The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-11-17
THE PRESIDENT ON RECoNsTRUC-
TION AND NEGRO SUFFRAGE.

Major GEoRoE J.. SrRARSs. gentleman Of
high character. and ono Of the leading and
prominent anti-slNcry radicals Of Massachu.
settp, several weeks since had long and
interesting interview Sith President JomN.
SON. in which the lattor gave his views more
fully and satisfactory IN regard to the two
political questions which now agtate the
American people, than in any speech, con
versaton or proclamation, emanating from
him that we have yet seen. In this conver.
sation he takes the ouly sensible view of the
status OF tho late rcbellous States that ctn
he taken, viz: Tint those States are In the
Unlon, which is whole and iudivisibe. Al
thoush the project was attempted to carry
them out, yet that project WAS not snccess
full, as we have succeeded in putting down
making this insane attempt has beon crush
oil, and what is now wanted is tho .ccon.
struoiion Of their State governments. Their
State institutions having bocn Frustrated,
they must now be taker up and adapted to
che progress OF events. In doing this we
must not DO in too great hurry. It can
not be done Immediately, but requires time
and patioroo. Tho Prcsiont says it is better
to lot them reconstruct themselves than to
force them to do it, and adds significantly,
"for lf Mey 90 HoroRg, tie po,cer is ia car
hands aud zoe can cheek them at any stage
to ttse end and oblige Mem 10 correct Meir
errors"
In regard to the doctrine of negro sui
frage, the President thus unmistaka5ly nets
forth his views:
Our Government Ia grant and ,fty
structure; in searching for it's foundation Q
ind it rests on tho broad basis of popular
rights. Tho elective franchise is not
natural right, but political right, | am
opposed to giving The States too much pow
or, aud also TO a great consolidation Of
power in the Central Government.
II interiered with the vote in the rebel
Statcs, to dictate that the negro shall vote,
might do the same thing for my own pur-
poses in Pennsylvania Our only safety
lies in allowing each State to control the
right of voting by its own laws, and we
have no power to control the rebel States
II they do wrong. lf they rebel, wo have
tie army and can control thom by it, and,
Unnecessary, il by legislation also lt the
General Government controls tho right to
vote in the States. it may establish such
rules as will restrict the voto to a small
number Of persons, and thus create Gen.
tral despotism.
Ny position horo is different from what it
would be IL was in Tennessee.
There 1 should try 10 Introduce negro
sHg,a7c Gradually; .frSL those ,obo had
Serpcd ia Me array; MoSe ,cho coH'd read
,prite, aud perhaps property qadidcdtion
for OILERS. say $500 or $3.50
We have waited in vain to see what the
Democratic" leaders and newspapers
who have claimed ANDREW JouNsoN, as their
T.aler and the representative man Of their
party, would say in regard to this report o
Major srEARNs aud tho rOdicalism advanced
md held by the President, but W. have
seen nothing. They are studiously reticen
upon the subject, aud doubtless by thi'
time have all they can do 10 occupy thoi
attention III rcaecting upon tho results o
tho November elections. However, it the!
have said nothing in tho Prcsidenl's favo
since tho publication of the sTEARNs con
versation, they have said nothing in oppos
tion to tho ground taken by tho President
and may We not indulge tho hopo that, tr
ding their position unteuable, they vii
eventually come up TO tho Union stanC
point. and rcpudiato their past record 7 Tn
signs Of the times so indicate--lot us hop
Tor the copsummation.