The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-03-02
Interview Of Governor Cox With the
President.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-The fol-
lowing important letter was read to.
night by Governor Cox, of Ohio, to
the Representatives in Congress from
that State:
WASHINGTON, Monday,l
Feb. 26, 1866
Gen. G.. 3. Wright, Chairman Union
Central C0mmiitee. Columbus, o.:
DEAR SIR: On Saturday last had
an interview with the President.
regarded it as of sufficient impor
tance to reduce to writing my re
mem brance of his statements whilst
fresh in my memory. waited upon
him this morning to make known
what | had done to ask his verifica.
ton of the truth of my report, and
his consent to make the same known
to the country. He frankly gave his
consent, and assented to the accura
cy of my report The President said
he had no thoughts he was not will
ing to avow; that his policy had sim
ply aimed at the earliest possible
restoration of peace on the basis of
loyalty. No Congressional policy
had ever been adopted, and therefore
when he entered upon the duties of
his office, he was obliged to adopt
one of his own. He had in some
sense inherited that of Mr.. Lincoln,
with which he thought he agreed, and
that was substantially the one which
he had carried out. Congress had
no just ground of complaint for what
he had done so far. They had not
seen fit to declare their views, or
adopt any measures embodying what
could be called policy of restora-
ton. He was satisfied that no long
continuance of military govern.
ment could be tolerated; that the
whole country would properly de.
mand the restoration of truly civil
government, and not to give it to
the lately rebelious States would he
an admission of the failure of the
party which had carried through the
war to prove themselves equal to the
struction was over, and the rebuild
ing had begun, military government
alone would not paciiy the South
At the end of long period Of such
government, we would be no nearer,
and probably not so near the end as
now, and we should have the same
work to do.
Hence there is real necessity for
the adoption of policy which should
restore The civil government just as
soon rs the rebellion should be thor.
oughly ended, and those conditions
accepted by the south, which were to
be regarded rs absolutely necessary
to the peace OF the country. The
proper system of pacitication should
be one which tended everywhere to
stimulate the loyalty of the south,
rather than to impose upon them laws
and conditions, by direct external
force. Thus in the ease of the freed.
mems bureau he was not against the
idea of the bureau in toto, for, for he
had used it and was still using it. 1t
might continue for period OF more
than year, yet he had contemplated
that either by proclamation of his
own, or by some action of Congress,
the condition of peace, the technical
end OF rebellion, would probably be
declared at some period not very re.
mote, and as he understood the pres
ent law, the bureau might continue a
year from that time. Meanwhile, he
could say to the south, it depends up.
on yourselves to say whether the
bureau. shall be discontinued at an
earlier day, for | will put an end to
II just as soon as you make it unnec
essary for the protection of the freed
men. Thus, the hope of getting rid
OF the institution stimulate them TO
do right, whilst they are not discour-
aged by the idea that there Is no hope
OF an end to what they regard as
sort of military government. IT, on
the other hand, the bureau were made
permanent by legislation, all the Oh
iections he had urged in his message
applied IN full force to it, and instead
Of encouraging the south to loyalty
1t would tend To make their hatred of
the government inveterate. The
same principle of stimulating loyalty
was shown in the manner he had held
martial law over them. Whenever
they SHOULD show that martial law
was not needed, H. should bc remov-
cd. Their own conduct would thus
determine the matter, and the desire
and interest Of all the best people be
increased to obey the laws, because.
by 80 doing, they would hasten the
withdrawal and interference of the
arm In their affairs.
In precisely the same way he had
acted in regard to civil affairs gen.
orally in that section; regarding It as
necessary to impose conditions upon
the rebellious States which would
guarantee the safety OF the country,
and regarding the existing officers of
government as having disqualified
themselves by their treason from con. |
sinuance in power, he deposed them
md established provisional govern.
ments. Then he asked himself what
conditions ought to he demanded of
them, and how their disposition to
accept them In good faith might be
stimulated. Tho conditions were
'anely, the amendment OF State Con