Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1865-07-12
RECONSTRUCTION IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
President---A Free and General I'm.
ferchange of OfNiews--lnpO State.
nIent OF His Policy bS President
Johnson.

sisting of the following named persons hat
on the 9th, an interview by appointmer
with the President: Judge Frost, Isaa
T. Holmes, George ". Williamson. "
II. Gillett, j. A. Sternmeyer, Frederick
RichaFes, VIM. Whaley, James Fl. TAYLOR
K II. Gill, and Joseph A. Yates. The
account of the interview as teleoraphed
west was hardly Ineligible. We subioir
the report of it given IN the New York
papers
The President SAID It was his intention
to talk plainly, so there might be no mis-
understanding. Therefore, il was better
/ they should look each other full in the
/ face, and not initiate the ancient aururers
/ who, when they met one another. could
/ smile at their success in deceivinc the peo-
/ pie. He said that if this Union was to be
/ preserved, it must be on the principle of
fraternity, both Northern and Southern
States maintaining certain relations to the
government A state cannot 90 oat of the
| Union, and therefore none of them hav-
ing gone out, we must deal with the aues-
ton of restoration and not reconstruction.
He suspected that be was better states
rights man than some of those now
present
Mr.. HoLMEs-You always so claimed
to be. Laughter
The President replied that he always
thought that slavery could not be sustain
ed outside of the Constitution Of the United
States, aud that when the experiment was
made it would be lost Whether it could
or could not, he was for the Union, and II
slavery set itself to control the govern
ment the government must triumph and
made the issue, and we might as
we'll meet it ike wise and patriotic and
honest men. All institutions must be
submitted to the government, and slavery
has given way He could not if he would
remand it to its former status. He knew
that some whom he now addressed looked
upon him rs Il great peoples man and
radical. But, however unpleasant 1T might
be to them, he had no hesitation in saw
ing that before and after he entered pub
lie life he was opposed to monopoles and
perpetuities and entails For this he
used to he denounced as Il dcmagogue-
We had monopoly South in slaves Though
he had bought and held slaves, he had
never sold one. From Magma Charta we
had derived our ideas of freedom Of
speech, liberty of the press, and unreason-
able searches, and that private property
should not he taken for public uses with
out just compensation. He had these no
tions fixed in his mind, and was therefore
opposed 20 class legislation. Being pro-
videntially brought to his present condi-
ton, he intended to exert The power and
influence Of the government, so as to place
in power the population of this nation
He proceeded on the principle that the
great masses are not the mushrooms about
Il stump which wet weather supplies
lie believed that this nation was sent
a great mission to afford an example of
freedom and substantial happiness to al
the powers Of the earth The Constitu-
ton Of the United States, in speaking Of
persons to be chosen a. Representatives.
in Congress, -dys that the + Eectors in each
State shall have the qualifications requisite
for Electors If the most numerous branch
of the State Legislature. Here we find
resting place. This was the point a which
the rebellion commene ecd-all the States
were in the Union, moving in harmony
but a portion Of these reJelled, and, to
some extent, suspended and paralyzed the
the operations of their governmeats.-
There IS q constitutional obligation resting
upon the United States Government TO put
down rebellion, suppress insurrection and
to rcpel invasion. The slaves went into
the war as slaves, and came cut free men
of color The friction of the rebellion
has rubbed 1t the nature and character
of slavery The lovnl men who were
compelled 70 bow and submit to the rebel
lion, should now, that the rebellion is
ended, stand equal to loyal men every
where Hence the wish of restoration,
and trying To get back the states to the
point ut which they formerly moved in
perfect harmony He did not intend to
serve any particular clique or interest
lie would say to the delegation that slavery
was gone as an institution. There was
no nope that the people Of South Carolina
could be admitted into the Senate or the
House of Representatives until they had
afforded evidence by their conduct Of this
truth
The poicy now that the rebellion is
suppressed is not to restore the State Gov>
ernment through military rule, but by the
/ people. While the war has eB1ancipated
4 slaves 1t has ensancipated a large number
of white men. He would talk plain. as
the delegation had said that was what
they desired He could 90 to men who
had owned fifty OF hundred slaves, and
who did not care as much Cor the poor
white man as they did for the negro
Those who own the land have capital tC
employ help, aud therefore some of oul