Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-02-12
The Presidents Political Position.

lCorrespondence OF the BOSTON Aaver.is.r n
;s ,hs snhs,s, n, rep. ls6e.-The following
place yesterday morning between ths prss;
dent and a distinguished Representatixs non-
10 tbe 9esro .ne frssaenrs dr speech Of Wednesday
The Representative said some person. fe,.-
ana Others would probably, for personal ~
iacuons ends, endeayor to snow that The Pres
ident was taking sides against the colored pAo
pie, or was at least less fayorably disposed to
ward them than he had been.
The President responded that no one could
falrly and truthfully do that He was now
what be had always been-the friend of the
poor and the lowly. He had never broken
faith with anybody, and If bis past course and
MS former language were not a sum lcient guar
antee that he meant well toward the coIored
people, and would endeayor 10 secure 20 them
falr ehance, nothing be could say or do now
would give any such guarantee. He thought
however, that it was best to speak plainly- ana
he did not believe that the effort now making
hy some who call themselves the negroes spe-
ca cIai irlends, TO force universal suffrage upon
tne States, was wise or judicious. He Thought
IL tehded 10 embitter feelings, while our effort
should be TO cultivate calmness and confidence
ne oelleyed II would result in great injury 70
the prospects OF the colored people He did
not know whether Mr.. Douglass and his
irlenos expected him 10 talk 10 them; but he
thought 1t best TO take the opportunity TO state
his views. He would repeat that he was IL he
knew his own heart, the colored mans friend.
He had great faith in the people, and would
endeayor TO carry out their will
At thtRItStuItllNt Ulen SdlO tldt some per-
sons might take or profess 10 take the PTesi-
dents speech as an indication that he was a.
variance with his party friends, and that some
oiners might endeayor TO found upon IL the
charge that he was preparing to 20 over
The President smiled, and answered that il
the party which opposed his election indulRed
In any great expectation on that score thew
We're likely TO be disappointed Ne might
dlner with individuals of what was called the
Union party as TO the means to be used, but he
considered himself in general accord with that
party, as whole, in the ends TO be reached
he was not party man, and he meant 20 sink
the partisan in the patriot. But, so far as he
understood the sentiments Of the Union party,
he vas in general accord with il.
The Representative finally, after further
consideration. said something about the distri-
butlon OF offices, about executive patronage.
The President remarked that he was the SER
want OF the whole people, but ne could not en-
tlrely forget by what party he had been placed
In MS present position. and supported in the
administration Of the duties entrusted to him.
He proposed to fight his battles within the
lines OF the party which elected him 10 Office
be might differ with some Of his friends, and
he should feel wholly at liberty TO differ,
ana 10 state the ground OF his contrary belief or
opinion; but he considered himself identified
win the great Union party, and had no desire
or intention of being found outside. He intend-
to yield II when he found il was not sustained
by the judgment OF the people. He had no
sympathy with those who opposed the war for
The Union, and while he hoped the whole
country would approve the endeavor to restore
the Union, he could not forget that some men
favored and some opposed the cause of the
Union when il was in peril.