The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-09-20
GREELEY ON JOHNSON
NEW YORK. Sente

NEW YORK, september IL.
The following statement touching the re
cent Beecher letter, appears over the full
signature of Horace Greeley, in this morn
ing's Tribune -
81 was one of the many who early appre
hended and anxlously deprecated breach
between Congress and the President. Soon
after our last State election, and before the
assembling of the present Congress, went
unlimited, to Washington, expressly to guard
against such a difference Being admitted
to an interview with the President, urged
him to call to Washington three of the most
eminent and trusted expositors of Northern
anti slavery sentiment, and three equally
eminent and representative Southern ex- reb-
els, and ask them to take up their residence
at the White House for week or fortnight,
SO long as they might find necessary, while
they, by free and friendly conference and
discussion, should earnestly endeavor to find
a common ground wherein the North and
the South should be not merely reunited,
but made evermore fraternal and harmoni-
GUS. | suggested that the President should
occasionally, as he could find time, drop in
on these conferences, and offer suggestions
as he should deem fit, rather as a modera-
tor, or common friend, than as a party in
the discussion and suggestion of names
being invited, proposed Governor Andrew,
of Massachusetts,, Gerrit Smith, Of New
York, and Judge R. p, Spaulding, of Ohio,
as three who seemed to me fair representa-.
tives of the anti slavery sentiment of the
North, while neither were specially obnox.
ious to nor disposed to deal harshIy with
the South, and L added that hoped they
would be met by men like General Robert
E. Lee, Alexander H. Stephens, ETC., who
would be recognized and needed by the
South as men in whose hands their honor
and true interests would be SAFE But
added that had no special desire that these
or any particular men should be selected,
wishing only that those chosen from either
section should be such as to command their
peoples confidence and support, and pledg
ed myself to support, to the extent of my
power, any adjustment that should thus be
matured and agreed upon. Some two months
later, after the meeting of Congress, and
when the political sky had grown darker, |
went to Washington on the assurance of a
mutual friend that tie President desired to
see me. The Joint COMMITTEES ON Recon-
struction had then been appointed At an
| interview promptly accorded | urged the
President to invite this committee to the
White House, and discuss with them frou-
evening to evening, as friend with friend, all
the phases OF the vexed question of recon
struction, with fixed resolve to find ba.
sis of agreement, if possible. | urged as
occurred to me in favor of tie feasibility O
such agreement, if it were earnestly sought
as | felt sure it would be, on the side o.
of Congress. The vast patronage in tht
Presidents hands, the reluctance of the ma
jority of Congress to see their friends, sup
porters and nominees expelled by wholesale
from office, and their places supplied by bit
ter adversaries the natural anxiety OF eve
ry party In power TO maintain cordial rea
lions with the head of the Government
chosen by its votes these, and a thOusanl
kindred considerations, rendered morally
certain an agreement between Congress,
and the President, without sacrifice of priu
ciple on either hand, if the latter should sin
cerely seek it. speak only of what | saic
and proposed, becauseI have no permission
and no right to speak further That my
suggestions were not followed, nor anything
akin to them, the public sadly knows, ant
the conclusions to which l have been reluc
family forced is that the President did no
want harmony with Congress, that he ha,
already made up his mind to break with th,
party which had elected him, and seek ;
further lease of power through the fayo
and support of implacable enemies. y
u Sixty two PASSENGER traipe non, o~;