The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-04-02
PROMINENTMEN AT WASHINGTON
Positions of 91cssrs. chase, Seward,
stanton and Others.

stanton and Others.
The opinions of prominent men at
Washington are given in a letter to the
Cincinnati Commercial, and are quite
interesting. Chief Justice Chase be-
lieves the President is honest and patri-
otic, but that his policy of restoration
and reconstruction is wrong. When the
question Reconstruction first came up,
MIR. Chase had several conferences with
the President during which the Chief
Justice proposed and urged the Presi-
dent to issue a proclamation recognlZ-
ing all persons in the rebel States, black
and white, as citizens, having equal
rights in the work of reconstruction.
Mr.. Johnson did not dissent from this
proposition, but while Mr.. Chase was
absent on his'tour of the South it is be-
lieved bad and designing men got the
ear and confidence of the President,
and poisoned him against Mr.. Chase,
and led him to mistruSt his counsel.
The Chief Justice does not think that
the President and Congress Will ever
harmonize, nor that the President has
the:power to destroy the Union party.
MIR. Chase does not indOrse Mr.. Sum
ner; he thinks him impractical, and
that his course is accomplishing no
good to the rice he seeks to serve; that
he rouses against them n united antag-
ineering intolerant man; that Mr.. Ste
vens is Il better and more practical man
than Mr.. Sumner; that Sumner would
lead to destruction any party that fol
lowed him; that If, we cannot secure at
once all that we wish for this oppressed
race, we should take each good as 1t
comes within our reach, and work for
the eventual attainment of full justice
10 them. "Why do you not act us. me-
diator in this contest, and try to save
our great party 2" was said to him. u
would be glad to act as mediator If l
could, but no man has the power to ac-
compiish it. Mr.. johnson has his pol
cies and theories, from which he Will
never swerve; Congress is an unwieldy,
unyielding body, following too much
the leadership of impractical men. MIR.
Chase is full of faith and hope that all
things will come out we'll.
Mr., Seward is represented to be with
the President in his policy. Of MIR.
Stewards position, the correspondent
| remarks:
He believes that all will come out
right: that the Union party can not be
| DESTROYED, as there will always be IN
| this country majority OF its people in
! favor of the unity and integrity OF TINS
| Republic. and who will hnd means TO
| make known their wishes for the main
| tenance of the Constitution and the
principles upon which this Government
| is based. The name of this party is
very immaterial. He says that If you
look Mt the class of men who have been
elected as members OF congress ana
Senators from the Reconstructed States,
YOU will find that they are not seces-
Sionists, and never were; that they
fought this heresy in the beginning,
and only went with their States when
they were forced 10 go, citing the exam
pie of stephens and many other lead
ing men who have been elected from
the different States of the South whose
last votes in their Legislatures were
cast against secession, and whose last
speeches before the war took place were
in Remuneration of separation, and that
not one of the old original seceSSlonistS
the extreme tire-eating disunlonlstS
of the Southland anywhere been elect
ed 10 office; but that those who are
elected are the prominent representa-
tive men of the Southern country, and
lust such men as we must expect to be
elected TO represent the sentiments OF
their people; that they are now work
ing iii good faith to bring their States
back to their old relations with the
General Government, and that they
that the test oath ought to be so far re-
vised and remodeled as to permit these
men to take their seats in Congress.
Postmaster Dennison believes that
Congress and the President Will mar
monte, and that Mr.. johnson IS pure,
true and patriotic, and desires very ear
nestly that unity and harmony may
speedily come.
Attorney General Speed is unquali-
tiedly with the Radicals i'll Congress on
the Question of negro suffrage, and OPP
posed to the Presidents policy, but is
discreet in his opposition.
Secretary Stanton is staunch and
true, but polite, and inclined to go with
and stand by the President but does
not agree with him i'll all his measures
and policy.
In conversation with a gentleman
the other day he said: ~ cannot
promise you this action for the future !;
my tenure of Office is uncertain II
change may take place any day. l
could not remain here, and would not,
if required to make any appointments,
or to aid in any act contrary to my
principles and convictions"