The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-03-09
The Presidents Reconstruction
Policy.

IDENT JOHNSON AND GOVERNOR cox
OF OHIO.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-Gorernor Cox
of Ohio Tonight read a letter. addressed
by himself TO theC mon Central commit
lee of Ohio, before the Representatives In
CONGRESS from that Stale. which gives the
substance OF n conversation had between
the writer thereof and President johnson
on saturday last Governor Cox SAYS the
Presidents policy had simply aimed at
the earliest possible restoration oi peace
on the basis OF LOYALTY No congressional
policy had ever been adopted, and when
he (the President) entered upon the duties
of his Office he was obliged to adopt ole
of his OWN. He had in one sense inherit
I'd that OF Mr.. Lincoln. with which he
thought he agreed, and that WAS sultstan-
TALLY the one which he had carried ont
Congress had no ju>t ground for com-
plaint that he had done -, for they had
not seen tit 10 declare their views or adopt
any measures embod,ing what could be
called a policy OF restoration. He MAS
satisfied that no long continuance OF mill
tary Governors could be tolerated; that
the whole country would properly demand
the restoration of Il truly civil government,
and not TO give il 10 the lately rebclliouS
states would be an admission of the failure
of the administration and of the party
which carried through the war, Military
government alone would not pacify the
south. At the end of 4 long period of
such government we would be no nearer
the end than NOM. and would have The
same work 10 do The proper system Of
paciiication should be one which tended 10
stimulate the LOYALTY of the people, rather
than 10 impose upon them laws and con-
dition> l,y direct external force. Thus IN
case of line ireedmen's bureau. he WAS not
against the idea of :. bureau II tcto, for hc
had used ii and MAS sill u>in. H. He
had contemplated that either hy a procll-
nation of his own or hv some action OF
congress. a condition of peace the teciiml-
cal end of the rebellion would probably lac
declared AT >omc period moi VERY remote.
and, as le understood the prt-eil: law, the
bureau mi @ht continue Il year from that
time. Meanwhile he comid >;lv 10 the
south III depends upon yourselves 10
say whether the bureau shall he di>con-
tinued Ill an earlier day for Viii put an
end 10 it just ;lS >oon IL you by proper ae-
ton for The protection of the freedmen
make il unnecessary Ii the bureau
were TO be made a PERMANENT thing 10y
legislation. all the objections he had ur:sed
in hi> message applied in full force 10 IL
and instead of encouraging the -oTh tn
LOYALTY. would tend 10 make their hatred
ui' the government imcteIaic. The same
principle has ;pciuaicI him in the matter
OF martial law Their own conduct must
determine the matter. ami their own de
sire and interest 10 put dowm disturbances
and outbreaks must la Increased.
Under The same idea hc had aciei I'm IT,
gard 10 the civil affairs of The south gcn-
orally. lie considered the mew stale COY
ernmeni> OF the south :. Success
/ On the subject of representation the
prc>iden; said he wouli admit only such
representatives IL are In tact loral men.
giving satisfactory eNlIelIcc ut This. Nlcl-
ever Il STATE ~ district sent 4 lcy;ll man.
propcrl. el.-cicl ami uDe,lisi,-L hc would
think il RIGHT 10 adm: hi:n the same a. if
from alv other stale. AMI Ia would admit
none but such loy:,l men, 20 ihai Other
states or districts miellt be induced lo eject
similar mcn. When ih,y had ail dome
this their representation wvuld be iull and
the work would bc done lie did nul ;s>A
TO he JUDGE OF elections. eon@re>- w:aS IL
OWN iudge He i;ror,G con@r>-s- iroNid
in@ iur The protection vi ihe freedmen ~
the iiic,l States ccmri> ui inferior ,ll,I-
dicliom In ali ,-;~,,> where STATES do moi 10
- themselves. L! the rei'rl> ami di-l"Hal
men of ,hc north and south rciuiccd uker
tll, Sclo m,->>;l..e. the country would sure
IL haIc no e,lli>e ol ~oirow In that lie
thought that wsl- prori-yly ihe kind ot pa
cliic,lica loral men everywhere would re-
ioice in liz whole i.,-ld WAS wilh the
body of true men who had carried the
country through ii.e MAR. and ll,- earnestly
desired 10 maintain a cordial alI perfect
! understanding with them This >e-nii-
n mcnt alrl purpose hc REGARDED a, entirely
, con>iSten; with hi> determined opposition
10 the obstructive policy "t iho,e cNir-m-
a isis. Who. a, he bcli,Npl. wogl,l Keep the
. country in clac> anil absolute rum ini9ili
: come upon III.