The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-06-15
IOWA AND THE PRESIDENT.
Statement by PTOmi-
nent Citizen of Iowa Just from
Washington.
CuIoAeo. June 10. 1866.

OutOAGOt q uuc ~, 4COOs
To The Editor of the Chicsgo Eveniog Journal:
Arriving here from Washington on
Saturday morning, l CHANGED 10 take
up the Chicago Tribune of that date, in
which / was surprised to read, in a
Washington letter, that a ''nefarious
scheme" has been concocted, with the
cOnniyance of the President and Sec
rotary of State, to defeat for re election
Hon. James F. Wilson the able mem.
Der of Congress from the First District
of Iowa, and the choice of Hon Fitz
Henry Warren in his place Being a
citizen of the First District of Iowa
and a friend of both Messrs. Wilson
and Warren, and. having spent some
time in Washington recently, where
this "nefarious scheme is said to- have
been concocted, 1 wonder that l have
until now been in total ignorance of
this matter l am quite sure
that no such scheme exists with the
"connivance" or with the knowledge
and consent OF the President and Sec
rotary Seward, for l happen to know
that both those leaders of the Admins
istration highly respect Mr.. Wilson as
wise politician and statesman, and as
the able Chairman of the Judiciary
Committee, and that, however much he
may disagree with them on some dis
puted points of policy, thay deem him
too valuable member of the House to
wish him defeated next fall. As. re-
CARDS General Warren's desire or ex-
pectation to be elected to Congress,
know nothing, but presume that he is
quire content with the pleasant posi-
ton he now holds, as United States
Minister to Guatemala. / know not
from whom the Tribune got its inform
alton, but with my knowledge of facts,
the charge against the President and
Secretary of State is grossly slanderous,
as, indeed, | find are many other state
ments, given as pretended facts, in
reference to Messrs. johnson and Sew
ard, by the Tribune and other papers
that appear to be more anxious to get
up and keep up a needless quarrel up
on the Republican party than to servo
the cause of truth and patriotism
As regards the Congressman from
Iowa, l know enough to state that
in their course in the late contro-
versy between Congress and the Pfesi-
dent they uniformly proved them
selves manly and honorable, expressing
their opposition 10 certain features of
the Presidents policy with boldness,
but, at the same time, with dignity,
and the President has no grievance
against them. He complains of the
course of those members of Congress
only, who, as he says, have treated him
dishonorably and abusively-of the rib
aid assaults of Stevens, the vulgar at
tacks of lngersoll, of Illinois, and the
studied Misrepresentation of his views
and intentions by these and others. l
am not a johnson man myself-am
more radical than he is-but after
miugling freely with all parties and
classes of men in the national capitol,
which l have just visited for the first
time, must say candidly that the
| President has more occasion to feel
hard against certain men in Congress
than the public generally are aware of
They have treated him shabbily, not
only in Congress, but OUT of it.;
not only in matters of legislation, but
in matters personal and official, that
the public know nothing about, and
almost any man Of self-respect would,
under similar circumstances, feel Just
as he does, though, perhaps, they
would not have the bluntness to talk
it out in public as he has done.
went TO Washington believing that
President johnson was q demagogue,
that he was counting the favor of cop
perheads and ex-rebels. | do not now
think so. He is an earnest pSn,
strongly set in his ways and convic-
tons, but man of patriotic impulses,
meaning well, though, perhaps, ike
the rest of US, making mistakes some
times He has been eoaded, by un-
friendly politicians and newspapers,
into saying and doing some things
that doubtless, under different cir
cumstances, he would not have said or
done In this he has shown lament
able weakness. But Congress has the
power, If il has the disposition, to cor
rect whatever errors there may be in
his policy, and if they viii do so man
fully, and not treat him like black
guard, he will not, l am convinced, use
his official power against any member
of either House, in the matter of OIL
cial appointments or reflections.