The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-09-17
The President and the Union Party
" The Presidents Declarations.

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" The Presidenf's Declarations.
Under this head, Mr.. Raymond writes as
follows, in reply to Horace Greeley, ESQ.,"
1G*ItT# My object in this note is to state
certain facts within my personal knowledge,
which led me then and which lead me still,
to believe that, throughout the winter, the
Union party, and that he had no thought or
purpose of seeking further lease OF pow
err" through the favor and support OF its
enemies or otherwise.
l conversed freely, though not frequently,
with the President upon the action Of the
Union party in Congress during the winter.
While / never presumed to urge upon him
unduly any views Of my own, never failed
to express my sense Of the importance of
relying upon the liberal members of the
party for such action as the good OF the
country might require, and repeatedly told
him that, while there was astrong conviction
in the party that his mode Of restoring peace
and harmony to the Union was the only one
that was practicable, great obstacle to it's
adoption was found in the fear that he was
going over to the Democratic party in which,
as political organization, the country had
lost confidence.
He never failed in response to say that all
such apprehensions were utterly unfounded
that he had no such purpose or thought,
and that he relied with confidence on the
judgment and good sense of the party which
elected him, to whose principles and policy
Us declared at Baltimore he should rigidly adj
here. He said the action Of the Democratic
party, as on organization during the war,
had demoralized 1t and deprived It Of public
confidence. He believed that gradual pro.
cess Of disintegration was going on In both
parties, which would bring together all pa
triotic Democrats who had stood by the Gov
eminent through the war and the liberal Re-
publicans who waged the war for the Union,
and who were for the Union now that the
war is over. He always disclaimed any in
tention of going over to the Democrats, or
of using the patronage Of the Government
for their beneft-saying always that he
would fight out his differences with Congress
within the lines Of the Union party.
1t is but just also to say that he uniformly
disclaimed any wish for re-electi0n-saying
he should deem himself fortunate to get sue
cessfully through his present term, and that
his only anxiety was to secure the speedy
and efectual restoration Of tho Union to
peace and prosperity. He always laid special
stress, moreover, on the Importance to the
Union party Of bringing the Southern States
"Why," said he, more than once, "why can
not our friends in Congress see that the
Southern States will be our friends If we
show them that we are theirs? Now, that
slavery is abolished" he added, " there is no
longer any cause for a sectional division Of
parties; we can get rid Of that, and, under
wise and judicious policy, half the Southern
States at least will vote and act with the
Union party. Why should we, by hostile &C.
ton, drive them back into their old alliance
with the Democratic party Of the North ~
This was the uniform tenor Of the Presi-
dents language in conversation with me
throughout the winter, and II satisfied me, %
| endeavpred to satisfy my friends, that he
neither desired nor intended to break with
the party which had elected him, so long as
it should adhere to the principles upon which
that election was carried. And even after
the call for the Philadelphia National Con-
yention had been issued, the President urged
that It could not fail to exert a wholesome
moral influence upon the Union party by
showing that men from both sections could
again unite on common ground, and work
together for common objects.
Yours, &C., II, ]. RAYMOND,