The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-09-13
rho PrCsIIcmt....ConxreS4-.--IICnrS
Ward RCCchCr.

FSOm the ", y. Tribune, ~ YucwEty.
Tho persistent efforts of Mr.. SoCcher
to cast blame on tho Republican, major
tty otth0 present Congress nS--ni lOnSt
equally with President JOhnson--re-
Sponatble for tho grave existing differ
ence between Thorn, impels mo, in the
interest of truth and Justice, To make II
st0tomont Of facts.
was one of the muny who curly mp
NrOhOndCd and nnXiOusly deprecated II
brNnch between Congress and the
PrOSitlOnt. Soon after our last
State election, aud before tho assem-
bling OF tho present Congress, | went,
not unlimited, to Washington, CNprOsS-
~ to guard against such II difference.
Being admitted to nm interview with
the President, urged him To call to
Washington three of tho most eminent
aud trusted EXp"Sitors of Northern
Anti-SlnNCry sentiment, and three
equally eminent and representative
southern ON-ltObUlS, and nSk them to
take up their residence at tho White
House for Il week, IL fortnight, 40 long
as they might find necessary, while
they, 10y free and friendly conference
aud discussion, should earnestly en-
ueNNor to lind common ground whore.
on the North and South should 10 not
merely recOncilod, but made oVCrnOrG
trRt0rnUl and harmonious. suggested
TINT the President should occasionally,
as no could find time, drop i'll on these
conferences and offer such suggestions
AS lie should deem Iit--rather as II mol
orator or common friend, tlLnn as IL
party TO tho discussion.
a suggestion OF names being invited,
! proposed these OF Gov. Andrew, of
Massachusetts, Gcrrit Smith, of Now
York, and Judge X. Z. SpNUlding, OF
Ohio, nS three who seemed to mo fair
representatives OF the nmti-SlHVHrv sen
~
ciHlly obnoxious to nor disposed To
deal hnrShly with the South: and ! adj
dcd that hoped they would bc met by
mon like Gen. Robert l.. Ice, AleNnn-
der IL. Stephens. IEC., who would be
recognized and needed by the South as
men i'll whose hands her honor and
truO interests would bO safe. But
added that l had no special desire that
these or any particular men should bc
selected, wishing only that those chosen
from either section should he such ns to
command their peoples confidence and
support. And | Pledged myself to sup
port, TO til" extent of my power, amy
adjustment that should thus bo ma
turGd and agreed upon.
Some two months later, after the
meeting of Congress, and when the po-
liticnl sky had become darker, | went
again to Washington, on tho assurance
of mutual friend that the Presi-
dent desired to SEQ me. The Joint
COMMITTEES on Reconstruction Ind then
been appointed. AT an interview
promptly accorded, l urged the
President To invite this Committee to
tho White House, and discuss with
them, from evening to evening, as
friend with friends, all the phases Of the
grave problem OF Reconstruction, with
IL liked resolve to find II basis of agree
ment il possible. urged such COnsid-
eratiOnS AS occurred to mo In mVOr of
the feasibility of such agreement if it
were earnestly sought, AS ] felt sure it
would he on the side of Congress. The
tho reluctance of the majority in
Congress To- see their friends, support
0rS ind nominees expelled bv whole
sale from office, and their plnCeS sup
piled by bitter Rdversnries-Iho natural
anxiety of every party in power to
maintain cordial relations with the
head of the Government chosen by its
voteS-these, and IL thousand kindred
conscientious, rendered morally GER
tain an agreement between Congress
and the President without II sacrifice OF
principle on either hand, if the latter
should sincerely seek it.
speak only of what said and pro-
posed, because l have no permission
and no right to speak further. That
my suggestions were not followed, nor
anything akin to it, the public Sndly
knows. And tho conclusion to which
have been most reluctantly forced is,
that the President iid not Jrnmi hnrmO-
ny with Congressman he had already
made up his mind to break with the
party which had elected him, and seek
further lease OfpOwer through the IA
Vor and support of his imPlaCRhlc emo
mleS. HORACE GREELEY.