Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-02
nULLYING THE PRESIDENT.
senator Wilson Tries His Hand af
the Game---what ne Got--The Sub
ject of Reconstruction as Viewed by
the Radicals

1 the A0OfcalS.
| Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribune.l
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 1860.
| In my last letter / made allusion to the
| fact that certain Western members OF Con-
| gress had had interviews with the President
| since the passage of Mr. Wilson's resolution,
| during which the subject of reconstruction
was freely discussed, and that their impress
sions as to his future course had not been
very favorable j confined myself to this
| general statement, as did not at the time
feel at liberty to 60 into particulars. 4 am
now permitted to give the subioined full YER
| sion of what took place on the stated oeca-
| sion.
| Mr.. Wilson, with whom frank, straight
forward action in all things is leading
! characteristic, had been anxious for some
time to have an early, free and full exchange
of opinion with the President, reiative to re
| construction. He desired to express his own
views upon the policy pursued by the gov
| ernment toward the rebel States, which he
knew to be identical with those of the major
! ity of the House, with the utmost frankness
TO the Executive, and if possible, elicit from
him clear definition of the hne OF action
he meant to pursue toward Congress
whether he meant to recognize the right OF
congress 10 uctcTluklS upOl tuC ulONO vi
reorganizing and restoring the rebel States
| to the Union according to the views of the
majority of both Houses, or whether his pur-
pose was to bring the influence of patronage,
and other agencies at his command, to bear
| in order TO secure an Endorsement and adop-
| ton of his own plan of reconstruction.
The passage Of Mr.. Wilson's resolution by
a vote thoroughly testing the sense of the
great majority of the House upon the Pres
| ident's Southern policy, on Thursday last,
| furnished proper occasion for the mutual
| explanation he desired, and hence he sought
| the White House in company with his col
| league, Mr.. Price, on the evening of the same
| day. The President received his visitors
very cordially, and upon au Introductory re-
mark of Mr.. Wilson, announcing the object
| of their call, invited them TO an unreserved
expression of opinions and suggestions.
Thereupon Mr.. Wilson proceeded 70 say sub
stantially as follows:
Mr.. President, you have, no doubt, been
informed of the resolution offered to-day in
the House and of the vote upon it. In ex-
PLANTATION of il, / wish to say, that neither
myself nor the rest of the majority voting for
it, are disposed to make any distinction be-
tween Tennessee and the other States, lately
engaged in rebellion, in cur preliminary ex-
animation into their respective claims to
representation in Congress. At the same
time, the Joint Committee of Fifteep may,
and probably will, extend to the former State
priority of consideration by taking up and
disposing of its case first, and to this the ma
iority will not oppose" Passing from this
special, to the general subject of reconstrue-
ton at large, Mr.. Wilson continued: Il
am aware that there are men in Con-
gress, styling themselves Conservatives that
claim to be your friends par excellence.
Now, do not hesitate to avow that am
what is commonly called Radical" /
contributed, in my humble way, all ] could
to the success of the party that placed You
in power Hence | claim the right 10 call
myself the friend of your administration.
Myself and those acting with me in Congress
age ali friendly to it and desire its entire
success. But we think, and with us our con-
stituencies, that by your plan of reconstruc-
| ton tkat result is not likely to be attained.
| We hold, at the same time, that there is one
way in which it could be reached. In our
| opinion, your efforts to reorganize the rebel
| States and restore them to the Union, after
| an uninterrupted trial of some seven months,
| have not proved successful to the extent re-
| quired to insure the future peace, safety, and
prosperity of the country. Congress, IN pur-
| suance of what it considers its solemn duty,
| now proposes, after due investigation of the
whole subject to devise, if possible, some
better plan of reorganization and restoration.
The plan Congress will probably adopt will
be to submit such amendments to the Con-
stitution as will, if accepted by the State
| Legislatures, furnish ample guarantees for
the future The majority of Congress expect
and ask that, while engaged IN investigating
! the whole subject of reconstruction, and de-
vising some new plan, it may be left free to
act as it may deem best, and that no at
tempt be made by the Executive to inter-
| fere with and influence its action by the
| distribution of patronage, or IN any other
wav. IL thus left free by you, there
J can be no possible difficulty between the
| executive and legislative branches of
the Government. But if you are dis
posed to interfere with Congress, by pat
ronage or otherwise, and force your peculiar
| ideas aud plans upon Congress and the coun-
| trv. YOU will meet with serious opposition
by those who are now the friends of your adj
| ministration. and desire sincerely to make 1t
successful. The plan Congress will probably
adopt will not render it necessary for you to
| surrender any of your own views in relation
to reconstruction. In as much as under the
| Constitution of the United States, you can
not be asked to approve the resolutions of
| Congress submitting certain amendments to
i the Constitution, you will not be respon-
I sible for our action, but we will be RESPONSE
| lie for il to our constituents, who will be
| called upon to determine upon the merits OF
our plan of reconstruction. Hence there
Willie no occasion for serious differences be-
| tween rcae Executive and Congress, if each
| branch ef che government simply leaves the
! other TO do what it may consider its duty.
| And let meaa@ this the so called conserva-
| tives of Congress. the men who claim to be
your exclusive faeads go with you to-day
| because they think Il to their advantage TO
J do SO; but they will oppose you tomorrow,
| if they shall find 1t to fhejr disadvantage to
support y0u. You will find in the end that
| the men who differ from you to-day from
sincere convictions, and honest patriotic mo-
| tiyes. are much more reliable and trust
| worthy friends than these time servers"
The President, in reply, stated that he
| was anxious to avoid division among the
\ friends of his administration in Congress;
| that he would regret to see any difficulties
ar;se between them and the Executive lie
| then proceeded to review at length his pol
| lev OF reconstruction, -eiterating the points
| mi IS support made in his published speeches,
and more lately in his message; but said
| nothing tkat could be construed into an adj
mission of rs failure. On the contrary, he
seemed to be fully persuaded of its present
and future success. Nor did he say. word
| indicating an SSfention TO abstain from IN
reference with Congress in legislation upon
reconstruction. He did not say that he
would interfere; bat neither did he commit
himself to the opposite line of action. How
ever pressed by Mr.. Wilson in this diree-
| ton. he would not give the assurance desired
! of him. That he would have made for
NAL disclaimer Of a purpose to meddie with
| Congress, If he did not entertain II, may be
/ fairly presumed And this Eas the impress
sion left by the tone and tenor OF his re-
marks upon the minds of his visitors.
MORE SIGNS OF THE FUTURE
The process of forming an administration
marty in Congress, with the conservative
members Of the Union majority IN both
| Houses as nucleus, and no doubt the out
r;ebt Opposition as contingent accession,
nroQresses steadily. Perhaps the most sig-
nifcant step yet taken in It Is the holding o.
s..r,arate cancusses. This has been done once
Al least since the passage Of Mr.. Wilson's
resoIution. The call was for meeting Of
the supporters Of the Presidents peliey, for
4 Io..asrer aou1p r.paua of