The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-14
THE PRESIDENT AND THE
COLORED MAN.

Il
| [Oorrespopdenceo of the Boston Daily.Adyertscr.I
WASHINGTON, Feb.9 1866.
The following is the substance of a
morning between the President and a
distinguished representative, con cern-
| ing the Presidents speech of Wednes-
day to the negro delegation which call
Ell on him.
felt, and Others would probably, for
personal or factious ends, endeavor to
show that the President was taking
sides against the oolored people, or was
at least less favorably disposed toward
them than he had been.
| The President responded that no one
could fairly and truthfully do that. He
was now what he had always been, the
! friend of the poor and lowly. He had
never broken faith with anybody, and
| if his past course and his former Ian
guage were not a sufficient guarantee
| that he meant well toward the colored
people and would endeavor to secure to
| them q fair chance, nothing he could
| say or do now would give any such
guarantee. He thought, however, that
| it was best to speak plainly, and he did
| not believe that the effort now making
| by some who call themselves the ne
groes' special friend, to force universal
suffrage upon the states, was wise or
judiciOus. He thought it tended to
embitter feelings, whileour effort should
be to cultivate calmness and confidence.
He believed il would result in great in
| Jury to the prospects of the cOlored peo-
pie. Heidi not know whether Mr.. Doug
Lass and his friends expected him to talk to
them, but he thought it best to take the
opportunity to state his views. He would
repeat that he was, if he knew his own
heart, the colored mans friend. He had
great faith in the people, and would ELL
deavor to carry out their will.
The representatives then said that
| some persons might take, or profess to
take, the Presidents speech as an indi-
cation that he was at variance with his
party friends, and that some others
might endeavor to found upon it the
charge that he was preparing to go over.
The President smiled, and answered
that if the party which opposed his
election INDUCED in any great expecta-
tions on that score, they were likely to
be disappointed. He might differ with
individuals of what was called the
union party as TO the means to be used,
but he considered himself in general
accord with that party, as a whole, in
the ends to be reached. He was not "a
party man, and he meant to sink the
partisan in the patriot. But, so far as
Union party, he was in general accord
with it.
The representatives finally, after
further conversation, said something
about the distribution of offices, about
executive patronage.
The President remarked that he was
the servant of the whole people, but he
could not entirely forget by what party
he had been placed in his present posi-
ton, and supported in the administra-
ton of the duties entrusted to him. He
proposed to fight his battles within the
lines of the party which elected him to
office. He might differ with some of
his friends, and he should feel wholly at
liberty to so differ, and to state the
ground of his contrary belief or opinion
but he considered himself identified
with the great Union party, and had no
desire or Intention of being found out
side. He intended to exercise his own
Judgment, but was ready to yield it
when he found it was not sustained by
the judgment of the people. He had no |
syInpatnies with those who opposed the |
war for the Union, and while he hoped |
the whole country would approve the |
endeavor to restore the Union, he could |
not forget that some men favored and |
some opposed the cause of the Union |
when If was In peril.
/ violate no confidence in making |
public the points of this conversation. |
1t was free chat between the President |
and his friend, occupying half an hour |
or more. OF course L have condensed it |
and left out much that was of more |
private character. have, SO far as posi-
Bile, given the Presidents own words, In |