The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-07-06
KENosHA, WISCONSIN, THURSDAY JULY, 6,

Policy Of the Administration on Recon-
~" truction.
The Delegation from South Carolina
| Their Interview with the President.
sr WASHINGTON, June "a.
A delegation from South Carolina, con
sisting of the following named persons, hac
late this afternoon, an interview, by appoint
ment, with the President: Judge Frost
Isaac E. Holmes, George w. Williams. W.
II. Gillett, j. II. Stormmyer, Frederick
Whately, James H. Tay lor, R. H. GILES
and Joseph Alfates The President said it was
his intention to talk plainly, SO there might
be no misunderstanding therefore it was
better they should look each other full in the
face, and not initiate the ancient arguers
who, when they met another, could smile
at their success in deceiving people. He
said if this Uuion was to he preserved, it
must be on the principle of fraternity in
Northern and Southern States. Maintaining
certain relations to the Government State
cannot go out of the Union, and therefore,
none Of them having gone ont we must
deal with the question Of restoration and re
construction. He suspected that he was a
better statesman than some of those now
here. He always thought slavery could
not be sustained outside of the Constitution
of the United States, and that, whenever
the experiment was made it would be lost
Whether it could or could not he was for the
Union, and if slavery should endeavor to
control the Government, the Government
must triumph and slavery perish. The in
stitution of slavery made the issue, and we
might as veil meet it like wise and and pa
triotie men, All institutions must be sub
ordinate to the government, and slavery has
given way. He could not if he would re-
'maud it to its former station. He knew
that the slave powers whom he had address
ed looked upon him as a great man and a
radical For this he used to be denounced
as a deinagogue. We had a monopoly south
in the slaves. Though lie had held slaves
he lad never sold one From magma charto
we had derived our ideas of freedom of
speech and liberty of the press, and the prop
erty should, not be taken tor public use with
out just compensation He had these notions
of freedom. His mind was, therefore, op-
posed to class legislation. Being providen-
TALLY brought to his present condition, he
intended to exert his power and influence in
favor of the popular part of this nation. p
He proceeded on the principle that the great
masses are not the mushrooms about a
stump which wet weather supplies He be-
lieved that this nation was sent on a gre It
mission to afford all example of freedom
and substantial happiness to all the powers
of the earth. The Constitution of the Uni
ted States in speaking of persons to be cho-
sen as representatives in Congress- says
that the electors in each State shall have
the qualifications requisite for electors. Here
we find resting place. This was the point
at which the rebellion commenced. All the
States were iii the Union, moving in har-
mony, but a portion of them rebelled, and
to some extent suspended aud paralyzed the
operations Of this government. There is a
constitutional obligation resting upon the
United States Government TO put down the
rebellion, suppress insurrection, repel in-
vasion.=zThe slaves Went into the war as
slaves and came out free lien of color. The
fiction of the rebellion has subsidized. The
nature and character of loyal men who were
compelled to bow and submit to the rebel
lion Should now that the rebellion is ended,
stand equal to loyal men everywhere; hence
the wish of restoration. and this trying to
get back the States to the point at which
they formerly moved in perfect harmony
He did not intend to serve any particular
clique or interest. He would say to the
delegation that slavery is gone as an insti-
tuition here There was no hope that the
people of South Carolina could be admitted
into the Senate or the House of Representa-
tives until they had afforded evidence by
their conduct, of this truth. The policy,
now that the rebellion is suppressed, is not
to restore the State Government through
military rule but by the people. While the
war has einapcipated slavery it has einanci-
pated large number of white men. He
would talk plain, as the delegation said
that was what they desired. lie knew
those who had owned so to 100 slaves, who
did not care as much for the poor white
men as they did for the negro Those who
own land have the capital to employ help
and therefore some of our Northern friends
are deceived, when they living afar off,
think they can exercise greater control
over the freedmen than Southern men who
have been reared where the institution of
slavery has prevailed.
Now he did not want the late slavehold-
ers to control the negro votes against white
men. Let each State judge Of the deposit
tory of its own political power. He WAS for
emancipation; he was for emancipating
the white man as well as the black Mr.
Holmes. asked, is not that altogether ac-
co..lplished ?" ~ -.aHa 4haaJ
The President replied that he did not
think the question fully settle /. The ques-
ton as to whether the black man shall be
engrafted in the Constitution will be settled
az we go along. He would not disguise the
| fact that while he had been prosecuted and
denounced at the South as traitor, he loved
the great mass Of the Southern people. He
opposed the rebellion at its breaking out
and fought it everywhere, and now wanted
the principles of the Government carried ou
and maintained.
Mr. Holmes interrupted by saying ''W,
want to get back to the same position al
YOU describe, as we are without law. N
courts are open, and you have the power t.
assist us.
The President replied that the Govern
ment cannot go on unless it is based OF
fright. The people of South Carolina mus
ihave a convention, and amend their Consti
tuition by abolishing slavery, and this mus
be done in good faith;and the convention o
Legislature must adoptthe proposed amend
melit to the Constitution of the Unite
States, which prohibits and excludes SLAYER.
Everywhere.
51aJOne of the delegates said ''We are mos
taaxious for civil rule, for we have had NOR
than enough of military despotism,
The President resuming said, that as th
Executive he could only take the initator
steps to enable item to do the thing which
was incumbent upon them to perform.
Another of the delegates remarked tina
it was assumed in some parts of the rebe
hon the Southern States bad forfeited thei
liphts as members of the COnfederacy; an