The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-11-08
President Johnson on Negro 0u1'
-. frage.

The following is on Official $50 10
speak statement Of tho views OF Fres'.
dent johnson ON reconstruction ano
Negro Suffrage. 1t is q report of a col ,
vcrsa,ion between the President and
Major S,earns, and was submitted to the
former for approval before being pup
lishcd. The Presidents views are very
lust, and re believe, wise
wAsursoros, D. C., Oct. 3, II! a. NJ.
| have lust returned from an inter
view with President Johnson IN ~h'ct
be talked for an hour on the process, Of
reconstruction of Rebel States III:
mnuner vas as cordial, and his CONVEX,
satiou as free, as in 1863, when me-
him daily in Nashville
His countcnanco is healthy, even moro
so than when FIRST knew him:
| remarked that the people OF the
North we're anxious that the process 0,
reconstruction should be thorough, and
they wished to support him IN the ara
Gus work, but their ideas we're confused
by the conflicting reports constantly cir
culatcd, and especially by the presen'
position Of tho democratic party. 1t i:
industriously circulated in the Demo
cratic clubs that he was going over to
tbcm He. Iau.hingly replied, Major
have YOU never known man who iol
many years had differed from your views
bccau e you were in advance OF him
claim them as his own when he came up
to your stand point?' :,
/ replied. have, often. lie said, So
have |, and went on The Democratic
party finds its old position untenable
and is coming to ours; if it has come to
our position. | am glad of it. You and
! need no preparation for this converse
ton We can talk freely on this subject
for the thoughts are familiar TO us; We
can he perfectly frank with each other
lie then commenced with saying that the
States are in the Union which is who!t
and indivi>iblc.
Individual. tried to carry them out
but did no, succeed, as a mann may try
to cut his throat, aud be prevented by
the byStanlcrs aud you cannot say he
cut his throat because he tried to do II
! individuals may eommi. treason ant
! be punished. and large number Of IN
dividualS may constitute rebellion and
be punished as traitors. Some State:
tried to get out of the Union, and VT
opposed it, honestly, because VIC believed
( it to be wrong, and We have succeeded
, in putting down tic rebellion. Tho
power Of those who made the attempt ha:
! been crushed. and now we want to re
construct the State Governments, ant
have the power TO 60 it. The State IN
s,itutions are Frustrated, laid on; on Tho
ground, and they must be taken up and
adapted to the progress Of events; this
cannot be done in ! moment. We arc
making rapid progress, so rapid some
! times cannot rcaliz. it; it npl cars like
, dream.
I Wn must r,t bo in ,oo mnrb Of = hur.
nv; it is better TO let them reconstruct
,ioms.lros than n rnrcc ,brm TO il. 70,
if they 20 wrong, the power is in oul
hands and We can check them at any
s,a.c TO the end, and cbliyc them t,
correct their errors !; we must Jc pa,cn,
with them, did not cxpcct to keel
out all who were excluded from the am
ncstv or even i large number of them
I'm, I intended tbey should sue for par.
In nd ca ro,l;y .,hc cnorm;,v Of tho
o oG ,hor Ind committed
W, conld mt have bronchial the sub.
;oo, " onn,l sufyr,ro ot the North seven
yc,rs moo and We must remember thu,
;hc cbsnocs n, the South have been
mayo r,n;J and ,bcv have Lecn OBLIGED
IN ,cccnt more uppsla,ablo truths than
,ba Sorth h,s,. wa must rive them tim,
>" ,,;aost , mr., for wo cannot cxnec
su.b I,rrc otf,;rs win hc comnr.bepded
III ,,;aestcJ n omen We mist Give
,h "u ,;mo - understand ,be;r nrw nosi.
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