The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-05-19
The President Speaks Through the
London Times.

London Times, which will be highly
interesting, as embodying more fully
than anything we have yet seen the
views of the President. 1t is to be
noted that the President knew he was
conversing with the correspondent of
the Times, and that the latter had lis
full permission to publish what the
Presidentsaid. We have the COM
ments of the London Times on this
letter, which we will publish to-mor-
row:
WASHINGTON, April 1G, 1866.
In the perpleXed and uncertain
state into which public affairs have
fallen, it is impossible for me to send |
you any information more important
or valuable than the particulars of an
interview which had with President |
Johnson, at the White House, on
Thursday last. The Presidents
opinions, especially with reference to
the freedmen, have been so wilfully
misrepresented in the radical press Of
this country, and his general policy
towards the Southern States has been
exposed to so much unjustifiablc per
version, that Mr.. Johnson's own ex-
plantations on both these subjects may
have some weight even with those
who arc most cmbittered against
him.
The President first atlveltcl to the
condition in which he found the
country on his accession to office, and
pointed out ever since that time the
radical party, which now has the con-
troll over Congress, had been prepar-
ing for the issue forced upon him.
Their object was manifest, and it was
one which, from their point Of view,
they could scarcely be blamed for pur-
suing SO eagerly. They knew per
! fectly we'll that when the South came
back into Congress, their day of
power would be over-thc Southern
Representatives wonld stand as
unit; they would probably fall into
alliance again with the Democratic
party, the old issues of slavery and
State sovereignty would be dead and
buried, and the party which now
ruled would be stripped of its power.
Their talk about philanthrophy and
bencvolence to the negro meant
nothing more than desire to work
upon the feelings of the North, SO
that they might be enabled to carry
ev >rything their own way 1t was Il
renewal of an old conflict The two
sections Of the country were ready to
go to war before the rebellion broke
out-the one to preserve slavery, the
other'to destroy it. Each side was
willing to sacrifice the Government in
order to gain its object The South
struck first. The rebellion was sub
dued ut the Southern end of the line,
and now it is swinging round to the
other end. ''Thesc men, continued
the President and he always used
these words to denote the radical
party ARE almost ready to go into
rebellion again, rather than have their
supremacy destroyed by the rc-intro-
duction of the South. They know
nothing practically Of TIE real state
the South. The very man who had
drawn up the civil rights bill, what
are his means Of Judging? l left him
III the Senate during the war, and
went out to Tennessee and saw it all.
and bore my share of the tronbles.
} He stopped at home. and now en-
deavors to make his theories square
into the events of the war. and lcgis-
late on ideas which he has never put
to the test.
The President then went on 4,
speak of slavery and the negro Hc
had been bronght up, he said. under
/ the very shadow of the institution OF
l slavery. He had bought and owneG
slaves, but still he had always beer
for abolishing slavery upon any basi.
which could be adopted with safet,
!. to thc country. When it came to
J. the question whether slavery shoul,
+ b" abolished or the Government
broken up, he never had a doubt a
a to the course which he ought to pur
; sue; he decided to give up slavery
y and he abided by that decision. Blu
. the South now would treat the ncgr,
Il with greater kindness than the Nortl
6 if it were let alone and not exaspcr
ated. They talk OF Justice to tn
;. negro continued the President
God knows my heart yearns towar,
= him when | think of the end whicl
these men are preparing for him.
y see that end clearly enough they ar
/" going the way for conflict oi races
: When that occurs, we all know hoy
. 1t will fare with the negro. How ha
;. such contest always ended? Whc
J l.,