The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-03-15
The Presidents Position.

The following, from the Chicago Even
ing Journal, is said to be 'by authori-
ty:'
friend of the President called on
him the other day, and, in the course OF
IN earnest conversation, Mr.. Johnson
declared that he is a Republican, be-
lieyes in the spirit and principles ofthat
marty, and intends to adhere to the
Union party organization that nominal
ed him at Baltimore on n platform that
lie heartily endorsed then, and does now,
in its entire length and breadth. He
declared that he does not expect or care
for the support Of the Copperhead Dem
ocracy--that he despises them for their
sympathies with the disunionIsts and re-
bells during the war, and cannot affiliate
with them.
.My policy" said lie sis, and will
continue to be, the old and declared pol
icy of the Union party. Men like sum
ner and Stevens, who accuse me of de-
serting the party, are themselves guilty
of its desertion. They are departing
from the principles Of the party, not L.
Let those who choose, follow them in
their mad career-I can not. ] stand
upon the platform of the Union, the
Institution and the laws, and the
speedy restoration ofthe whole nation
upon an honorable, just and lasting basis
of peace and the rights OF all men II
friends desert me or enemies applaud me
for this, cannot help it. l know my
duty and will perform it
The Washington correspondent OF the
Boston Adyertiser gives the substance OF
conversation which recently occurred
between the President and Hon. ii. j.
Raymond, of New York, relative to the
negro delegation which called upon him:
The Representative said that some po-
..ticians had endeavored to show that
me President was taking sides against
the colored people.
The President responded that no one
could fairly and truthfully do that He
was now what he had always been-the
friend of the poor and lowly. He had
mover broken faith with anybody, and II
his past coarse and his former language
were not sufficient guarantee that he
meant we'll towards the colored people,
and would endeavor to secure to them a
fair chance, nothing he could say or do
now would give any such guarantee
He thought, however, that it was best to
speak plainly, and he did not believe that
the effort now making by some who call
themselves the negroes special friends,
to force universal suffrage upon the
States, was wise or judicious. lie
thought it tended to embitter feelings,
while our efforts should be TO cultivate
calmness and confidence. lie would re
peat that he was, if he knew his own
heart, the colored mans friend lie had
great faith in the people, and would en-
deavor to carry out their Will
The Representative then said that
some persons might make or profess to
take the Presidents speech as an indica-
ton that he was at variance with his
party friends, and that some others
might endeavor to found upon it the
charge that he was preparing to so over.
The President smiled, and answered, II
the party which opposed his election in
dulged in any great expectations on that
score they were likly to be disappoint
ed He might dieffr with individuals of
what was called the Union party as to the
means to be used but he considered him
self in general accord with that party as
whole in the ends to be reached. He
was not party man, and he meant to
sink the partisan in the patriot But, so
far as he understood the sentiments of
the Union party, he was i'll general ac-
cord with it. The Representative then
said something relative to the distribu-
ton OF offices. President Johnson re
marked that he cauld not entirely forget
the party by whom he had been elected,
but he had no sympathy with those who
opposed the war.