The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-01-30
A Candid Talk with the Presi
dent--What he Said--Where hC
Stands.

We regard as of some singniicance a re-
ported (by telegraph on Monday CONVERSE
tion between President JOHNSON and N dis
tinguished Senator" We give but the
main points. We quote from the dispatch :
THE President said that he doubted the
propriety at this time of making any further
amendments to the Constitution. One
great amendment had already been made.
by which slavery had been forever abolished
within the limits of the United States, and
Il national guarantee thus given that, that
institution should never again exist In the
land. Propositions to amend the Constitu-
ton were becoming as numerous as pre-
ambles and resolutions at town meetings
called to consider the most ordinary ques-
ton connected with the administration of
local affairs. All this, in his opinion, had
a tendency to diminish the dignity and
prestige attached to the Constitution of the
country, and to lessen the respect and con-
tidence of the people in their great charter
of freedom.
If, however, amendments are to be made
to the Constitution, changing the basis of
representation and taxation, (and he did
not deem them at all necessary at the pres
ent time), he knew of none better than q
simple proposition, embraced in few
lines, making in each State the number of
qualified voters the basis of representation,
and the value of property the basis of direct
taxation"
This was quite explicit on Constitution
tinkering, aifording, we imagine, but slight
comfort to the fanatics who are trying to
affiX to that instrument some of their mis-
chievous sophisms, but not more emphatic
on those questions than what he enuncia-
ted as his sentiments on the Negro Suffrage
question in the District. We again quote
"The President, IN this connection, expressed
the opinion that The agitation Of the negro
franchise question IN the District of COlunt-
bid, at this time t1ds the mere entering acedge
10 the agitation Of the question throughout
The States, and 1gds dl-timed. Uncdlled for,
and calculated to DO great harm. He JelieUed
II loodtd eigender eRmity and STRIFE beti0eeil
the too races and lead to q lgdr beti1eea them
eohich leould result az great injury 10 both,
dad the certain determination Of The negro
population Precedence, he thought, should
be given to more important and urgent
matters, legislation upon which was essen
tial for the restoration of the Union. the
peace of the country and the prosperity OF
the people,
Bearing in mind that the President
avOwed these as his sentiments some days
after the House had passed the intAWous
franchise bill, and from the very fact, that
the purport of the conversation between
THE President and distinguished Senator
had gone forth to the country, through the
most public channels with no injunction
of confidence upon it, from any source, we
are allowed to draw but one sensible infer
ence from the circumstances and the con-
versation-that President JOHNSON is OPP
posed TO The ruling .fdadticiSm Of Congress,
and intends TO stand by the institutions OF
the country and shield them, as far as is in
his power, from the assaults of the Intern
ais.