Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-27
AN INTERVENING CONVERSATION.

From the Chicago Times 2lth.
In our Washington special dispatches Of
yesterday there was reported a converse
tion between the President and Mr..
Eggleston, the Representative in Congress
from Cincinnati, in which the former is
reported to have said:
He thought the Radical party had
made great mistake in spending so much
time as they did last session. before agree
ing upon what terms they would agree TO
readmit the Southern States, and thought
that great damage to the public welfare had
been the result Of this delay. Now that
Congress has passed the amendment, and it
was about to become a part of the Consti-
tuition, he could see no guaranty that the
Southern States would be admitted, even
after the ratification had been fully accom-
plished"
And consequently, in the same conVersa-
tion. Mr.. johnson is thus reported: at is
useless now to discuss the propriety or ir.-
propriety of the conditions embraced in the
amendment 1t has been agreed upon, and
all that he could now ask was that the
guaranty of reconstruction upon that basis
should be faithfully kept by the party that
/ had offered it." few days ago, in the
/
| said in the Senate that he believed that be.
/ fore the 4th of March next the Southern
| States would ratify the amendment There
| have been like declarations by other Con-
| pressmen. The President, in the remarks
above quoted, says the South has agreed to
! accept the amendment. There can be no
other construction placed on his language.
| If such a bargain has been entered into by
men authorized to speak for the majority in
| Congress and the Southern Legislatures,
the negotiations in the matter have
been very cautiously and secretly con-
Quoted. That there has been an attempt
to make such an agreement is very proba-
bic, but aside from the Intelligence con-
veyed in the conversation from which we
quoted, there is but slight reason for be-
lieying it has been successful. The state.
ment of Mr.. Wilson was Of so positive q
character as to suggest that it was based or
something else than the judgment of thai
gentleman upon facts which were open tC
the public as well as himself Considering
that the Legislatures Of the excluded States
had within a few weeks rejected theamend
ment by sweeping majorities, and that tn,
entire Southern press had not abated in thu
least It's hostility TO the measure, the conf
dence expressed by Mr.. Wilson seemed th,
result Of an over-sanguine temperament
There was was nothing on the surface war
ranting such a belief II the bargain ha
been concluded, it must have been closed
within week. It was not closed at tn
time Mr.. Wilson made the statement.
The decision manifested by Mr.. Wad
in asserting that the excluded States shoult
be admitted upon the ratification by then
of the amendment was significant A
yet the majority of the Republican sena
= tors have not sustained Mr.. Wade in thi
5 assertion and this brings up the inquir,
how the members Of that party who d
sustain him could give the necessary guar
antee for admission in return for ratifca
: ton. 1t could only be done on the assump
, tion that the Democratic and Conservative
J Senators would at any time vote for admis
sion, end thus the required majority cOult
/ be obtained.
As TO the Southern States, there mus
have been concert Of action between then
= concerning the alleged agreement and tn
Legislatures Of each State must have au
: thorized the negotiation. 1t seems yer
= improbable that this could have been don
= without some knowledge Of such actor
coming to the ears Of the public.
Assuming, however, that there was n
error in the report of the conversation sal
to have taken place between the Presiden
: and Mr.. Eggleston, and that the agreemen
TO which he refers has been concluded, tn
|, question comes up whether the member
already elected from the Southern State:
"loyal" and "disloyal," will be admitte,
: by the repeal of the test oath, and a two
thirds vote 20 repeal that section of tn
: pending amendment disqualifying "ex
1 Rebels" from holding any civil or militar
Office under the government. If this
J not part Of the alleged bargain, the Sout
: has merely agreed to accept an odious an
y oppressive measure, in order to obtain
. decreased representation in COngre
. through men who have no sympathy wit
= the interests or feelings of the majority
I, her people. How could such bargain
&c made? Would the Republican member
agree to thus stultify themselves, and adm
a that the reasons they have given for ex
= cluding the Southern States have been me-
= - false and hypOcritiesl pretences2 Tt
whole thing has a curious look. The his
respect professed by the President in Il
y conversation for Thaddeus Stevens is cur
- Gus. That he should pine for the sociel
: Of Radical Congressman is curious.