Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-10-27

EtTIA OWrTtA JOY Lh6I ~
luton Of the Freedmen's BHress-R Restoration
Of Confseafsd Edsfes-Senators from the
South.
Special Core.pondsnce Of he Chicago Tines
WASHINGTON, Oct 81.
Mr.. Alexander H. Stephens. former Vice Pre-
sident of the Southern Confederacy, yesterday
morning called upen President johnson, aud had
an interview with him, lasting about hall an hour.
The particulars have not publicly transpirec, but
| will venture 70 say that TIE result OF tie inter.
view will be the speedy and unconditional pardon
Of Mr.. Stephens. The personal Appearance Of
this distinguished statesman has greatly altered
during hs imprisonment. He looks fully five
ysars older than he did one year ago. His hair
has become blesched. and greatly thinned. and
his frame Is shocklgly attenuated. i doubs If
he weighs ninety-fse pounds. he walks with a
feeble step, sometimes in an upright posture, but
often he stoops as If 10 pain. His appearance at
Willard's Hotel creates considerable excitement.
A great many persons Of distinction have called
10 see him. anna Ia EHHH
The Republican politicians who have coDgre-
gated here are in an awkward dilemma. In six
weeks from now they have got to choose between
two alternatives, equally unpalatable They
have got 10 either Endorse the reconstruction |
policy OF President Johnson, and admit the
members OF Congress from the Southern States
to their seats, or else they have Get to oppose the
admission of those members. and declare open
var against the President, and array themselves
in open opposition TO him and to his policy. They
are fully aware OF the consequences of either
step. They know that If they choose the latter
alternative. they drive President johnson into
the arms OF the Democratic party, to whom he
must and will then look for support. To see a
Southern man in the Cabinet as Secretary of
War, and q Northern Democrat holding another
seat in that body "a Attorney General; and 10 see
Democrats everywhere appointed collectors OF
taxes, Custom House officers and Poslmasters-
these will be bitter pills for the loyal TO swallow
But what is the other alternafivei If they choke
down their chagrin and yield their support 10
the Presidents policy of restoration, Congress
will be organized with a full delegation OF Sena-
tors and representatives, from every Southern
State. Instead OF having complete control of
the legislation OF Congress, here is the way the
matter will then stand. In the Senate-from
the 10 States. 10 Conservative members and ore
radical from the i've border States, six Conser-
~vstives aud Democratic Senators and FIVE radi
Gals; and from the 81 Northern States, nine
Democratic Senators and 80 radicals: total 81
Conservatives and Democratic Senators and 80
radicals. But in this enumeration of radicals
are included at least three Senators who may,
and probably will on many occasions, vote in
support of the Democrats: In the House-from
the 10 Southern States, 55 Conservative men,
oers; from the five Border States. 19 Conserva-
live and Democratic members ard Is radicals
and from the 81 Northern st ties, AZ Democratic
members and liz radicals: total I27 radicals and
III Conservatives and Democrats. And among
the radicals there are four from the Border States
and four from the Northern States, sad one
of these from New England % who, il il
feared will vote with the Presidents policy
Such is the dilemma in which the Republican
party finds itself. SQuirm as they may, thew
cannot dodge the issue. They have either got
to admit the Southern members. and thus give
up their power in Congress. or else, by opposing
the President. become themselves the TRAITORS
that they have called everybody for tour years
past who has opposed the PRESIDENT policy
They will be loyal" no longer, for loyalty con-
sisted only in a blind adherence to the Presidents
policy. For some weeks past they have been at
their wits end which horn of the dilemma TO
choose.
Mr.. Conway, Of Louisiana, has returned home,
after having had, with Dir. Kerr, also of that
State, q very satisfactory interview with the
President in relation to the affairs of the State
Mr.. Kerr and some other gentlemen from Loui-
siana had another interview with the President
Yesterday on the same subject. Ii is understood
that as one OF the results of the representation
made by these gentlemen, Governor Wells either
has been or will be appointed as Provisional
Governor OF that State. Ii is understood, also,
that MIR. Wells will be elected Governor AZ the
regular election in Louisiana.
The greatest Of all modern bumbugs, the
Freedmen's Bureau, will very soon be entirely
abolished. | made this statement sometime ago,
and il has now been fully confirmed by General
Howard himself. This really ~estimable officer is
now in North and South Carolina, making a
tour similar to bis recent one in Virginia. l
have received accounts of several speeches which
he has made to the people (the white people, of
those States, in which he urges them to prepare
TO take care OF the negroes themselves "without
subvention of the bureau" At q very large
meeting, attended by the lesding men of North
Carolina. Gen. Howard said emphatically, IL am
authorized by the President TO say that it is the
intention Of the Government to withdraw all the
agents and officers of the Freedmen's Bureau
from all the Southern States as soon as civil
Governments are organized and 90 into opera
ton" There is no mistake or equivocation here,
and this declaration Of Gen. Howard, l know, will
be perused with lively satisfaction by your many
readers in the Southern States.
The officers and clerks Of the Freedmen's Bu-
reau in this city have been swearing terribly
during the last two weeks az the nature of the
business that Gen. Howard cut out and left for
them to do, before he took bis departure. This
was nothing more nor less thar restoring TO the
rightiul owners some thirty or forty estates in
Maryland and Virginia, which had been con6s-
Gated by oyer-zealous "loyslists. The trans
fer. in this case. is made with full formslity, and
is attended with the most rigid accounts of all
the damage that has been done to the estates
The whole amount Of property thus restored is
worth more than 81 900 900. There is not a
single estate, in these two States, now held by
the agents of the Freednen's Bureau, that will
not have to be restored, ultimately. TO its proper
owner.
The Arlington estate, owned by General Lee,
comes under this category. and must be- restored
No application has been made Tor il yet. but. at
the proper time. alter jefferson Davis has been
psrdoned. the estate will, beyond all doubt, be
restored TO lie owuer.
Just as ! close this letter, | learn that II is not
improbable that. before next Christmas. three
chairs in the United States Senate may be occu-
pied by Governor Perry, VI South Carolina,
Governor Snarkey. OF Mississippi. and Alex. H..
Stephens. OF Georgia. The latter. OF course,
will have 70 be pardoned in the interim, but that
is looked upon as q certainty. So mote it be.
f..
The weight and Length Of the Nation
at Debt.