Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-09-20

The following statement is made in
the Tribune by Mr. Greeley, in the course
Of an article on Mr.. Beechers letters -
was one of the many who early APP
pretended and anxiously deprecated a
breach between Congress and the Presi-
dent. Soon after our last State election,
and before the assembling Of the present
Congress, I went, not unlimited, to
Washington, expressly to guard against
such q difference. Being admitted to an
interview with the President, I urged
him to call to Washington three Of the
most eminent and trusted eXpositors Of
Northern anti. slavery sentiment, and
three equally eminentand representative
Southern ex-rebels, and ask them to take
up their residence at the White House
for week or fortnight, so long as they
might find necessary, while they, by free
and friendly conference and discussion,
should earnestly endeavOr to find COM
mon ground wherein the North and the
South should be not merely ere con-
structed," but made evermOre fraternal
and harmonious. | suggested that the
President should occasionally, as he
could find time, drop in on these con-
ferences, and offer such suggestions as
he sbOuld deem tit, rather as a modera-
tor, or common friend, than as party
to the discussion; and, suggestion of
names being invited, proposed Gov. An
drew of Massachusetts, Gerrit Smith of
New York, and Judge r. ?. Spaulding of
Ohio, as three who seem to me fair rep
resentatives OF the anti-slavery senti-
ment of the North, while neither were
specially obnoxious to nor disposed to
deal harshly with the South, and 1 add
ed that hoped they would be met by
men Ike Gen. Robert E. Lee, Alexander
II. Stephens &c, who would be reCog-
niZed and needed by the South as men in
whose hands the honor and true interests
would be safe. But added that had
no special desire that these or any par
| ticular men should be selected, wishing
! only that those chosen from either sec
| ton should be such as to command their
! peoples confidence and support, and 1
| pledged myself to support, to the eX-
tent of my power, any adjustment that
should thus be matured and agreed up
on. Some two months later after the
meeting Of Congress, and when the
| political sky had become darker, | went
| to Washington on the assurance of a
! mutual friend that the President desired
to see me. The Joint Committee on Re-
construction had then been appointed.
At an interview promptly accorded, l
urged the President to invite this CON-
mittee to the White House, and discuss
with them from evening to evening, as
friend with friend, all the phases of the
vexed problem of reconstruction, with a
fixed resolve to find basis of agreement
if possible. l urged as occurred to me
in favor of the feasibility OF such agree
ment, If it were earnestly sought, as ]
felt sure it would be, on the side of Con-
gress, the-vast patronage in the Presi.
dents hands, the reluctance of the
majority of Congress to see their friends,
supporters and nominees expelled by
wholesale from office, and their places
supplied by bitter adversaries the
natural anxiety Of every party in power
to maintain cordial relations with the
head of the Government, chosen by its
votes. These and thousand kindred
| considerations, rendered morally certain
an agreement between Congress and the
President, without sacrifice of princi-
Pile on either hand, if the latter should
sincerely seek it. speak only of what
/ said / proposed, because have no per.
mission and no right to speak further
| That my suggestions were not followed
nor anything akin to them, the public
sadly knows, and the conclusion t
which have been reluctantly forced, i:
that the President did not want har
mony with Congress, that he had alread,
} made up his mind to break with tn