The Van Buren press., 1866-02-17
President Johnson's Views-He is 0ppos.
ed to further Amendments to tie Con-

WASHINGTON, Jan. ~.
The following is the substance Of a
conversation between the President and
distinguished Senator:
The President said he doubted the pro-
priety at this time of making any furth-
amendments to the Constitution. One
: great amendment had already been made
by which slavery had been forever abOl
ished within the limits of the United
States. and national guarantee thus Civ
ell that the institution should never again
exist in this land. Propositions to amend
the Constitution were becoming numer-
? ous as preambles and resolutions at town
meetings, called to consider the most Or
dinary question, connected with the adj
ministratiOn Of local affairs. All of this
in his opinion, had a tendency to dimin-
ish the dignity and prestige attached to
the Constitution of the country, and to
lessen the respect and confidence Of the
people in their great charter Of freedom.
II, however, amendments are to be made
to the Constitution, changing the basis
of representation and taXation-and he
did not deem them at all necessary at the
present time--he knew Of none better
than simple proposition, embraced in
few lines, making, in each State, the num-
ber of qualified voters the basis of rep
resentation, and the value of property the
basis of direct taxation. Such promo
sition could be embraced in the following
terms
Representation shall be apportioned
among the several States which NAV be
included within this Union, according to
the number of qualified voters in each
State Direct taxes shall be apportioned
among the several States which may be
included within this Union, according to
the value of taxable property in each
State" r
An amendment of this kind would, in
bis opinion, place the basis of rcpresen-
tatlon and direct taxation upon correct
principles. The qualified voters were for
the most part men who were subject to
draft and enlistment, when necessary, to
repel invasion, suppress rebellion, and
quell domestic violence and insurrecton.
They risk theirlives, and shed their blood
and spend their all to uphold the govern
ment, and give protection, security and
value to property; it seemed but Just that
property should compensate for the ben
efts thus conferred. by defrayinc the ex.
penses incident to its protection and en-
jOyment. Such an amendment the Pres.
ident suggested, would remove from Con-
gress all issues in reference to the politi.
cal equality Of the races. 1t would leave
the States to determine absolutely, the
qualification of their own voters with re-
gard to color, and thus the representa-
tives to which they would be entitled in
Congress would depend upon the number
upon which they conferred the right of
suffrage. The President, in this connec-
ton, expressed the opinion that the agi-
tation OF the negro franchise question in
the District Of Columbia, at this time was
the mere entering wedge to the agitation
OF the question throughout the States,
and was ill-timed, uncalled for, and cal
culated to do great harm. He believed it
would engender enmity and strife between
the two races and lead to war between
them, which would result in great injury
to both, and the certain determination of
the negro population. Precedence, he
thought, should be given to more impOr-
tant and urgent matter, legislation upon
which was essential for the restoration of
the Union, the peace Of the country, and
the prosperity of the people
An informal caucus of Radical leaders
among whom were Stevens, Bingham and
Shellabarger, was held last evening at the
private residence of distinguished Off
Ger, at which the Radical programme was
discussed with the view of ascertaining
whether if the party screws were enforc.
ed, the constitutional amendment now I'm.
der consideration could not be carried
TWAS regarded as extremely doubtful
1t was decided however, to make the at.
tempt e..
Burton r. Harris, jeff. Davis private
secretary, arrived here to day. having lust
been released from Fort Delaware ON pa.
role. lie was captured with Davis.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 81.
HousE.-Mr. Stevens, from the Committee
on Reconstruction. reported back the COnst-
tutional amendment with modification str-
king ont the words direct taxes" and conf
ming the apportionment to representatives
the resolution, with this exception is precise
ly as originally reported from the Committee.
During Mr.. Stevens speech In support of
the resolution. he took occasion to speak of
President Johnson, as having but recently put