The Portland daily press., 1866-02-10

The following interesting extract is copied
from the report of the interview between Pres
ident johnson and the delegation of colered
people, headed by Frederick Douglass. The
President said:
The colored man went into this rebellion
slave: by the operation of the rebellion he
came out a freedman-equal to freedman in
any other portion of the country. Then
there is a great deal done for him on this
noint. The non-slaveholder who was forced
into the rebellion, and was as loyal as those
that lived beyond the limits of the State. and
his property, and in number of instances the
lives of such were sacrificed, and he who has
survived has come out Of it with nothing gain
ed but great deal lost. Now, upon pr1nci-
pie of justice should they be placed in condi
ton different from what they were before ?
On the one hand one has gained a great deal.
On the other hand one has lost a great deal,
and in a political point of view scarcely stands
where he did before. Now we are talking
about where we are going to begin. We have
got at the hate that existed between the two
races. The query comes up whether these
two races, situated as they were before, with
out preparation, without time for passion and
excitement to be appeased and without time
for the slightest improvement, whether the
one should be turned loose upon the other and
be thrown together at the ballot box with
this en1nity and hate existing between them?
The question comes up, if right there we don't Z
commence a war of races? i think undele
stand this thing; and especially is TINS tneease
when you force it upon people Without their
consent. .-..,,ir., .1,,.,y euia- Lllg /
You have spoken about government Where
ia mower derived from ? We say it is derived
from the people. Let us take it SO, and refer
TO The District of Columbia by way Of Illus
g tration. Suppose, for instance, here in this
political community, which to certain ex-
tent must have government, must have law
and, putting it now. upon the broadcast basis
you can put it, take into consideration the re-
iation which the white has hitherto borne to
the colored race--is it proper to force upon
this community, without their consent, the
elective franchise without regard to color.
making it universal? No! Where do YOU be.
gin Government must have a controlino
power--must have Judgement Forinstance.
suppose Congress should pass law aGuthoriz-
ing an election to be held, at which all over
81 years of age, without regard to color, should
. be allowed to vote, and majority should de-
eide at such election that the elective franchise
should not be universal, what would YOU do
about it? Who would settle it? Do you de-
nv that irst great principle of the right of
the people to govern themselves? Will YOU
resort to an arbitrary power and say raajori-
ty of the people shall receive state Of things
they are opposed to no dsgq SO d9l9l o. 9li I
Mr.. Douglass that was said before the
war. 81 .,.f .du, i,s esesuG 5d5 - sIUot
The President am now talking about a
principle what somebody else said.ii o.
Mr.. Downing-Apply what you have said,
Mr.. President, to South Carolina, for in
stance. II gfstgi gfs7ss g Il iIl.a II 'l9siq al
The President-suppose you 20 to South
Carolina = suppose you go to Ohio - that
ldosn't change the principle at all. The query
to which Ihave referred still comes up. When
government is undergoing a fundamental
Change. YOU propose now. 20, incorporate info
II an element that did not exist before saw
tbe onerv copes nm in n,,derfa king tl,;s tb;nr1
,uhs dy we have r;obt ~ slib
regard to the elective franchiseaiinT Obio Sor
instance: wbetherawe shall NOT let the nebr,ie
;o-fI,of State .deciie ( fos3 tliaos.Iyass FEaob
..on,n,nnitv is better nretsrr To q tia
denoeitnry If its nojiticaI hover tha, ~
bogJ eIse. and n. Is for tbe IT .aoisia t,,t H.
the neonle of Ohio--to saw who shall vota ana
not or the CONGRESS- of t6e Tnited States III
,,,;obt or down here tn the halJot nov ~ y,o
-ov4 ana vote directly fiu. nn;v,rsaT $685..
Int If a great majority Of the neonIe SAID NJ NJ
sbonId consider it wofld be- Il, ne
n aItennt ta force such Iinon Then, Tc;tiot
+f,e;,. viii IN lie fmdsmentaI ~
INV creed that tha nee,,le mnst he nIeSsd ne r,
+bora anvtI,ino tvr6no in fI,at9fG = Hi ~
h Mr. Douelass dIsn1iline.l --iAo onrnat I5aai
WRONG. Mr. President. with all resnect, )r''fT
" me Pyasidant-Itis tbe neonJe i,f III cFo+as
+,at y,nst fo,. themselves deterToina tls tfinSr
10 :, ~ want Ia he enoaoed IN . yror, Y,st
will commence war of races T,want to ne.
civ; the work Of preparation. and tI;e States ~
he neonje in each co1fifnlnifv! If a man al
r.eaps himself we'll and shows evidence tbst
tbis new state of affairs will operate he viii III
nrofected in all his rights and be given eynrvg5
POSSIBLE advantage by that corni,ipnitv o WhaHn
fFey become reeonciied socially and politicaiiy
to certain things, then will this new order Of
things work harnoniously; but forced upon
the people. before they are prepared for 1t, it
will be resisted ana work ihllarmonIously. /
feel a conviction that driving this matter upon
the peopie-upon the commnity-w result
in the injury OF both races and the ruin of one
the good of the whole human race. I would
that 1T were SO tnat all you advocate could be
done IN the twinking OF an eye; but it is not
in the nature OF things, and do not assume
or pretend 70 pc WISER IMAM IMAM providence, or
stronger than the laws OF nature. Let us now
seek to discover the laws governing this thing.
There Is great law eontfolns It, let US en-
deavor to hnd OUT what that law Is, and con-
form our actionS 70 IT, All Inc deranS will
then properly adJust themselves ana work out
well in the end GOD Knows that anything
can do VIII 40 IN tne migniy process by which
the great END Is 70 De reached. Anything I
can do to elevate the races to soften and anne
liorate their eonaition Will DO, and:to be able
to do SO IS the sincere desire 81 my heart. 1
am glad to have met you, and thank you for
the compliment you nave PAD me.
MI DougiassEi nave 10 return l you, our
THANKS, Mr. resioen1, iof so kinhdly granting
H. us TINS interview. !. we dld not come mere ex-
pecnns 70 ars.e LnIs questlon win your 'Ex-
ceileicy' po: IhnPy ~ $3.50 "nat WeTe our
views ara WISHES "a N, .ne premises. Ii we were
dlsposed W a.Sas .ne dues.ion' anu you ould
gram US PERMISSION, % COURSE :, we would en-
deayor TO controVert some OF the posltlons you
nave assumed. ,.,...-@ - 80
Inc President-I tnougnt you expected me
toindlcate 10 some extent what my views
were on the SUBJECTS touched upon in your
statement 'qt'9-1.- g 2l@ 81 -'H j % aoi
Mr.. Dougiass-t the President will allow
me would like to say one or two words in