The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-20

government. Doubtless in my appoint
nents-some four thousand-some have
been appointed who ought not to have
been, and in some cases even friends
have misled to some slight extent by
their recommendations; but upon the
whole, only loyal Union men have been
appointed and recommended at wash
ington. 1t is my purpose and wish to
encourage and strengthen those who
have never at heart faltered In their al
legiance to the Federal government.
NV. w. HOLDEN.
.GREEsvILLR, s. C, Aug. 2S, 1865.
His Ercelency President johnson:
"The report is wholly untrue that true
Union inen are totally ignored, and the
provisional governors are giving de.
cided preference to those who partici.
pated in the rebellion. So far as l am
concerned, all my sympathies are with
the Union men; but there are many pow
seeking Office as Union men VINO were
never heard of as such In the reoeiiion.
Their latent Unionisnl has brought 70
light by the hope of Office. nave al
ways given preference 10 Integrity,
capacity and loyalty. Thefe were not
dozen decided Union men In the wnoie
state at the commencement of the rebel
lion, and none of them have sought Of
ices. The great mass Of the people in
South Carolina are now sincerely loyal,
and will defend the Union as readily as
they once attempted to separate from it.
If have ever given preference over q
pretended Union man, it was because
doubted his fitness and principles, as
we'll as his Unionism.
"B. F. PERRY"
MACON, Ga, September 2, 1865.
sHis Escsllency, Pcsident JoNmson:--
II have uniformly given preference to
Union men in my recommendations
When this is not the case it is because
of imposition, or because there is nc
other application for the place. By gen
eral order directed all the State Off GERS
to proceed in the discharge Of the func
tons of their offices, and this, as q mat
ter of course, embraced obnoxious men
who will be removed on application.
J. JOHNSON"
AUSTIN TEXAS September Q, 1894
ITO the President Of the United States =
1.-THE report to which, you refer a
being circulated about Washington, to
the effect that in my appointment to OF
flee, Union men are ignored, and pref
erence given to those who have partici
pated in the rebellion, is a most unmiti
gated and malignant falsehood. The re-
verse of the story is true. My. actor
thus far is Endorsed by the Union mel
of the State. s
A. J. HAMILTON"
The purport of this circular letter o
of the 22d of August, to which thes'
six answers were returned, appear
IN the Presidents Geographic despatch
of the 9th of the same month to Gov
ernor Holden, in answer to his of thu
previous day. The President says:
my telegram was merely intended
to call your attention to the impression
being ma lie by those who are opposed tt
the southern states resuming their for
mer relations with the Federal Cavern
ment, and in making appointments, tt
guard against it az far as practicable, ant
thereby deprive them of all excuse fol
opposing restoration of state govern
ments.'
Who the President meant by tn,
phrase "those who are opposed to th'
southern states resuming their former
relations with the Federal Govern
ment" appears from his despatch of the
18th of August to Governor Sharkey Of
Mississippi, in which he says:
"If you could extend the elective
franchise to all persons of color who car
read the Constitution of the United
States in English and write their names
and to all persons of color who own real
estate valued at not less than $3.50 and
pay taxes thereon, you would completely
disarm the adversary and set an example
the other states will follow. 1 hope and
trust your convention will do this; and
as a consequence, the radicals, who are
wild upon negro franchise, will be COM
pletely foiled in their attempt to keeE
the southern states from resunling theiI
relation to the Union, by not accepslng
their senators and representatives.
The President seems to have realized
very clearly that his policy of recon-
struction would be opposed by at least
strong minority of Congress, and so,
on the I'd Of September, he says to Gov
ernor Perry of South Carolina, that 'Hit
is all-important that you proceed with
the work of restoration as rapidly as pos
sible, and upon such principles as will
disarm those who are opposed to the
States resuming their former relations
with the Federal government"
Governor Perry, indeed, seems to
have been quite as anxious to get into
Congress as it was desirable he should
be. AS early as Sept. % he telegraphs,
"Our people are all loyal, and it is said
I am to be sent to the United States
Senate" On the 9th of October, again
he says, "My election to the Senate is
pretty certain, and hope that my SER
vices as provisional governor will not be
needed longer than till the meeting of
Congress !" and afterwards he modestly
II was yesterday elected
United States senator by very fiatter-
ing vote" That he made discovery
Or two as the day for the assemblage of
Congress drew near, is evident from the
correspondence between him.