Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1866-09-20
THE BEECIIER LETTERS.
statement I'm regard to john
sons ApOstacy, from, Horace
GrePIy.

New IoRK, September 1.-THE follow
ing statement touching the recent Beechcr
letters, appears over the full signature Of
Horace Greedy, in this mornings Tribune:
Il was one of the many who early appre-
hendcd and anxiously deprecated breach
between Congress and the President. Soon
after our last State election. and before the
assembling of the present Congress. went
mot uninvited) to- Washington, expressly
| to guard against such difference Being
admitted to an interview with the Presi-
dent, | urged him to call to Washington
three of the most eminent and trusted ex-
pOsitOrs Ol Northern anti-slayery sentiment.
and three equally eminent and representa-
tive Southern ex-rebels. and ask them to
take up their residence at the White House
for week. or fortnight, SO long as they
might find it necessary, while they, by a
free and friendly conference and discus
sion, should earnestly endeavor to find a
common ground. whereon the North and
the South should be, not merely reunited,
but made evermorc fratcrnal and harmo-
nious. | suggested that the President
should occasionally. IA he could find time.
drop in on those conferences. and offer
such suggestions as he should deem fit.
rather as a moderator or "a common friend.
than rs party to the discussion. and sug-
gcstion of names being invited. proposed
Gov. Andrew of Tennessee. Gerritt Smith
of New York, and Judge II. =. Spaulding
of Ohio, as three who seemed to be fair
representatives Of the anti-slavery scnti
ment in the North while neither were cS-
pecially obnoxious To. nor disposed to deal
harshly with. the South; and | added that
hoped that they would be met by men
like General X. +. Lee, \. III. Stepens. &c
who would be recognized and needed by
the South as men in whose hands her hon
or and true interests would bc safe; but |
added that | had no special desire that
these or any particular men should he Sc
lected. wishing only that those chosen from
either section should be such a. to COM
mand their peoples confidence and sup
port, and pledged myself to support to
the extent of my power, any adjustment
that should thus be matured and agreed
upon.
''SOmc two months later, after the meet
ing of Congress. and when the political
sky had become darker. | went to Wash
ington on the assurance Ofa mutual friend
that the President desired 10 see me. The
Joint Committee on Reconstruction had
then been appointed. At an interview
promptly accorded. urged the President
to invite the Committee to the White House
anl discuss with them from evening to
evening, as friend with friend, all the pha-
ses OF the grave problem of reconstruction.
with fixed resolve to find basis of
agreement. ii possible. urged such con-
siderations as occurred to me i'm favor of
the feasibility of such agreement. If il were
earnestly sought. as felt sure il would bc
on the side of Congress The vast patron
aye i'm the Presidents hands. the reluctance
of the majority of Congress to see their
friends, supporters and nominees expelled
from office. and their places supplied by
bitter adversarics. the natural anxiety of
every party in power To maintain cordial
relations with the Government head cho-
sen by its vOters-these and thousand
kindred considerations rendered morally
certain an agreement between Congress
and the President. without a sacrifice of
principle ON either hand, if the latter
should earnestly seek it.
Il speak only of what | said and propO-
sed, because l have no permission and no
right 10 speak further That my sugges-
tions were not followed. nor anything akin
to them, the public sadly knows, and the
conclusion to which have been most re-
luctantly forced is that the President did
not want harmony with Congress; that he
had already made up his mind to break
with the party which had elected him, and
seek a further lease of power through the
favor and support OF its implacable enc
mics"