The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-07-07
REcoNSTRUc1loN.

RECONSTRUCTION. ~
Interview Between the President
and Gen. John A. Logan.
From the Chicago Republican. l
On the Slst of last month, while At
Washington, General Logan called to nav
his respects to President johnson. and was
most cordially received. am able to
give the following synopsis of the CONVEX.
satiOn which took place at the interview
through the politeness of gentleman who
was present: 49,
General Logan commenced yby conorat.
ulating the President upon the conserve
tive policy which he had Initiated. and
which was already productive of such ex-
cellent results. He said that the era of
war was necessarily closed, and that
OF reason and Cancellation opened: and
that it was essential to peace that the pas
slons OF both sections should now be al
layed by kindly and considerable, yet firm.
action on the part of the Executive, and
he looked upon the Presidents as such.
President johnson replied that he de-
sired to have the seeded States return
back to their former condition as quickly
as possible. Slavery had been the cause
OF the war. That cause was now, most
happily, removed, and consequently he de-
sired to see the Union restored as it was
previously to the war, Or. as the President
laughingly remarked, as our Democratic
friends used to say: "The constitution as
it is, the Union as it was always saving
and excepting slavery, which had been
abolished. The war had decided that, and
forever. ....,..'
A gentleman present spoke of negro suf.
frage, and suggested that in reconstruct
ing the Union it would be necessary to dis
franchise some Cmeaning leading rebels)
and to enfranchise Others (meaning loyal
cOlored people,, or that the case of the
Virginia Legislature reassembling would
be repeated over again. The gentleman
is strong advocate of negro suffrage
The President replied that the case of
the Virginia Legislature was easily dis
posed Of; that it had no power as legis-
lative body; and that 1t could do nothing
anyhow. With regard to the extension Of
suffrage, the sentiment of the country at
present appeared to tend towards restric.
ton rather than an extension of the right
of suffrage. ...
Gen. Logan endorsed the views of the
President on the above, and then SAID that
it might not be polite to give the rebels
the right of suffrage Immediately. He
thought that it might be found advisable
at first to hold them in sort of pupilage
by military force. AS soon as they could
be trusted, give them the same power they
possessed before.
The General also remarked that the
wheel of reconstruction was large and
their stand upon it would be ground to
powder. He had been fighting for four
years to save the Union. He now pro-
posed that those who desired to recon-
struct it might go in and see what they
could do. For his part, he felt inclined
to be rather looker-on than an active
participant in the contest which would ma
turally grow out of it. r,-
The President said: General, there's
no such thing as reconstruction. These
States have not gone out of the Union.
Therefore, reconstruction is unnecessary.
do not mean to treat them as inchoate
States, but merely as existing under q
temporary suspension of their, govern
ments; provided always they elect loyal
| men. The doctrine of coercion to preserve
State in the Union has been INDICATED
by the people. 1t is the province of the
executive to see that the will of the peo-
pie is carried out in the rehabilitation of
these rebellious States, once more under
the authority as well as the protection of
the Union. .tg.a4T
Gen. Logan responded, That's So"
The President then passed on to the
question of the public debt. he said that
the finances of the country were in hope
full condition; that probably it was pos
sible to resume specie payments imme-
diately, were it not for the commercial
distress it would create throughout the
country generally. As to the public debt
of the country, he was in favor of paying
it to the last dollar, and would never coun-
tenance any man, party, sect or measur
that even squintsd at reputation in a..
form. The debt was incurred to save
country. IT was legacy of the war be-
queathed to US for good or evil It was
not possible to shirk it. On the other
hand, the great question would be to make
it, if possible, an instrument of good, not
evil, to the public generally. -
The above is the substance of the con-
versation between these two distinguished
men. tGfssl
Post Office Employment for Dis.
charged Soldiers.
Postmaster General Dennison has issued the
following circular, directing Postmasters to