrived. g Yes" was
the reply. We entered q neat, plainly turn-
ished room. A marble table was IN the
centre. Directly appeared from an adjoin-
ing apartment, tall, gauntlooking figure,
shoulders inclined forward, the gait astride,
rapid and shutfiing ample understandings,
with large slippers, and Briarian arms, with
a face radiant with intelligence and humor.
The Governor addressed hint Mr..
President, this is my friend and your friend,
Mills, from Wisconsin,.
81 am glad to see my friends from Wis
consin; they are the hearty friends of the
| Cnion.'
g: could not leave the city, Mr.. ProSi
dent, without hearing words Of cheer from
your own lips. Upon you. as the represen-
tativc of the loyal people, depend, as we
believe the existence Of our Government
and the future of America" This intro
duced political topics.
=" Mr.. President" said Governor Randall,
"why can't you seek sec!usion, and play
hermit for fortnight? 1t would relny&'
crate you
aye" said the President, 1.-TWO or
three weeks would do me no good. can
not fly from my thoughts; my solicitude for
this great coantry follows me wherever so.
don think it is personal vanity or ambition,
though | am not free from those iniirmltitS,
but | cannot but feel that the veal or woe
of this great nation will be decided in No
vember. There is no programme offered
by any wing Of the Democratic party but
that must resul 1t in the permanent destrnc.
ton of the Union
/" But, Mr.. President, General Mcclellan
is in favor Of crushing out the Rebellion by
force. He will be the Chicago candidate. -
Sir said the President, - the slightest
knowledge Of arithmetic will prove to any
man that the Rebel armies cannot be deS-
troycd with Democratic strategy: 1t would
sacrifice all the white men Of the North to
do it, There are HOW in the service of the
the United States near 100000 able. LodieI
coored men, most Of them under arms.
defending and acquiring Union territory
The Democratic strategy demands that these
forces he disbandcd, and that the masters be
concliated by restoring them to slavery
The black men who now assist Union pris-
oners to escape, are to be converted into
our enemies in the vain hope of gaining the
good will OF their masters. We shall nave
to fight two nations instead of one.
- Y GU cannot conciliato the South ii you
guarantee to them ultimate success and
the experience of the present war proves
their success is inevitable if you fling the
compulsory labor of millions of black men
into their side of the scale. Win you give
our enemies such military advantages as
insure success, and then depend on coaXing,
ilattcry and concession to get them back
into the Union? Abandon all the posts
now garrisoned by black men, take 200, 600
men from our side, and put them in the bat
tie field or corn field against US, and we
would be compelled to abandon the war i'll
three weeks.
1--WE have to hold territory in Indictment
and sickIy places; where are the Democrats
to do this? 1t was Il free fight, and the
field was Open to the War Democrats to put
down this Rebellion, by fighting against both
master and slave, long before the present
policy was inauguratCd.
"lhere have been men base enough to
propose to me to return to slavery the black
warriors of Port Hudson and Olustee, and
thus win the respect of the masters they
| Il | sbnn1l Il ia
be damned in time and eternity. Come
what will | will keep my faith with friend
and foe. My enemies pretend ! am now
carrying on this war for the sole purpose OF
abolition. SO long as | am President, it
shall be carried on for the sole purpose OF
restoring the Union. But no human power
can subdue this Rebellion without the use
of the emancipation policy, and every other
policy calculated to weaken the moral and
physical forces Of the Rebellion.
Freedom has given us two hundred thous-
and men raised on Southern soil 1t will
give us more yet Just so much 1t has sub
tracted from the enemy, and instead OF
alternating the South, there are now evil
deuces Of fraternal feeling growing up
between our men and the rank and file OF
the Rebel soldiers. Let my enemies prove
to the country that the destruction of slavery
is not necessary to restoration Of the
Union. | will abide the ISSUE
saw that the President was not q mere
joker, but a man of deep convictions, OF
abiding faith in justice, truth and Provi.
dence. His voice was pleasant. his manner
earnest and emphatic. AS he warmed with
his theme his mind grew to the magnitude
of his body.
felt | was in the presence of the great
guiding intellect of the age, and those " huge
Atantean shoulders were fit to bear the
weight of mightiest monarchies.' His
transparent honesty, republican simplicity
his gushing sympathy for those who offered
their lives for their country his utter for,
getfulness of self in his concern for Its wei.
tare-could not but inspire me with conf
dence that he was Heavens instrument to
conduct his people through this sea Of blood
to Canaan of peace and freedom.
}. 7. MILLS.