The Portland daily press., 1867-09-19

Hon. William D. Kelley, of Pennsylvania,
spoke in Cincinnati, ON Wednesday evening.
Commencing his remarks he said:
Believing in the patriotism of Mr. johnson,
hastened to Washington Immediately after
the death of Abraham Lincoln, and while yet
Mr.. johnson was residing under the hos
pitable roof of the honorable Samuel Hooper,
of Boston, holding his executive sessions in
room of the Treasury building ere the widow
of our late lamented President had left the
White House, and there, with patriotic gen
tleman from Arkansas man who, though he
had fallen into the rebellion soon dropped out,
and had devoted his energies to promoting the
Union cause, and had full and free conyer-
satOn with Mr.. johnson. He then rejOiced
that eight months would elapse, or nearly
eight, before Congress would be called to-
gether. "In the meantime" said he, 81, as
President. have nothing to do but hold that
territory under military government, and see
by the power of the army that the Union men,
whether black or white, and the American cit
izen, whether of Northern, or Southern birth,
shall enjoy life in safety in all the conquered
country. 1t is well that so much time must
elapse," said he, before Congress comes to-
gether; for the establishment OF governments
over that country belongs to Congress, and iii
eight months the people of the two sections
intermingling with each other freely, will
come to understand each other better than
they ever have done, and we will all get to un-
derstand the colOFed people better than we do,
and to know how far it would be safe to in.
vest them with political power; for, now that
they are free, they must enjoy political power.
I was rejOiced to hear such assurances as these.
The President did me the honor to say that
he spoke freely to me, because he wanted the
people to understand that these were his views
and he thought had opportunities for making
them known. 1 had seen Hon. Charles Sum
ner the night before, and he told me that in a
conversation which he had had with the Pres
ident that day, Mr.. johnson had made simi-
lar statement to him. Said Mr.. Sumner:
Providence seems to have taken care OF us
and to have inspired Mr.. johnson with the
truth beyond the measure in which was per-
mitted to hope he possessed it. He takes the
view that will make the North safe for the
present, and ultimately give us a harmonious
country" As left Ghe executive room, hav-
ing gone thither at Mr. JOhnson's request
from Mr., Hooper's house, he saying to Gener-
al Grant, for he was with me: THE time has
come when must be in the executive ROOM
Our conversation is not finished. Go over; and
here is my card to the messenger. Be in the
room awaiting me, that we may conclude il"
As lett the room, to which had been thus
c0nfdentially introduced by him, L met Gen.
Carl Schurz fresh from Gen. Sherman's army
in North Carolina, with his stars bright on his
shoulders, and the dust from Sherman's grand
march to the sea yet upon his war-wOrn uni
form. After the close of this interview-I met
him but for a moment-said he: "The Iresi-
dent is all right if he don't talk little too
SCrOuRly. odlu he. atn dirdiu he uOtn prO-
test too much, and the very vehemence of his
prOtestations makes me fear the fidelity of his
Statements" / met him the next day at Phil
adelphia, and in the presence of q gentleman
i'm the Union League building, Gen. Schurz
and compared notes and found that Andrew
johnson had talked to him as to me, and to
both as to Charles Sumner. A few days after
ward l met Gen. Steward l.. WOOdford and
Gen. Littlefield, the one fresh from the COM
mand of the city of Charleston, and the other
from the city of Savannah, Georgia, and /
learned from 6ne of them that he had heard
from Georgia gentleman, who had been with
the President and had an interview with him,
that it was his purpose to overthrow the Radi-
cal party and reorganize the National Demo
cratic party And, said Gen. Woodford, nam
ing some gentlemen from Charleston, s. c.,
prominent rebels, "that is the statement Mr..
johnson has given to each and all of them,
each separate and apart from the Others" just
think of it! Talking to prominent Union men
of the NOrth-men whose voices could be
heard-men in whom some portion OF the peo-
pie of the North confided-beggng them, Rad
icals as they were, to go out and indOrse him
and proclaim him in harmony with the North,
while negotiating with the bloodiest- handed
rebels of the South to overthrow the party
that had maintained the UuiOn, and to build up
the party that had brought on the war. j
watched him for little while, and what did l
learn? Why that he reioiced that there were
eight months before Congress assembled, that
he might assume the powers of dictator, and
organize governments to suit himself over the
eleven States in rebelliOn-that he should take
the legislative power Of the country into his
hands, and say to the people dwelling upon
100000 square miles of American territory
you shall have Constitutions, provided you
make them to meet the wishes OF King An
drew the First"