Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-06-19
wAsHINGrnN NEws am GossIP.

and Cabinet had an interview Win iresluent
| johnson. After referring to the m amer Of the
death of President Lincoln, they made the fol.
lowing appeal We therefore respectfully, yet
/ earnestly. petitOn that IN the IeOIganZ alton Ut
t.ose states which have wantonly rebelled against
the Federal authority, the influence and power OF
the Government may be so eXel cised as 10 secure
IN All persons, without distinction of color, an
eouality of rights and franchises. Thus would
We practically carry out in spirit those selt.evi.
dent truths contained in the Declaration OF indie
/ pendence, that all men are cheated equal; that
/ thew are endowed by their Greater with certain
/ inaienable rights; that among these rights are
/ lie, liberty and the pursuit Of happiness
In response, President johnson said he would
not make a speech but would talk To them in the
spirit OF Friendship and ifaternal regard. He
wished 10 talk 10 them as though they were all
members OF the same family. He told them Of
the difficulties in the way OF conierring the right
of suffrage as they desired, and gave them many
instances OF his experience amOng the slaves OF
the South, whose habits and feelings he protested
thoroughly 10 understand. But one great act
might be said to have been fully accomplished
by the war after the restoration OF the Union,
and that is the complete abolition OF slavery
There were many other things that would require
me to accomplish, and among these might be
the question Of suffrage. The President referred
10 hi, own experience IN the rebellion and to the
fact that while he had suffered personally and
pecuniarily and in other ways, lie had no COM
plaints 10 make but would d HE best 10 bring
peace and order to the couutSy.
After ieryent benedicuon lad been pro-
nounced by one OF the female members of the
committee, they called upon the Cabinet.
PROSPECTIVE CABINET CuANGLs-THE PROBABLE
SUCCESSORS or THE PRESENT INcUNBESTS-REA.
SONS WHY CHANGES ARE NECESSARY, &c, &C.
BALTIMORE, June r.
It ia learned from Washington, from very good
authority, that ysIy important changes in the
Cabinet will soon be made. The state Depart
ment. the War Department, and the Navy LIE.
partment will all be hlled by gentlemen Of the
Presidents own appointment. The personal re-
lations Of the President with the thee present
incumbents are Of the most pleasant nature. But
he claims, and will exercise the right which every
President has enjoyed, TO make MS own Cabinet
appointments. The princlpa. objection 10 Mr.
stanton is his fixed determination TO retain his
military courts Tor The trial OF offenders in civil
life, and his AMY u psOyust-marshals. so as to
keep the whole country much under his su-
thOrity as possible. la tie case OF Mr.. Seward,
il Is understood that pledges have cen given by
him " the Emperor Oi France, which he intend
ed in good faith should be L.ii,d by the govern
lent, but which are autigon.stic TO those prin.
ciples of government by whlcl Mr. Johnson in
tends that his administration shall be guided, and
which he will, therefo.c, repuiiate. Mr.. John
son esteems Mr. Seward very highly But he
would have made change in the state Depart
ment before now, for the reason that have Just
alluded to, had it Lot teen for the fact OF the
murderOus assault on Mr.. Seward. Mr.. Seward
will soon resign. But 1t will only be because of
his inability 70 iulhl the pledges which he made
10 Napoleon. He will probably be succeeded by
Hon. Reyerdy Johnson, Of Mary land.
TIKI INDICTMENT AGAINST GIN. LEE-rHE PRESI-
DENr REFUSES TO GIVE THE ORDER FOR THE
ARREST or GEN. LEE-HIS REASONS Fob THIS
COURSE
WASHINGTON June 18th, 1866.
Il true that regular indictments for treason
have been framed by the Grand Jury of tie Uni.
ted states District Court sitting AZ Norfolk, Va.
against General Robert T. Lee and forty or fl
" other officers in the late Confederate army
Judge Underwood, has brought the indictments
here and is now in consultation with the Attor-
ney General in relation TO the next steps 10 be
taken. There Il party Of men. who have hth-
eltO been very influential in the executive cOun-
ellis who are clamOring not only for the blood of
jefferson Davis, not only for the blood Of General
Lee and his chief officers, but for the blood of
hundreds OF other persons in the South; for the
blood in fact, Ofeyery man who has been prOmi-
neut IN the rebellion both in civil and in mill.
tary capacities. They are all alike traitors"
they say, ard they must all receive the punish
ment OF traitors.
These men regard it as a great triumph that
n.
Lee and his tellow-cti and they are now
clamoring for their immediate arrest and incar.
ceratOn IN the same manner and with the same
rigor that Jefferson Davis is contiued. This can
not be done without an order from the President
however, and, at present there is no prospect
that such an order can be obtained. The PIesi-
dent has required the written opinion OF the At.
torney General upon the question as TO the bind
ing effect and the extent of the terms of General
Lees surrender, as agreed upon by him and Gen.
Grant and although It Is not certain that he will
be guided by that opinion, yet il is certain that
he will not be guided BY il if il goes to tue ex-
tent Of regulating the arrangement made by
General Grant. There is good reason 20 believe,
however, that the Attorney Generals opinion will
sanction the terms OF the surrender IS agreed
upon by Gen. Grant and VIII take the ground
that BY those terms, Gen. Lee and all his officers
have secured immunity from arrest and trial on
the charge Of treason.
MICRO RIOTs-ASrAGONISM OF RACE5-PROBABLE
DISARMAMENT OF NEGRO TROOPS.
There have been some terrible negro riots here
within a few days past, IN which hundreds Of our
brave soldiers on tAe one hand and thousands Of
iniuriated blacks on the other have participated;
and which deserve mention, because they show
the uncOnQuerable antagODism which exists De
tween the white race aud the back race when
ever an attempt is made 10 make them exist ON
terms of equality. II is a Islander on our brave
trOOua 10 say tuaL lut,t IlolH were commenced
by them. In every case the negroes were the ag-
pIessor.. Your readers are aware that the ne
groes here in the District enjoy peculiar priv.
tges, ore Of which is riding in the street railroad
cars on a perfect equality with white people,
Many instances occur Of their insOlence and
and sometimes ladies are made the subjects OF
their insults The chastisement Of a negro by a
soldier, for an offence Of this kind, was the orr.
gin OF one Of these riots. The negro ran to the
negro quarter, pursued by the soldier and being
ioined by some more blacks, turned upon the sol.
der, some comrades of the latter then came
up and a swarm OF negroes also arrived, and a
bloody battle ensued
The irritation Of the soldiers in general, at see.
ing the negroes in uniform, is intense, and can
hardly be repressed. They express their senti-
ments on the subject freely, and it is easy to see
that they feel wrOnged and degraded al being
compelled 70 regard beings of an inferior race as
equals. The real secret Of the transfer of the
Taenty-ifth Corps, composed Of negroes, to
Texas, was in oroer to prevent collisions between
them and the white troops. II is not unlikely
that that corps will be quietly disbanded in
Texas.
PETITIONS FOR PARDON.
Petitions for pardon from leading men of the