The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-11-03
MEMORANDUM.
WAsHINGToN, D. c.,
October 3. 1865-1lL A. NJ.

s.. WASHINGTON, D. c.,
October 8, 1865-1115 A. Ms
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 1862, when met him
daily in Nashville. -u..gE .a
His countenance is healthy, even more so
than when first knew him. g..
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, bat their
ideas were confused by the conflicting reports
constantly circulated, and especially by the
present position of the Democratic party. It
is industriously circulated 10 the Democratic
clubs that he was going over to them, He
laughingly replied, Major, have you never
known q man who for many years had differed
from your views because yoa we're in advance
of him, claim them as his own when he came
up to your stand poiut?"
IreplieG. have often. He said 80 have l,
and went on the Democratic party finds its
old position untenable, and its coming to ours;
II 1t has come up 70 our position, am glad of
it. You and / need no preparation for this
conversation we can talk freely on this SUBJ
jeet for the thoughts are familiar to as: we can
be perfectly frank with each Other He then
commenced with saying rnat. lbe STATES are
in the Union which is wh'i rae ,:.oable.
Individuals tried to cart 'itn out. bat did
not succeed. as man may ,rut his throat
and be prevented by the t., sta, crs; AID you
cannSt say he cut his throat because he tried to
do it,
individuals may commit treason and be pun
ished and large number OF individuals may
constitutes rebellion and be punished as trai-
tors. Some States tried to get out of the Union
and we opposed il, honestly because we believ
ed 1t to be wrong; and We have succeeded in
putting down the rebellion. The power of
those persons who made the attemp. has been
crushed, and now we want to reconstruct the
State governments and have the power to do
il. The State Institutions are FRUSTRATED, laid
out on the ground, ard they must be taken up
and adapted to the prog ress OF events. This
cannot be done in moment. We are making
very rapid progress so rapid someti mes cam
not realize it: it appears like dream
We must not be 10 too much of hurry: il is
better to let them reconstruct themselves than
to for them to it; for ii they 90 wrong the
power is in our hands and we can check them
at any stage. to the end, and oblige Them to
correct their errors; we must be patient with
them. | did not expect to keep out all who
wee excluded from the amnesty, or even q
large number of them, but 1 intended they
should sue for pardon. and So, realize the enor-
nifty OF the crinc they had committed.
You could NO. have broached the subject of
equal suffrage at the North, seven years ago
anu we must TtueHIocr Cuat the Changes at the
South have been more rapid, and they have
been obliged accept more unpalatable truth
than the Mort has We must give them time
TO digest q part, for we cannot expect such
large affairs will be comprehended and digested
at Ince. We must give them time to under
stand their new position. ar -zss
have nothing to conceal 10 these matters
and have NO desire or willingness To take indi-
rect courses TO obtain what we want.
Our government Is a grand and lofty struc-
ture in searching for its foundation we find it
rests on the broad basis OF popular rights. The
elective franchise is not q natural right but q
political right. I am opposed to giving the
States too much power, anu also to great con-
sOlidatiOn OF power in the ceLtral government
Ii inlerfered with the vote in the rebel
States, to dictate that the negro shall vote,
might do the same thing for my own purposes
in Pennsylvania. Our only safety lies IN allow
ing each State to control the right Of voting by
its own laws, and We have the power to con-
troll the rebel States if they 60 wrong. If they
rebel we have the army and can control them
by it, and, if necessary by legislation also. If
the general government controls the right to
vote in the States, it may establish such rules
as will restrict the vote TO q small number of
persons and thus ere ate central despotism.
My position here is different from what 1t
would beif was in Tennessee.
There should try to Introduce negro suf-
frage gradually first, those who had served iu !
the army; those who could read and write,
and perhaps q property qualification for 9TH
ers, say $500 or $3.50.
1t will not do to let the negroes have univef-
sal suffIage now. It would breed war of
races. 5-E.scs
There was q time in the Southern States
when the slaves oflarge owners looked dewn
upon non slave-owners because they did not |
own slaves; the larger the number of slaves |
their masters owned, the prouder they were, !
and this has produced hostility between the