Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-06-26
THE PRESIDENT AND THE SOUTH
CAROLINA DELEGATION

l
South Carolina waited upon President johnson
at three o'clock Saturday afternoon. Presiden
johnson was introduced by Judge Frost to tn,
several members Of the delegation, consisting
| OF Messrs. j. E. Holmes, Geo. w. Williams
VIM. II. Gelleiand, J. II. Steinmayer, Frederick
| Kichards, VIM; Valley. James h. Taylor, r.
H.: Gill, W. ]. Gayer and Joseph A. Yates.
The introduction over, the President re-
| quested the gentlemen Of the delegation to
resume their seats, and smilingly remarked, as
ne sat down among them himself that in the
DAYS or old there used to be class OF men
called Augurs, who never met each other
without smiling in each others faces; but that
better look each other right In the face and
speak clearly as to the future
iris Government, If II be preserved at all,
must be preserved on the principle of equality,
and II we have States therein, they must be
States occupying and preserving certain clear
sSsiaeons S,a,ss 18Th to The Government Of the United
proceed upon the idea that State cannot 20
out OF the Union; and now that the rebellion
is over and has been put dowr. the Southern
States must come bs ck with q proper under
standing OF these relations, and upon proper
principles. Do you know that believe I am
better State rights man than some Of you are!
[ A general though subdued laughter greeted
the remark. l used always to believe that
slavery could not be maintained outside of the
Constitution of the United States, and did we
not nnd when the experiment was made that
slavery was lost! was always for the Union,
always; and saw that when slavery attempted
to control the Government, slavery must 60
down. The institution OF slavery made the
issue; it set up to control the Government, and
1t fell. All institutions must be subordinate to
the Government or it cannot stand. The great
object now is to restore and preserve the Gov
eminent that we all once loved and respected.
The present relation OF slavery is changed,
and II so disposed we could not remand il
back; and SO we must dispose Of 1t as prudent,
discreet, and wise men should. You have
heard me spoken about as q great peoples
man, a rabid man, and all that sort Of thing.
mill M Dnfc $E0va &kakk
tain things to which I have always been op-
posed. have always been opposed to monop-
olies, entails, dc ; and for this used to be de-
nounced as demagogue; but going back to
that Magma Charta, from which, after ali, we
get all our liberties-libsrty Of speech, liberty
OF the press, protection from unreasonable
not going to deceive you now, gentlemen; when
tell you that, as far as in me lies, I intend to
exert the power and influence of this Govern
ment to develop, and when developed, to place
in power the great heart Of the nation-the
people-that is the heart OF the nation. I look
upon this nation as one sent upon great mis-
slon not thing springing Like & an asora al
our duty unless we carry that mission out.
The Constitution of the United States says
p be Se
gress acting for the whole. Now in some OF
the States a portion of the people have rebellsd
ssed Of
but there Is constitutional obligation on the
Government to suppress rebellions, repel in
vaslons, ana 70 secure to every State repub-
lican form OF government. The Government
may seem (and will not undertake to emu
1sSs ses onoa a reached that
nnon an equality with the other loyal men
everywhere in tne country.
slaves " ent in as slaves, they came out as tree.
men Of color The rebellion has rubbed out
the nature and character of the institution,
therefore. to bow and submit to this result,
and stand simply as equals to the other loyal
men Of the country everywhere. There can be
nothing wreng in that
have tried to begin at that point. You under
stand it-understand it perfectly; but under.
stand also that am not here to subserve any
particular clique. / am here simply to serve
the country and no particular interests; to use
the power entrusted TO me to bring the country
back to the peace and harmony it owned before
the rebellion commenced.
will again say to you that slavery is gone.
Its status is changed. There is no hope You
can entertain of being admitted to representa-
tion either in the Senate or House Of Repres.
entatives till you give evidence that you, too,
have accepted and recognized that that tnstt-
tuition is gone. That done, the policy adopted
is not to restore the supremacy Of the Govern
ment at the point of the bayonet, but by the
action Of the people. While this rebellion has
emancipated still more white men. The negro
in South Carolina that belonged to a man that
owned from one to five hundred slaves, thought
himself better than the W hite man who owned
none. He felt the white mans superior. I
know the position OF the poor white m an in
the South, compelled to till the barren, sandy,
and - poor soil for subsistence. You can
net deny how he was, in your eyes, Of less
value than the negro. Some here in the North
think they can control and exercise greater
influence over the negro than you can, though
his future must materially depend on you. Let
us speak plainly on this subject. l, too am
Southern man, have owned slaves, bought
slaves, but never sold one. You and under
stand this better; we know our friends are mis-
taken, there the President rose up and con.
tinued emphatically,J and l tell you that I
don't want you to have the control OF these
negro votes against I. ; vote of this poor white
man. / repeat our friends here are mistaken,
as you and know as to where the control OF
negro vote would fall When they come to
talk about the elective franchise, say let each
State Judge for itself. / am for free govern.
ment; for emancipation; AID am for emanci-
pating the white man as we'll as the black man.
4 Delegdte.-I see you are for maintaining the
Government and the Constitution.
The Prestdent.-Yes, sir; intact.
Delegdte-We are at t. present moment
law st naxe 5ne peWeT ,ba idea
of power, but upon that OF right My opinion
is that, for the present you must have an agent
OF the Governmental military or clvii 6ovea-
nor, call 1t what you will; then have a conven-
ton, amend your Constitution, abollshlng sla-
yery adopting the amendment to the Constitu-
ton of the United States.
are concerned, they come into market as la.
borers, subject to the same general law Of sup-
ply and demand. -.- g.
DELEGATE But is it necessary to have con-
yention pass upon the question.
President-Certainly; and then 1t remains
with the Government to receive them, or ''leave
them ont In the cold," to use common ex-
preston.
Deleoate-Then our admission or rejection
would depend upon our adopting or not adopt.
ing what YOU think rightl
President-No; / only advise; would have
you understand me more correctly In tine
Hrst instance we proceed upon this idea, that
the Con stitution guarantees to every State
republican form OF government Now there
comes a rebellion which has suspended the
functions of the State Government; in order
to restore to the State its republican form OF
government which 1t has lost, it is necessary
70 take some initiative step. A civil or militia
ry governor is appointed the agent Of the Gov
eminent; through him the Government may
say convene yourselves, send your delegates,
but we expect you to amend your Consatunon
Congress- can say we have the right to Judge Of
the eligibility of our own members, and n You
romaiU under military