Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-03-08
Important Declaration by the aresi-
don't.

On Saturday, Gov. Cox, of Ohio, mad
an Interview with the President, ana
with the consent of the latter and under
his revision, q report of his remarks has
been made public. His policy Is explain
ed at some length, and in good feeling.
He said that when he took the office,
Congress had made no definite policy
he had to adopt one for himself, and he
took substantially the policy OF Mr., LIN
coin, He aimed to get rid of military
government in the South as soon as pos
sible, through system Of pacihcation
which would tend everywhere to stlmu-
late the loyalty OF the people OF the
South themselves, and make II the
spring of loyal conduct and proper leg
islation, rather then to impose upon
them laws and conditions by direct ex-
ternal force Thus in the case Of the
Freedmen's Bureau, he was not against
the idea of the Bureau in toto, for he
had used it, and was still using it 1t
might continue for period of more than
a year yet. 1t was unpopular in the
South, and he did not want to say to her
it shall be permanent thing, but rather
that it should be withdrawn as soon as
circumstances shall permit. This would
stimulate the Southern people to DO what
is right, and not discourage them With
the idea that there is no hope OF getting
rid of what they regard as military
government. The other course would
tend to make them inveterate and des-
perate, The same principles OF stimula-
ting loyalty was shown in the manner
in which he had held martial law over
them. He left them to decide by their
own conduct how long they would live
|, under military rule.
He had put conditions upon the south
which he considered right, and IN fle
absence Of any Congressional plan, he
thought them nearest right Of any he
could frame. He engaged that on their
acceptance with the evidence OF good
faith he would permit them to reorgan-
iZe their state governments, elect legls-
lators, &C, and so far as executive acts
could do so, would restore them to their
position in the Union of states. They
had so far accepted his conditions that
he did not regard the experiment fail
ure, but a success.
The President said that he was in IA
vor Of admitting loyal men, properly
elected, and none others that Congress
was the sole judge Of the qualifications
| Of it's members, and he had no dream OF
| interfering with it's Constitutional right
bat he felt like urging upon them and
| upon the country that this mode OF I'm
| ishing the work so nearly completed II
other respects, was the only feasible one
which had been presented, and that II
was impossible to ignore the fact thai
the states were exercising their rights
and enjoying their privileges within the
Union-were, in short, restored in all
other respects-and that it is too late tC
question tie fundamental right of repre-
sentation. That if disloyal men favored
his plan Of reconstruction, it was not t.
be regretted; yet that his whole hear
was with the body o. true men who hat
carried the country through the war
and he earnestly desired to maintain ;
cordial and perfect understanding will
them. This sentiment and purpose h
regarded as entirely consistent will
determined opposition to the oostructlol
policy of those extremists who, as h
believed, would keep the country il
chaos till absolute rpin might come upol
| us.