Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-11-01
A CONVERSATION WITH PRESIDENT
JOHNSON.
His Policy on Reconstruction.
VIEWS ON NEGRO SUFFRAGE.

MEDFORD, Mass, Oct. s, 1865,
| MY DEAR SIR: [ was so much impress
| ed with our conversation of last Tuesday,
that returned Immediately to nv room
and wrote down such of the points made as
| L could remember, and having pondered
| them all the way home, am to-day, more
than ever, convinced that if corrected by
| you and returned to me for either public or
| private use, it will go tar to promote good
understanding between you and our leading
| men.
| 1t will also unite the public mind in favor
of your plan, so far 1T least as you would
carry it out without modification.
You are aware that | do not associate
| much with men in political life, but rather
| with those who, representing the advanced
moral sense of the country. earnestly labor
tor the good of our people, without hope or
even desire for Office or other immediate re-
| ward. The latter class desire earnestly to
understand your plans, and, if possible,
support your administration
think the publication of your process of
reconstruction, with the reasons of your
faith in it, will commend itself to the incandid
Judgment. and, as | told you, inspire our
whole Northern people with confidence in
your administration.
The report is meager and unsatisfactory,
but think 1t conveys, for the most part,
the spirit of our conversation, therefore, al
though the whole tenor of your words led
me to believe it was not intended to be kept
private, | have refrained from answering
the specific 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
GEO. L. STEARNs.
The President of the United States
WAsHINGToN, D. c.. Oct 3-II4AM.
L 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, as in 1868,
when | met him daily in Nashville.
His countenance is healthy, even more so
than when first knew him.
l remarked, that the people of the North
were anxious that the process of reconstruc-
ton should be thorough, and they wished to
support him In his arduous work, but their
ideas were confused by the conflicting re-
ports constantly circulated and especially |
by the present position of the Democratic |
party. 1t is industriously circulated in the |
Democratic Clubs that he was going over to
them. He laughingly replied: Major,
have you never known man who for many |
years had differed from your views because |
you were in advance of him, claim them as |
his own when he came up to your stand
point ?"
Ireplied, l have often. He said, So have
[, and went on: ''the Democratic party
inds its old position untenable, and is com
ing to ours if it has come up to our position
am glad of it. ou and | need no prepa-
'ation for this conversation We can talk
reely on this subject, for the thoughts are
amiliiar to US; we can be perfectly frank
With each other" He then commenced
With saying that the States are in the Union,
which is whole and indivisibie.
individuals tried to carry them out, but
lid not succede, as a man may try to cut
lis throat and be prevented by the bystan-
iers, and you cannot say he cut his throat
because he tried to do it.
individuals may commit treason, and be
punished, and a large number of indisldu-
Ills may constitute rebellion and be pun
shed as traitors Some States tried to get
'ut OF the Union, and we opposed it, honest
y, because we believed it to be wrong, and
We have succeeded in putting down the re-
'eliion. The power of those persons who
made the attempt has been crushed, and
low We want to reconstruct the State Gov
rnments and have the power to do it. The
state institutions are prostrated. laid out on
he ground, and they must be taken up and
dapted to the progress OF events; this can
rot be done in q moment We are making