The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-08-20
Interview Between President John.
SON ana me C6lni.hittee AppOlnted

by the PhilndeIphIa Convention.
NEW YORK, Aug. is.4About i O'Clock
the committee, headed by a band OF
music, reached the White House. They
were conducted into the east room by
Marshal Gooding, and SO arranged as
to form circle. The delegates to the
Convention were then ushered in and
took position in the rear of the COM
mfttee. President Johnson soon an
Peared, accompanied by Secretaries
McGulloch, Welles, Browning, and
Postmaster General Randall. The Hon,
Reverdy Johnson then advanced and
said:
Mr.. PREsIDENT-We are before you
as committee of the National Union
Convention, which met in Philadelphia
on Tuesday, the 14thinst., charged with
the duty of presenting you with an au-
thenticateds copy of the proceedings.
Before placing 1t in your hands Won
will permit us to congratulate you that
in the object for which the Convention
was called, in the enthusiasm with
which every State and Territory re.
harmony of its deliberations, in the
unanimity with which the principles it
has declared was adopted, and more es-
pecially in the patriotic and constitu-
ttonal character of the principles them.
selves, we are confident that you and
kn6 CpuutEy VIII. s11uu REhtllYlQE and
cheering evidence that there exists
amongst us public sentiment which
renders an early and complete restora-
ton of the Union as estab lished by the
Constitution. Certain Inevitable party
factions seeking the continuance of its
misrule may molnentarily delay 1t, but
the principles of political liberty, for
which our fathers successfully con-
tended, and to secure which they
adopted the Constitution, are SO
glaringly inconsistent with the
condition in which the country
has been placed by such misrule that
1t will not be permitted much longer
duration. We wish, Mr.. President,
you could have witnessed the spirit of
concord and brotherly affection which
was manifested by every member of
the Convention. Great as your conf
dence ever has been in the Intelligence
and patriotism of your fellow citizens
in their deep devotion to the Union,
and in their present determination to
maintain 1t, that confidence would have
become a positive conviction If you
could have seen and heard all that was
done and said on the occasion. Every
heart was evidently full of Joy, every
eye beamed with patriotic animation,
dependency gave place to assurance
ended; that the blissful reign of peace
under the projection, not of arms, but
of the Constitution and laws would
have sway, and be inlevery part of our
land cheerfully acknowledged, and in
perfect good faith obeyed, you would
not have doubted that the recurrence
of dangerous domestic instruction in
the future is not to be unprecedented. If
you could have seen, sir, the men OF
Massachusetts and South Carolina
coming into the Convention on the first
day of its meeting, hand in hand amidst
body, awakened by heartfelt gratifica-
ton at the sight, the eyes of thousands
with tears of joy which they neith-
er could or desired to suppress,
you would feel as every person
present felt, that the time had ar
rived when all sectional or other peri
lous dissensions had ceased, and that
but the reign of harmony proclaiming
devotion to a common country, of pride
in being bound together by common
union, existing and protected by the
forms of a government proved by ex-
perience to be eminently fitted for the
exigencies of either war or peace. In
the principles announced by tho con-
Yention and in the feeling there mani
tested we may have every assurance
that harmony throughout the entire
land will soon prevail. We know that
as in former days, as was eloqNently
NY NSg6l6EN- tu6 ulOSJ
gifted statesman, massachusetts and
South Carolina went shoulder to should.
er through the revolution and stood
hand in hand around the Administered
ton of Washington and felt his own
great arm lean on them for support
So will they again with like unanimity,
devotion and power stand round your
that you may also lean on them for
support. In the proceedings, Mr..
President, which we are to place in
your hands you will find that the con-
vention performed the duty Imposed
upon them by their knowledge of your
devotion to the constitution, the tax
and interests of your country as illus
trated by yonr entire presid ential career,
of declaring that in you they recognize
Chief Magistrate of the nation and
equal to the great crisis in which
your lot Is cast, and this declaration 1t
gives us unmixed pleasure 10 ado, that we
are confident that the Convention have
but spoken the Intelligent and patriotic
sentiment of the country, ever inacceS-
sible to the low influences which often
control mere partizan, and governing
alone by an honestopinion of Oonstitu-
tional obligations and rights, and of the
duty of looking solely to the true in
terests, safety and honor of the nation.
Such class is incapable ofresorting to
any sale for popularity at the expense
of public good. In the measures which
YOU have adopted for the restoration of
the Union, the Committee of the Union
Convention saw onlya continuance of
the policy, which, for the same purpose,
was inaugurated by your Immediate
predecessor. His reelection by the peo-
pie, after that policy had been fully in
dictated, and had been made one of the
issues Of the contest, those of his politi-
cal friends who are now assailing you
for sternly pursuing It, forgetting or re-
CARELESS of the opinion which their sup
port of his reelection necessarily in
volved. Being upon the same ticket
with that much lamented public SER
want, whose foul assassination touched
the heart of the civilized world with
grief and horror, you had been false If
you hadSnot endeavod to carry out the
same policy; and judged now by the
opposite one which Congress has pur-
sued, its wisdom and patriotism are
indicated by the fact that Congress
has but continued broken Union by
keeping ten of the States in which at
one time the insurrection existed, as
far as they could accomplish it,
In the condition of subjugated
provinces denying to them the right
to- be represented, whilst subiectfng
their people to every species of 1egisla-
tion, including that Of taxation; that
such state of things is at war with. the
very genius of our government, incon-
sistent with every idea of political free
dom and most perilous to the safety of
the country. No rejecting man can
fail TO believe; we hope sirI that the pro-
ceedings of the Convention will cause
you TO adhere, If possible, with even
greater tirmneSs to the course which
the people are with you, and that the
Sgfst NJ hitch lies neta Fpaf tn their. haa Jfs