Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-10-27

had been declared null and void and th'
element OF slavery was by an unanimous
vote abolished. Every man in the Stat,
was Free"
President Johnson-s views and policy.
The following report OF 4 conversation be
tween President johnson ard a personal
friend will he read with interest. 1t con-
tains nothing particularly new, as to the
Presidents views, and the sketch is, OF
of course but brief one 1t Will however
suffice to dispel some misrepresentation, and
taken as = whole and in connection with hi
action in regard to the North Carolina Con
vention win be far more satisfactory to thos,
VINO voted for him last November than to
those who opposed hIm.
MEDFoRD. Mass, Oct. s, 1865.
MY Dear Sir:
was so much impressed with our
conversation of last Tuesday, that returned i'm
me1iately TO my room and wrote down such of
the points made as | could remember, and hay-
v.
more than ever, convinced that, if corrected By
you and returned to me for either public or pri-
waite use. it will 90 far to promote a good un
derstanding between you and leading
men.
1t will also assure the public mind in favor Of
your plan. so far at least as you would carry il
out without modification.
You are aware that do not associate much
with men in political life, hut rather with those
who, representing the advanced moral sense OF
the country, earnestly labor for the good of our
people, without hope Of. or even desire for. Office
CT other immediate reward. The latter class de-
sire earnestly 10 understand your plans, and, if
possible, support your administration.
think the publication Of your process OF re-
construction. with the reasons for your faith III
1t, will commend itself to their candid judgment.
and, as told you inspire our whole Northern
people with confidence in your adm nistra-
ton. Tr...
The report is meagre and unsatisfactory. but
| think il conveys, for the most part the ,pirit
of our conversation.
Therefore, although the whole tenor Of yeur
words led me 20 believe il was not intended to be
kept private, have refrained snswerin- the spe-
cifc inquiries Of anxious friends whom met on
my way home. lest / might. in some way, leave
a wrong impression on their minds
Truly your friend,
GEORGE B. STEARNS.
To the President Of the United States.
WASHINGTON, D. C.,
October 3, l665-ll1 A. NJ
have just returned from an interview with
President johnson, in which he talked for an
hour on the process Of reconstruction of rebel
States. His manner was as cordial. and his
conversation as free, in 1868, when | met him
daily in Nashville
His countensnce is healthy, even more SO than
when | first knew him.
! remarked that the people of the North were
ANXIOUS that the process Ui reconstruction should
be thorough, and they wished to support him IN
the arduOus work, but their ideas were confused
by the conflicting reports constantly circulated,
and especially by the present position of the
Democratic party.
1t is industriously circulated in the Democrat
&c clubs, that he was going over to them He
lsughingly replied "Majlr, have you never
known a man who for many years had differed
from your views because you were in advance of
him, claim III m MS his own when he came up to
your standp ont 20
| replied, have often. He said, $50 have
/, " and went on The Democratic party finds
its I'D position untenable, and il coming to ours;
If II has to c. me up TO our position, | am glad
of ii. You and need no preparation 70 this |
conversation; we talk freely on this subject,
for the thoughts are familiar TO US: we can be |
perfectly flank with each other'' He then |
commenced by saying that the States are in the |
Union, which is whole and lndivisble.
Individuals tried to carry them out, but did |
not succeed, as a man may try to cut his throat
aud be prevented by the hystsnders; and you
cannot say be cut his throat becsuse he tried to
do it.
Individuals may commit treason, and be pun
ished ami large number of individuals may
constitute rebellion, and be punished as trail
tors Some States tried to get out of the Union.
and We opposed it, honestly, because we believed
it to be wrong and we have succeeded in put
ting down the rebellion. The power of those
persons who made the attempt has been crushed.
and now We want to reconstruct the State gov
snments and have the power to do it. The
State institutions are prostraied, laid out on the
ground, and they must be taken up and adapted
to the progress Of events this cannot be done
in moment. We are making very rapid pro-
gress, 81 rapid sometimes cannot realize it /; il
appears like dream. sai I'D
We must not be in too much of hurry it is
better 70 let them reconstruct themselves than to
l6rce them to it for If they 90 wrong. the pow
er is in our hands. and we can check them at
any stage, to the end, and oblige them to cor [
rect their errors. We must be patient with
hem. did not expect to keep out all who were
excluded from the amnesty, or even q large
number of them. bat I intended they should sue
or pardon, and 90 realize the enormity Of the
,r1me they had committed
w. k.r - L. Q