Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1865-09-23

m in tlN Court House, N'echFi'S,
8. G., OF 4pG5lay, AUG. liIr, aiger
his raturn from W3lhinS,on''
j,,,a,,- Cr,i-s1,. | have met You this
n,orninr, mot 10 make n speech, hut to talk
over IN, incidents of my laso visit to Wash
irgton. | started IA re, three weeks since,
ne yonr dclcroto 10 ask for the appoint
mc1l or \ proyisionol Governor and The
resignation oc civil authority in South Car
! olino. On nv way. | met mcsscr ger
from his Exccllencv, President Johnson,
| beorinr commission amounting me Pro-
visional Governor of tho State This was
an honor which [ had not anticipated, and
never as7ircd 10.
On my arrival in Washington, address
| ed note TO the President, asking tho hon.
or Of an audience for the purpose Of rcceiy-
inr his instructions. and communicating 70
him nv views in reference to the political
/ tonc md temper Of the Stalc.--Arter wait
| ING that evening and the next day, with
out hearing from the President, paid
visit TO Gov. Dcnnison, Postmaster Gene
raj. This gentleman received me most
kindly, and seemed gratifcd at the account
. gave him of South Carolina. lie oassurci
mo that the President had not received my
note, md very obligingly ordered his car
riore md went to The Executive mansion
to ascertain the truth Of the matter. In
short time afterward, received n note
from President Johnson. stating that my
communication, the day before; had not
been received, and that he woul see me at
3 o'clock.
In replv, [ stated that would 10 myself
The honor to call on his Exccllcncy at the
hour DESIGNATED. and that my friends Coils.
Orr. Elford. williams, Bacon, and Mcssrs.
Jeitch, Grady. Gibbes and Blodgett would
accompany mo. Wo were received very
cordially, and remained an hour or two
with the President. told him that the
peoplc of South Carolina accented the terms
of his proclamation, and were disposed to
return TO their allegiance to the Union.
| That from having been the most rcbellious
State of the South, was satisfied South
Carolina would hcnceforth be one of III,
most loyal Southern States. That she
would reform her Constitution and abolish
slavery. give tho elections to the people,
and equalizo the representation Of the
State. I gave it as my opinion that the
disunion feeling in the South had Origina-
ted in the parishes.
Tho President expressed himself gratif-
rd ot The course South Corolinn was likely
! tn OurSun. ana instead oil nnnllGStiUH any
hitler or reyengeful spirit. he evinced great
kindness, solitude and magnauimity The
Who'll, deleration was decpIy impressed
with tbc courtesy. dirnitv and ability OF
his Excellencv. His rolitical views ex-
nrcsscd TO us were those OF a patriot and
/ statesman. He wished to SEQ The country
once more ouiet peaceablc, happy and
nrosnerous. In regard to the relative pow.
ers Of the State and tho Federal Govern
mont, his opinions were identical with my
own. so lonr expressed in South Carolna
He was e9ually opposcd to the CENTRAL
zation and consolidation Of powers in Con-
mrees nc bc wos TO the secession of the
| States. 1t must be left to, the Legislature
of each State to decide who shall be allow
cd to vote in the State ANY attempt ON
the part of Congress to control the elective
franchise of State would be unwarrant-
able usurpation. He expressed an ardent
wish to see tho Constitution Of South Caro-
lima popularized by abolishing the parish
representation and equalizing the political
power Of the upper and lower country,
| giving the election Of Governor to the peo~
pie, and also the election Of electors of
President and Vice President.
On leaving the President he requested
| me 10 Call anu ScC MI bSNdi'i pNSt~'"'J
of State, and give him the same lnlormA-
tion had given his EXcellency IN refer
ence to the public feelings ana sentiment"
of South Carolina. Ihis 9ld IN connp-
ny with the South Carolina delegation. g
found Mr. Seward kind ana cordlai, ana
gratifed at the information We gave MN
with regard to thc ponies OF oou,n raro
lima. Before visiting Mr. seward, | nao mac
been to call on the Attorney ueheral, Mr;
Speed. He expressed himself surprised
and mortified at my speech, made 10 you
on tho 3d OF July But 1 soon dlscoNereu
that he had only glanced over inc Speech
anu dld not coinIEeheHu 'lo 'oii' ""' ''A'
per Oh my reuiarAs'
L told Mr.. Seward what inc attorney
General had said. lie repliea' | read youE
speech this morning attentively, ana con-
sidering the stand point from which you
made it, l think it very good one. when
l was Governor Of New York, said Mr.. Sc
ward, used to make speeches which were
very seriously criticised in Charleston, and
I said to myself, what the devil have the
people of Charleston to do with my speech
made in New York? did not speak to
them or for them, but to the people of New