The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-17
Andrc,, johnson md the Hudicals.
THE CORRESPONDENT OF THE LONDON TIMES HAS AN
INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT.

Washington tAlp 16 Correspondence London Timesl
In the perplexed and uncertain state into which
public affairs have fallen, it is impossible for me
| to send you any information more important or
| valuable than the particulars of an interview
which had with President johnson, at tho White
House, on Thursday last. The Presidents opin-
ions, especially with reference to the freedmen
have been so wilfully msrepresented in the Radi-
cal press OF this country, aud his general policy
toward the Southern States has been exposed to
30 much unjustifable peryersion, that Mr. John
cons own eApA nations on both these subjects may
have some weight even with those who are most
embittered against him. .
The President first adverted to the condition in
! Which he found the country on his accession to
office, aud pointed out that ever since that time
tho Radical party, which now has the control over
Congress-, had been preparing for tho issue now
forced upon him. Their object was manifest, and
could scar cely be blamed for pursuing so eagerly
| They knew perfectly we'll that when the South
.me back into Congress their day ofpower would
be over-the Southern representatives would stand
lance again with the Democratic party, the old
issues Of OF slavery and State sovereignty would be
dead and buried, and the party which now rules
wontd be stripped of its power Their talk about.
philanthropy and bonevoenee to the negro meant
| nothing more than desire to work upon the feel
| ings of the North, 80 that they might be enabled
| tc carry everything their own way.e
| 1twas removal of an old conflict. The two
| sections OF the country we're ready to so to war
before the rebellion broke out-the one to preserve
slavery, the other to destroy it. Each side was
willing to sacrifice the government in order to
bellion was subdued Mt the southern end OF the
line, and now it is swinging round to the other
end. "Theso men," continued the President
and he always used these words to denote the
Radical party" are almost ready to go into re-
bellion again rather than have their supremacy
destroyed by the rentroduction Of the south.
Ihey know nothing practically Of the real state OF
the South. The very man who had drawn up the
OWL lights BILL what are his means of judging
left him @ in the Senate during the war, and went
share OF the troubles. He stopped at home, and
now ondeavors to make his theories square into
bss o. the va and gto on ideas which
The President then went ON to speak Of slavery
and the negro. He had been brought up, he said,
ry., He had bought and owned slaves, but still he
had always been for abolishing slavery upon any
basis which could be adopted with safety to the
V be- 10 sho
broken up, he never had doubt as to the
course which he ought to pursue; he decided
cision. But the South now would treat the
negro with greater kindness than the North, II 1t
were left alone and not exasperated. "They
President, GOOD knows my heart yearns toward
him when think OF the end these men are pre-
pairing for him. zee that end clearly enough
When that occurs, We all know how it will
fare with the negro. How has such 2 contest
out that Now, then, what do we find2 The very
thing which we said these Southern States could
never do, which we thought these four years to
prevent tlIem doing, these men affirm that they
have actually done, namely, beonout of the Union.
The Southern Statos are ready to como back upon
our terms, take loyal oaths, and acknowledge
their allegiance, but these mon say they shall not.
| Why, II they had offered to come back, or any Of
them, during the rebellion, should we have turn,
| cd them away on the ground that they had placed
| themselves out of the Union Mr. Lincoln offered
to receive the whole Legislature OF Richmond-a
rebel Legislature, and would have welcomed them
with open arms. Would he have refused to re-
ceive these States now that they have fully sub
The President next referred to the misrepresen-
tations Of his policy which have been 30 indus-
triously spread abroad. "These men" had for
months past had the public mind open to them,
and had poured into 1t what they pleased. Now
1t had become norusted, as It were; but once let
| that incrusration be broken through, and the
truth would begin to find it's way. 81 am not dis
couraged," added the President; "ether these
States must be brought back, or they must be
kept out. It is like doing sum in addiuon--some
sumo want figuring up moro than others before
you can get the answer. but believe it will come
| out right in tho end" fa.., =
Mr.; Johnson then enlarged with considerable
detail upon the operations Of the rreedmen's Bu-
rean, and said that tie fnaohiaery was now being
used TO get negroes conveyed from the North back
70 tho South by the very men who were asserting
that tho yes OF the freedmen were not safe In the