The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-07-06
between the President and
the South Carolina Delegatton-the
Presidents Policy.

Presidents Policy.
WASHINGTON June "a, lS65.-A
delegation from South Carolina, con>
sisting of the following named persons,
had late this afternoon AT interview,
by appointment, with the President:
Judge Frost, Isaac E. Holmes, Geo.
w. Williams. w. H. Gilliland, J. II.
Steinmeyer, frederick Richards, VIM.
Wha'ey, James II. Taylor, William J.
Gayer, and joseph A. Yates.
The President said that it was his
intention to talk plainly, so there
might be no misunderstanding. There
fore it were better they should look
each other full in the face, and not
initiate the ancient augures, who, when
they met one another, could smile at
their success in deceiving the people.
He said if this Union was to be pre-.
served it must be on the principle of
fraternity, both the Northern and
Southern States maintaining certain
relations to the Government. A State
cannot go out of the Union, and,
therefore, none Of them having gone
out, we must deal with the question of
restoration. and not reconstruction.
He suspected that he was q better
States Rights man than some of those
now present.
Mr.. Ho'mcs-Youa always so claimed
to be. (Laughter.)
The President replied that he al
ways thought that slavety could not
be sustained outside of the Constitu-
ton 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 set itself up to control the
Government, the Government must
triumph and slavery perish. The in
sti,ution Of slavery made the issue,
and we might as we'll meet it like wise
and patriotic and honest men. All
institutions must be subordinate to the
Government, and slavery has given
way. He could not if be would re-
mand it to its former status. He
knew that some whom he now ad.
dressed looked upon him as great
peoples man and a radical. But how,
ever unpleasant it might be- to them,
ne had no hesitation in saying that
before and after he ent red public life
he was opposed to monopolies and
perpetuities and entails. For this he
used to be denounced as demagogue.
We bad a monopoly South in slaves.
Though he had bought and held slaves,
he had never cold one. From Magma
Charta we had derived our ideas Of
freedom of speech, liberty Of the press
and unreasonable searches, and that
private property should not be taken
for public uses without just compensa-
ton. He had these notions fixed q
his mind, and was therefore opposed
to class Legislation. Being providen
TALLY brought to his present condition,
he intended to exert the power and in
tlnence Of the Government 80 as to
place in power the popular heart Of
this nation.
He proceeded on the principle that
the great masses are not the mush-
rooms about a stump, which wet
weather supplies. lie believed that
this nation was sent on great mission
to afford an exnmp pie Of freedom and
substantial happiness to all the Powers
of the earth. The Constitutions Of the
United States, in speaking Of persons
to be chosen as Representatives in
Congress, says that the electors in
each State shall have the qualifications
requisite for electors of the most