The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-16
Interviews wit h tn e
President.
THE IRON AND STEEL AssocIATIoN-TllEIE

Pursuant to resolution adopted at
the meeting of the American lron and
eelAssoeiation, The members Of that
body met at Willard's OH the 1st inst,
preparatory to calling upon the Presi-
dent of the United States and the Sec
retary Of the Treasury.
INTERVIEW WITH TIE PRESIDENT.
The members of the Association pro-
eeeded to the Executive Mansion, and
being admitted, were introduced by Mr..
Ward, who spoke as follows:
Mr.. President T have the pleasure to
Introduce to you the direct representa-
tves Of the manufacturers Of iron and
steel in the United States. They rep
resent the immediate interests of more
than one hundred and fifty thousand Ia
boring men, who, with their families,
represent a population Of over seven
hundred and fifty thousand souls, OF
more than the whole population Of Gin
sinnati, Chicago and St. Louis. We
are here, Mr.. President, in the hope of
inducing Congress to foster our efforts
and to protect us against European COM
petition; until such time at least as we
can protect ourselves. We believe that
within a very few years the Southern
States will commence the work getting
out and bringing into active use their
iron coal and copper which abounds with
such profuseness throughout their ter
ritory. We believe, Mr.. President, that
the Southern States are as full of wealth
as the Northern, and that time will de-
relope their resources.
The Southern States have now at
least two millions of poor whites that
could and should be converted into mi
ners and manufacturers, and at one dol
lar per day each of the aggregate ofone
years industry alone would he not less
than six hundred million dollars, sum
which would soon tell upon the prosper
ity of the country.
. Entertaining these opinions, we met
together last evening and passed some
resolutions expressing our views in ref
erence to the laboring interests Of the
country, and have the honor to pre-
sent you with copy of the same.
Mr.. johnson replied as follows:
Gentlemen All I can say, and all,
perhaps, that it is prudent for ne to say
at this time, is that I am very much OBJ
Gged to you for calling upon me, and
thank you for tho compliment,-I / sym
pathize with you to the utmost extent in
what you purpose to undertake and to
perform, and I might say that my whole
Life has been directed toward ameiora-
ting the condition Of the masses of the
people. Every effort of my life has ten
ded in that direction. Whether I have
been correct or not is for others to de-
ternine, and must be left with time. I
am gratifed to meet you here, and I
sympathize in the labors of your under
taking but while you are engaged in
adopting plans and schemes that may
result in building up and strengthening
the manufacturing interests of the coun-
try, you should be equally engaged and
interested in developing and restoring
the principles of the Union and the Gov
ernment, which I think should be the
precursor Of what you are undertaking.
The restoration of our people would
be one of the greatest projections to our
home industry that could be given. Our
currency has reached point of great
initiation. Many are apprehensive that
we cannot stand under such an enor-
nous circulation Of currency, and yet
are fearful that if we attempt to contract
we shall be reduced to bankruptcy. All
our nerves should be directed to prcser-
wing the currency and preventing expan-
sion on the one hand, and bankruptcy
and revulsion on the other.
1t seems to me that in this work,
which affects the manufacturing, as7i-
cultural, and mining interests of the
country, the first thing to be done is to
labor for restoration: of the Govern
ment.
fwe could enlarge the area III which
our currency is to circulatc-increase
the number Of hands in which it is to
pass-we should corespondingly give it
asounder basis without taking out one
dollar from the circulation. by rcsto-
ring the Government and the Industrial
products Of the South, we thereby widen
the area Of circulation, and along with
it bring into the markets of the country
millions Of tobacco and cotton.
This is very important item, and
would strengthen the country and i'll
crease the demand for all manltactur-
ing productions. 1t seems to HE that
the most powerful stimulus that could
be given to these interests would be to
restore our Government. 1t would in
crease the donand for manufactured ar
ticles Of all kinds. BY restoring the
country YOU increase its ability to pay