Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-01-01
Union of Conservative Elements.

Union of Conservative Elements.
The account OF the interview between Mr..
Wilson, Of Iowa, and the President, whicI
was published in the Wing Of Saturday, is at
tracing large share Of public attention. Mr..
Wilson, it will be remembered, is the mover
of the resolution that passed the House of Rep
resentatives BY vote of yeas l07, nays Sc, re-
storing to THADDEus STEVENS famous resolu-
ton, providing for the committee ofhtteen, the
clause substantially that was stricken outinthe
Senate. This publication is important IN the
fact that it is an authentic, as it is the most
recent, account of personal interview between
the President and any Of the politicians. 1t Is
important too as showing that the utmost pres
sure of Radical influence, persuasion, protest
and menace, could not shake the Presi
dents steadiast conservatism. All the comfort
Mr.. WILSON received from the interview he
sought, was that the President "seemed to be
fully persuaded Of the present and future sue
cess of his policy''-snd that he did not ''Say
word indicating an intention TO abstain (''by
patronage or otherwise, ) from an interference
with Congress in its legislation upon recon
struction." The inference drawn by Mr.. VIII
son is this-"that he would have made formal
disclaimer of purpose to NEEDLE with Con-
gress if he did not entertain it,"
Cold comfort did Mr.. Wilson get. He asked
for an egg and got stone. he Immediately
published, or authorized the publication Of the
result Of this interview, in the hope, perhaps,
of rsllying the extremists in open opposition to
the President. Thathe haSnot much to expect
from the conservative Republicans may be in
ferred from the manner in which he IS dealt
with by the New York Times. That journal thus
closes a long article on the subject of this at
tempt of Mr.. WILSON, first to allure and then
to intimidate the President into the reversal OF
his policy. Says the Times -" Not one OF
the great States could have been carried on
any other platform than that which approved
his policy and pledged support to his wise and
patriotic efforts 70 restore the Union. That
policy is gaining in strength and popularity
every day. Mr.. WILSON and those who are
acting with him may possibly thwart 1t Tor
time, but they cannot interfere with Its hnal
success. And if they should unhappily succeed
in arraying against it the Union party, as re-
presented in Congress, they will simply COM
pei the President to throw himself upon the
country, without distinction Of party, for sup
port. Unless We have greatly mistaken his
character, he will not shrink from the trial, if
they force it upon him. And, unless we greatly
mistake the temper and spirit OF the American
aa has
never been accorded to any Chief Magistrate
since ANDREW JACKSON. Mr.. WILSON and his
associates, in our Judgment, will prove them
selves very unwiSe men if they force such All
issue upon the President and the people. 1t is
wholly needless and unprovoked. Ii will be
the work of faction, and not ofpatriotism. Its
object is TO perpetuate a narrow and selfish
ascendancy, not to restore and strengthen the
glorious fabric Of our American Republic
They can inaugurate the conflict, but they can
not escape the swift and sure destruction 1t
will bring upon them
This is plain language and must be under
stood as distinctly defining the relation that the
Times newspaper, Mr.. RAYMOND its Editor, and
those who act with him, mean TO hold to the
President. IL is equivalent TO saying TO the
Radicals-.If YOU do not cooperate with the
President in his policy, We will separate from
YOU" In his interview, Mr.. WILSON very
frankly avowed himself "a Radical and he
warned the President against the conservative
Republicans, whom he called "tlme-SeryeTS,
and whom ne described as pretended friends
.1,y harnnsR they think AZ
to their adraRtageto do so, but who will "oppose
Won tomorrow if they shall find it to their dis
advantage to support you"
Such underhand and unkind dealing on the
mart of a self-cOnstituted Radical leader VINO
takes it upon himselfto represent, not the whole
Republican party, but the Radical wing alone
is not calculated to promote harmony between
the two wings 1t has already diSpleased, We
NAV saw, outraged, the conservatives, II we
NAV Judge by its effect upon the temper OF the
Times. II will be observed, too, that the re-
marks of Mr.. WILSON, on this head, proceed
upon the idea and assumption that there Is
Ii,,ision in the Republican party. de speak
Of ssso-called conservatives" and "radicals' -
uis communications to the President cannon
fail TO widen the breach between them hh
only care was to protect the "Radicals." Fol
the "so-called Conservatives" he spoke not one
kind word. On the contrary he denounced
them as insincere and hypocritical, and oad'
the President beware Of them.
A happy day will it be for the country wheT
the final division, pre-hgured by so many signs
shall take place; when the sheep shall be Sc
narrated from the goats, the conservatives iron
the radicals, and all sound men Of all parties
shall rally to the support of the President. II
matters not to US what shall be the name OF the
marty thus formed, OF what may be the antece
dants of the individuals composing 1t. IL ma!
he called Republican, Democratic, Constitu'
tional or Administration party. We care mol
what the name shall be, so that the party ltSeu
shall be animated by the proper feelings anu
nr;neiples, and shall cooperate with the Presi'
dent in restoring the Constitution, the States
and the Union.