, 1865-12-24
FROM WASHINGTON.
Interview Of Mensra. Wilson and Price
of Iowa with tho PreAldent-ptacus-
sion or the Subject Of Reconstruction.
IIHxo.1. N,,. nt.rn fH1z.aare,s,dani1


lFrom Our Own Corzeepoudent1
WAsHNo1oS. Dec. Is, 1855.
In my last letter I made allusion to the fact
that certain Western members Of Congress
had had interviews with the President since
The passage Of Mr. Wilson's resolution, during
which the subject of reconstruction was freely
discussed, and that their impressions as to his
future coursc had not been very favorable. 1
confiucd myself to this general statement, rs
did not at the time feel at liberty to 60 into
particulars. am now permitted to give the
s,ib5o1Ded full version of what took place on
tie Stated occasion.
Mr.. Wilson, with whom frank, straight
forward action IL all things Is leading
Characteristic, had been anxious Tor some
time to have an early, free md full exchange
of opinion with the President relative to re-
construction. He desired to express his own
views upon the policy pursued by the Coy
e5nment toward the rebel States, which he
knew to be identical with those Of the
majority of the House, with the Utmost frank
mess to the Executive, aud, If possible. elicit
from him clear definition Of the line Of action
he meant to pursue toward Congress
whether he meant to recognize the right Of
Congress 10 determine upon the mode Of re-
o,ganlzins and restoring the rebel States to
The Union according to tho views Of the
majority of both Houses, OF whether his
purpose was to bring the influence Of patron
age, and other agencies at his command, to
bear IN order to secure an Endorsement and
adoption Of Ills own plan Of reconstruction.
The passage Of Mr.. Wilson's resolution By
a vote thoroughly testing the sense Of the
great majority Of the House upon the Presl-
dents Southern policy, On Thursday Last,
furnished proper occasion for the mutual
explanation he desired, and hence he sought
the White House In company with bis col
League, Mr.. Price, on the evening Of the same
day. The President received his visitors very
cordially, and, upon an introductory remark
of MI. Wilson, announcing tho object Of their
coll, invited them to an unreserved expression
Of opinions and suggestions. Thereupon Mr.
Wilson proceeded to say substantially ns fol-
lows:
sMr. President, you have. no doubt, been In
formed of the resolution offered to-day In
the House and OF the vote upon 1t. In e1-
p,anation Of 1t, I wish to say, that neither
myself nor the rest Of the majority voting
for It, arc disposed to make any distinction
between Tennessee and the other States,
lately engaged In rebellion, In our preliminary
examination into their respective Claims to
representation In Congress. At the same
time, the joint Committee Of Fifteen may,
and probably will, extend to the former State
priority of consideration BY taking up and
disposlns Of Its case ttst, and to this the ma
jority will not oppose" Passing from this
special, TO the general subject Of rcconstrne.
tion nt large, Mr.. Wilson continued: ~ nm
aware that there are men In Congress,
styling themselves CONSERVATIVES that
claim to be your friends. par excellence.
Now, I do not hesitate to avow
that I'm what Is commonly called Ra1i-
CAL contributed, In my humble way, all
could to the success OF The party that placed
you in power. Hence claim the right to call
myself the friend Of your Administration.
Myself and those acting with INC in Congress
arc all friendly TO 1t, and desire lis entire sue
cess. But we think, and with rs our constit-
ucncies, that by your plan Of reconstruction
that result is not likely to be attained. We
hold, at the same time, that there Is one why
In which It could be reached. In our opinion.
your efforts to rcorganize the rebel States and
1eelofe tne1a ~ 'oe onou, N.e a,t an . auna.
