The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1866-05-23
The Presidents Policy---Interview be-
tween the President and the Cores
pendent of the London Times,

|
The President first adyerted to the con-
dition In which he found the country on
his accession to Office, and pointed out that
ever since that time the Radical party,
which now has the control over Congress,
had been preparing for the issue now for
ccd upon him. They knew perfectly well
that when the South came back into Con
gress their day of power would be over
the Southern representatives would stand
as aunt, the old issues of slavery and State
sovereignty would be dead and buried, and
the party which now ruled would be strip
ped Of its power. The two sections were
ready to go to war before the rebellion
broke out-thc- one to preserve slavery,
the other to destroy it. The South struck
first; the rebellion was subdued at the
Southern end Of the line, and now it is
swinging round to the other end. 'These
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 re-introduc-
ton of the South. The very man who
had drawn up the Civil Rights bill, what
are his means of Judging? I left him in
the Senate during the war, and went out
to Tennessee and saw it all, and bore my
share of the troubles. He stopped at home,
and now endeavors to make his theories
square into the events Of the war, and leg
islate on ideas which he has never put to
the test" -
THE RADICALS AND THE NEGRO.
The President then went on to speak Of
slavery and the negro He had been
brought up, he said, under the very sha-
dow fthe institution Of slavery. ''They
talk ofjustice to the negro" continued the
President, "God knows my heart yearns
toward him when I think of the end which
these men are preparing for him. l see
that end clearly enough-they are going
the way for conflict Of races When
that occurs we all know how it will fare
with the negro. How has such a contest
always ended? When the time comes
there will be.no struggle. The result will
be decided without that. Now, then, what
do we find? The very thing which we
said these Southern States could never do
which we fought these four years to pre-
vent them doing-these men affirm that
they have actually done-namely, been out
of the Union. The Southern States are
ready to come back upon our terms, take
loyal oaths and acknowledge their allie
glance, but these men say they shall not.
Why, if they had offered to come back, OR
any Of them, during the rebellion, should
we have turned them away on the ground
that they had placed themselves out Of the
Union? Mr. l.in.,cccciln offered to receive
the whole Legislature Of Richmond-areb-
q i4eglslature-and would have welcomed
them with open arms Wouldhe havere-
fused toreccive these States now that they
have fully submitted 2"
THE VETO roWER-TuE CIVIL RIGHTS
Passing from this subject, the President
said that the Radical party in Congress
talked to the people as if they had to fear
some act Of oppression on the part Of the
Executive because the Civil Rights bill
had been vetoed. "But the veto power, "
he said, "could never be made an engine
of oppression. It has onlyanegative force
it originates nothing. It can only say
when it sees unwse or unconstitutional
legislation attempted: Now stop. Con
slider this thing.a little further. Pass the
bill if you viii by your constitutional two
thirds majority, but I think it well to give
you an opportunity to think over it again.
They have passed the Civil Rights bill,
and it will not be long before Judge is
arrested for carrying out the laws Of his
State. Then the case will be brought to
the Supreme Court, and the people will
soon see which is right-Congress is insist
ing upon having it or [ in endeavourine
to dissuade them from it." Here, again,
the President distinguished between the
principle on which the bill is professedly
based and the bill itself; the former he
anxious to see carried out, but the means
proposed he considered Questionable and
hazardous. -
THE PRESIDENTS OWN POSITION.
CONGRESS, the President further said,
"represents the States, but the men who
voted for them individually all voted in
my election. [ am like the tribunes elect
ed by the Roman people, am to stand
and represent their interests. And what
other object can l have but to represent
those interests, the interests of my coun-
try? have no party objects to serve, no
selfish interests to promote, If were a
man of ambition | do not know what I
could desire more than [ have gained. I
have gone the whole giddy round, from
Alderman upward, and do not value this
Office (here the President spoke with great
earnestness and feeling) except tor the
good which itmay enable me to do. I want
but corner Of this house to live in, and
do not care bawbee, as the Scotch say,
for. all the rest. Let me but see the coun-
try at harmony and peace, how gladly
would I give up all I suppose | may
say that l 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 Indifferent to what
I have. We think -he said these words
with smile-we think this a great posi-
ton, with our decisive are educated to
do so but can assure you than [ am Of
ten here twelve hours day without it
ever occurring to me thatI am President"
He evidently meant, without the pride of
power occurring to him.
HIS FIRM CONVICTION OF RIGHT.