The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-05-16

i
gnatcs nothing. 1t can only say, when II
sees unwisc or unconstitutional legislation
attempted, Now, stop: consider TINS 'ni,S .,,
little further; pass the bill, II you W.T.
Wv Your constitutional two-thirds malor'.'
but think il well Ia give You an "PP''' '"-
nitv TO think over II again. inc! nav.
naSscd the Civil Rights bill, ana IL VIII "o'
he long before Judge is arrested ,or car
ryiur ont the laws of his STATE. lhcil '''
case will he brought tothc supreme court,
and The people will soon see wmch was
r;yht-Congrc>S insisting upon having II,
n,s ! IN ,udcavoring to diSSuadc them from
IL" Here, again, the President dlStln-
cuiShcd between the principle on which the
lin is proic>scdly based and the bill itself.
The former hc was anxious to see carried
out. but the means proposed he considered
Objectionable and hazardous.
Congress, the President further said,
represents the States, but the men VINO
voted torthcm individually all voted inmy
election. am like the Tribuncs elected
bvthc Roman people, am TO stand and
represent their interests. And what other
object can have but to represent those
intrrc,tS--thc interests of my country
| have no party objects 10 Scrvc-no seiish
interests to promote. II | were man oi
ambition. do not know what | could
desire more than have gained. / have
gone the whole giddy round, from alder
man inward. and do not value this office
there the President spoke with great
carucStuc<~ and trclimg) except for the
good which il may enable me to do. L
want but a corner of this house to 1--we IN,
and do not care a bawbcc, as the Scotch
say. for all the rest. Let me but see the
country 1T harmony and peace, ana now
Gladly would give up all, | suppose !
may say that have done enough to satisfy
any reasonable ambition, and feel that my
race is well nigh run. These men want
power. ] have enough, and am ndiiie-
rent Ia what have. eve think he
said these words with Il smile" we think
this a great position, with our decisive
are educated To do 80: but | can assure
YOU that am often here twelve hours Il
day without it ever occurring To me that
am President" ;" He evidently meant
without the pride Of power occurring to
him.
"Thc~e men, he also said, have raised
the cry of mad dog at me, and the pco-
pie seem I" he getting afraid. They VIII
understand me better by-and-by, and rln-
,lcr>tand these men, too. ! could not cN-
poet 10 get through without a struggle
Yet il WAS most extraordinary, he con-
tinucd. 10 think al the course which
these men" were pursuing. BY being
united again, the country would stand re-
>pcrtrd in the eyes OF the world. Ii was
now laburiu~ under the evils of an inflated
IL il II
the South being kept in uuccrtainty-an
element ol' danger in the Statc-Such cyllS
could not hr corrected. Yet there were
signs that the people were beginning to be
alive To the truth. Look at Peoria -
and he mentioned several other towns
where meetings in support of tn" Ere
>idcn,'S policy have lately been held
since the passage OF the Civil Rights bill.
"lt is Ike water trickling along the
ground" said Mr.. Johnson. "You can see
The damp places here and there, and You
know that il will gradually spread. 1t Will
take time: but, after all, what good can
hc accomplished without trial and diff
cutyt II fail, my regret will not be for
mvScif. | will hope that some one wiser
will rise up to do the work. The PrcSl-
dent uttered these words in a somewhat
weary and sad, but very earnest tone. lie
continued with greater animation: MY
convictions are firm and strong, and strong
convictions are IL great source-thc best
>ourcc--uf courage to man. | nave
fought di>unon nearly all round the circle,
and if | am called upon to complete the
circle. will. Then | could say most
heartily that | would that | could depart
III peace
such. 50 far as feel myself at liberty to
repeat them, were the remarks made by
the President. | believe that have re-
pcatcd his very words III most instances,
but there were many illustrations which he
cmplovcd which | am unable to recall, and
in a conversation OF nearly two hours there
must necessarily bc Il great deal which
cannot pretend Ia remember with Suiflclcnt
accuracy To repeat. That the President is
a. firm and mistaken as ever, II was lm-
po>>blc To doubt after listening To him.
He relies upon the good sense of the people
to bring the present crisis to favorable
end but il is clear that he has no personal
objects to serve. He told one of the most dis
tinnuishcd of American politicians only yes
trrdav. aS he told me on Thursday, that he
will never consent to be a candidate for the
Presidency again. | will only add that the
President looked better in health than
when saw him some months ago, and that
he speaks with great clcarncSS, force, and
ability. and brings to bear on the subject
mom which hc is talking many very Sug-
rrstivc and tclicitouS figures and Illus
tratiUuS.