Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-04-11

We take the following from the Washington cor
respondence Of the Cincinnati Gazette:
The very emphatic manner in which Mr.. Seward
affirmed, few evenings since that he originated
the late published polcS of President johnson has
set many men TO thinking here; and the fact that,
coupled with this statement, Mr.. Seward made use
of some very contemptuous expressions in speaking
Of Mr.. Johnson added new complications to the
matter This conversation was related to the Pres
ident and although he 10th to believe it. it ex-
cited his suspicious that his Secretary was playing
false with hina-possiby using him for purposes Of
his own. AT any rate, Mr.. Seward, through his
friends, is now attempting to deny the reports made
in regard TO his conversation; but it neither be
denied nor its point blank statements explained
away The purpose of proclsiming himself as the
originator OF this plan, and his haste to deny hav-
ing spoken contemptuously Of the President will
appear in clearer light in connection with some
other matters and especial attention is asked for
the facts which are now presented.
The following conversation occurred in Demopo-S
lis, Alabama in November last, which, in view of
the late events assumes a deep significance. The
parties TO this conversation were one of the promi
nent politicians of the South, who before the war
was member of the Cincinnati and Baltimore
Democratic Conventions, and during the a staff
officer high in position in the Confederate army,
and the other was Union officer, well known in
the West, who had gone South to purchase a plan.
taton, and was at first mistaken for Southern
man.
The conversation turned upon what course the
South would pursue since the failure of their arms.
The first named party stated that the matter had al
ready been earnestly considered by Southern poti-
clans, and they had come to this conclusion; that
the South must bend all her energies to securing the
next President; that they must submit to any buse
or ordinations and only perform such acts as SEEM
ed absolutey necessary to satisfy the North 1t had
been decided that the South could not elect aSouth-
ern man. and that to make the success sure, they
must have man who could carry either Pennsyl-
! vania or New York and they had concluded that
of these two States, New York was the most avail
able for their purpose and the most easily bought.
If then, they could find man who could carry
New York, even when put forward as Southern
candidate they were perfectly sure to succeed, and
that in case they did succeed in getting back into
power, they would soon settle their accounts with
the North. 1t was stated further, that they had
fixed upon the man; that negotiations had already
been opened with him, and looked very promising;
and finally it came out that William I'll. Seward
| was the man. To the objection that the author of
the irrepTessbe conflict and lifelong ant-slave-
ry man. could not possibly receive the votes of the
South 1t was replied that the South was unit for
any man who could carry New York, and who
would give proper pledges beforehand.
Sueh in brief is the substance of statement
| made in November last, and the names OF the par
ties and all the circumstances connected with the
matter can be given if needed. The facts have been
| in possession of one of our most prominent Con-
gressmen since the beginning of the session. but they
| made little impression until the late remarkable
/ conduct of Mr.. Seward called them to mind. The
person who heard this conversation was impressed
by the of the speaker, by his position, and
all the circumstances connected with the OCCASION
| that he besought the Congressman to whom he re-
lated it. to keep close watch on Mr.. Stewards
tions, as he thoroughly convinced that the
versation was a correct exposure of the plan upon
which rebel politicians then working.
Mr.. Seward has stated privately within short
time that he is TO be the next President and he ex-
poets the support of the South