The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-01-03
The Daily N ews.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 8, 1866.
President johnson and the Radicals.
correspondence Of the Chicago Tribuns-Ysstern Rddiea
Or0qu


Correspondence Of The Chicago Tbans-sstern Radical
Organ.l
WASHINGTON, December l9-In my last letter mace
ausion to the fact that certain Western members OF
Congress had had interviews with the Presdene since
the passage of Mr. Wilson resolution during winch .ne
subject of reconstruction was freely dlscusse ana ta
their impressions to his future course had NOT peen
very favorable confined myself to this gtneral state
rnent as did not the time feel at liberty to go INTO
particulars. permitted TO give tne suooineo
full version Of took place on the stated ccaslon
Nfr wilson with whom frank. straightforw ard action
in all things leading characteristic had poem ANXIOUS
for some time 70 lave an early Tree ana 1ui sche VI
onnon with the President relative TO recon strlcton
He desired 10 express his own views upon ihe poncy
,,,rened by :ic Government towards the re el STATES
Which he knew to be dcacal with those Of the majority
of the House. wilt the utmost irankness to the EHcc
tive and if possible. elicit from INN cIca:
of the of action he meant to pursue towras con ION,
>resswhcther he meant to recognize the right oil Con-
Gress TO determine upon the mode OF reorGanizhe anu
restoring the rebel States to the Unon according 10
1;ers of the majority of both houses, or whether us
rnosa was TO bring the influence OF patronage ana
other agencies at his command to BEAR IN orucr 10 Sc
cure an endorsement and adoption Oh us o"n pan Va
reconstruction , :, -,.:o, b,. . ,.oto ttor
onehly testing tho sense great majority OF the
mon the Presidents Southern policy on Thursday last
Frnishe1 nroper occasion for the mutual explanation
he desired and hence he sought the White House, IN
company with his colleague, Mr.. Price, on the evening
of the same day. The President received MS Elsors
very cordially and upon introductory remark from
Mr. Wilson announcing the object OF their can lnVlteu
then, To an expression of opinions and su
gestons Thereupon Mr.. Wilson proceeded TO say SUD-
Btantialy us follows: -. -, ..,
Ks"NIR PEEs1pEHr-You have, no doubt, been inform.
ed of the resolution offered to-day i'll the House ana OF
the vote upon it, In explanation 1i IL WEI mism . ~ y
fo- il are disposcd make any distinction between
Tennessee and the other States lately engaged III
rebellion in preliminary examination INTO lnei re-
nectye claims 10 representation in Congress. at the
sarne time the Committee OF Fifteen may ana pro-
bably will extend TO the former State priority of con-
t,,{, {,1p aOU
and to this the majority will not oppose RAISING from
this special 10 the general subject OF reconstruction a
large. Mr.. Wilson, continued ~ am aware tnas nere
that claim to be your friends par excellence Now no
not hesitate 70 that am what is commonly caued
radical contributed. in my humble way, all could
to the success of the party that placed you in power
Hence claim the right to call myself the rlend OF your
administration Myself and those acting with me IN
Concress are all friendly to it, and desire its entire
success But we think, and with US our constituencies
that BY your plan of reconstruction that result is not
likely to be attained We hoid az tne same tle' tnas
there is one way in which it could be reached In our
opinion your efforts to reorganze the rebel states ana
restore them to the Unon after an uninterrupted trial
of months have proved successful to the
extent REQUIRED to insure the future peace safety and
prosperity of the country. Congress- in pursuance OF
what it considers its solemn duty, now proposes
after due investigation of the whole subject to devise
If possible, better plan of reorganization and res
toraton. The plan Congress will probably adopt will
be to admit such amendments to the Constitution as
will if accented by the State Legislatures furnish ample
guarantees for the future The majority OF Congress e1
poets and ask that while engaged in investigating ne
whole subject of reconstruction and deylsing some
new plan il may be left free to act as 1t may deem
best, and that attempt be made by the Executive
to interfere with and influence its action by the dsr
button of patronage in any other way IT thus LETT
free by you there can be possible difficulty between
tho executive and Legislative branches OF the government
But II you are disposed to interfere with Congress,
by patronage otherwise and force your peculiar
ideas and plans upon Congress and the country, you
will meet with serious opposition by those that are now
to mako it successful The plan Congress will probably
adopt will not render necessary for you 20 surrender
any of your views in relation to reconstruction
Inasnuch as under the Constitution Of the United States
you cannot be asked to approve the resolutions Of Con-
gress submitting certain amendments to the Constitu-
Hon you will not be responsible for action; but
will be responsible for it to constituents, who arc
called on to determine upon tue merits OF our plan OF
reconstruction Hence there will be no occasion for Sc
rious differences between the Executive and Congress,
II each branch Of the Government simply leaves The
other to do what It eonsides its duty And let me add
that claim to be yorr exclusive friends go with You to-
ay because they think 1t is to their advantage to do So
but they will oppose you tomorrow tney s1au n9n @
that it is to their disadvantage to support ou You will
find In the end that the men who dher from you to-
day. sincere convictions and honest patriotic mo-
tves, much moro reliable and trustworthy friends
than these tine.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 any difficulties
arise between them and the Executive. He then pro-
ceeded to review at length his policy of reconstruction
reiterang the points i'll support OF 1t made IN nus pup
said nothing that could be construed into an admission
of its failure On the contrary, no seemed to be fully
persuaded of its present and future success Nor dl
he say word indicating an intention to abstain from
interference with Congress in its legislation upon recon
struction He did say that he would interfere; but
neither did he commit himself to the opposite Line Of
action However pressed by Mr. Wilson in this drec
tion he would not give tho assurance desired of him.
THAT heawould have made formal disclaimer Of pur
nose to medde with Congress- if he did not entertain
it. may be fully presumed And this was the impression
left BY the tone and tenor OF his remarks upon the
minds of his visitors.
Tho process of forming an administration party in
Congress- with the conservative members of the
Union majority i'll both houses as nucleus, and no
doubt the outright opposition rs contingent accession,
progresses steadily Perhaps the most significant step
yet taken in it is the holding of separate caucuses This
has been done once. at least since the passage OF Mr.
wilson's resolution. The call for meeting Of the
supporters OF the Presidents policy for the purpose OF
devising of ensurng its better success in
Congress- and the attendance comprised oil OF the
Union members that had voted against Dir. Wilson's re-
solution.
Much earnest feeling has been created among radical
members By the announcement that the President had
directed certain heads OF departments to make no fur
ther appointments upon the recommendations OF Con.
gressmen at present. The fact of the existence OF this
order was communicated by the chief Of departments to
some radical Congressman who had made request for
q certain appointment. But construction Is given
to this Executive mandateyiz that support OF the E1
ecutive policy be hereafter the price Of patronage
The Ee,o Tori Herald says:
The radicals, who now clamoring for an amend
ment to the Constitution changing the representation
In Congress from population TO voting basis their
object being compel the South to make the negroes
voters do quite realizetho effect of that
itadopted True it would largely reduce the re-
presentation OF the Southern States the negroes
not allowed to vote; but 1t would also have the fol
lowing consequences: l. Itwould cut down the present
and future representation of New England, on account
Of the of females and old people, as compared
with the Western States q It would deprive the Allan
tic seaboard and manufacturing localities Of Congress
men wherever aliens largely employed. 8. 1t
would add to the Of the West
ern States where the male population largely in cx-