.ap.s .. y. s ~ 49, a1snt -snr,.ea ~, ~
P1oseu su.s. .. ~ .As as5 araaas..s, ~
of the country. Congress, In pursuance oi
what 1t considers Its solemn duty, now pro.
poses, after due investigation of the whole
subject, 10 devise, II possible, some better
plan OF reorganization and restoration. The
pian congress VIII ptouap', nuop. "au ~ %
submit sucn anleneiaeuts ~ tue Sops,na1'ot
as WIZ ass1p1cu oy ~. o."'e saN -
i1n's" unp1o s"a1"tsIs W. .as ~
lure. 1ae MaJotit5 VI eoAfess -
pect and ask thsl, WINE engaEea
Investigating Inc "nole SUBJECT OK re
construction, and oeVflns some new plan
1t may be lett frec to act as II may deem oest
anti that no attempt oe naae ~ 1ne EXEC"
taFo u inLerie!e win anu 1nuueuce 10 asllou
oy 'ne osttloat1on o. pat,oaase Or u any
othef "ay. .Ins LEV 'tce oy sou, 'ne'c sai
be no possible oincu''y oe'"eeo 'ne eAceu
tive and leg1siau'e o1ansncs o. luz uo'eeh
meut. But II you are o19poseu 70 ih'ei.tis
win eone1ees' ot Pas ~ ~" u.ae' .ee "S
ano 'oieo soa. pe.ast .s -. . ,1,r ..s. iii III
Constess anu .ne eouus ~ 80 .Ne. 49,. ~,
se11oas opposi'oa - 1ao, 49, ~
Iicnas OF your aou''n's1 ~ aA,oh, nua us'nS ~
ccrely TO make II sucecss!u. ,, lug p'au soa =,
gEess WILL pFoeaois aaopI' w., nS 'sruo. 81 w.. -
necessary 4o1 YOU W 4.,,. su.eo0 49,
o"n s11~ - tha cons.,trt;on ~ ~ tno i,n,tei
atn e.a.ns '., noa M cannnt ,,s .stcd ~ ,nn-nrs
~ ,sasoi,t;o7s -, ronaraes sn1,n,,t,,1 cer,,,t
.. ~ an.s.s ~ 49, Ennstt.,,,on w., ~,
ewD ..,.,. ~ @ e. 49, sas:a1 ,,,,, W ~,
Nv. ~ ~. -. ~. ,t,...s." 49,
" In r. Iansa r,aea ~ assa~n,tn., ,,<n, ~, ~
| ,.,a.,,s .c 49, r,o1 ~ -c.onst -uction ucnc,
.,,ar. I'll, 1,a ~, o.r,sinn for ser;ous .1,Tt,
! enccs hctvccn t1,c EXECUTIVE and CONGRESS-.
| ooc1, b,,nch of Tho Government simply leave
tho othor to do whnt II const5ers ia f1utv
IA IL, ms ada ~. tbc so.cn,.c1 Conservn
t;vez of conprcss tbc men that claim to l,
,orr - eTc,re,yn friends RI With von to.da
because t,,cy think Il Is 10 their advantage t,
do so but they will oppose you tomorrow
:, thev sha,1 find that It Is to thel- disadyar
tape to sunport you. Tou will flnl IN the en-
mat 4hc men who differ from you to-day fror
sfnccre conrict1ons md honest. patriotic mr.
.o,t,,,. - ,,,,t,.n,+h
e.se. ~. a sSaea ss1e t,,,a so-vors ;, ~ " -
'',Gnus mus tnaa e :. ua.,s sts..a 4h,4 har
-...4s 1..I = d,rts,n,, o,n,nr +bo f,1e,1
a ~ Nv na,asn,s1r,t,an - m conuress that h
sno,,1 " ,aar.f IT, co. onv ,,5,cnlt,ca arise hi
"ou.u 80 ns ~ 49, ~ r~san.;ra IL +1,a, nrr ~
'"esn 1ucnl sau sAs ,.'s.,s ~. - - r. ~
ceeaed 70 TIVE" ~ tsnStn n.o puuss y. ~
cons1fucslon' Ie1'e1a.tus .as fom'e M heppol
OF maee u Us paolisns w., ue.,.;... ~ ~ ~
la.e'5 ~ W. u.a :,,.o ~" ~ s aan,.s,n,, os ~ :,
cou,o VI ~. eo'o ~ ~ aont.o,r ..o ~ soanaa ~ =
!An.a ,s. W - ~ ,,.ss,n. .-S e.t,-o s,,
lus ps1suna a;s w. ~ 49, 80, ~a.a ~ ;nd;as.;sa ] ~ -
eess' Nof u'1 ne %, "e.a ,n.,..,"ssaa -. =
lnten11on 10 Apstain Aoh1 'nte''e1cneS WI