Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-07-30
VOL. XXXIV.- -A1EA1CO


to say what he wanted and have it done
forth with. well" said LII don't know
about that. I am glad the amend
ment was passed by Congress, be-
cause there seem to be some doubts as to
the validity of the emancipation proclama-l
tion, and this will settle the question in the
right way. l don't know whether 1 am to
take the Presidency cams onere, as they say
when you buy farm-With all the imPed-,
iments. / indorse, and shall carry out the,
measures and policy of Mr.. Lincoln's ad-
ministration, but I-can't be party to any
such bargain with Mr.. Herrick or anybody
else. If there is a vacancy, and Mr.. Her
rick's brother is recommended by the Sec
retary of the Treasury as competent per-
son to fill it, will make the appointment.
But won't turn anybody else out, or ap-
point an incompetent man, to pay for a
vote in Congress- Ashley got very much
vexed at this, and went off in a great rage.
Herrick's brother was appointed, but not
until he had been recommended through
the proper channels. Charles A. Dana
also called upon me to help Ashley in this
matter. He also insisted that the bargain
was made in good faith, and must be car
ried out. Ashley has been my enemy ever
since.A - s.7, 4,gj art a,5.4.l s. ! "a % riasF
Writing from Washington Immediately
after the passage of the thirteenth amend-
ment, / showed how three or four other
men had been bribed-all Democrats
whose absence when the vote was being
taken had been brought about by a bargain!
with leading railroad monopoly It was
all done through Mr.. Ashley. Perhaps
many are willing to justify the means for
the sake of the end in this case-to violate
the injunction of the Apostle, and do evil
that good may come. But no fact in hu
man nature is more clearly demonstrable
than that a man who will corrupt Others is
not incorruptible himself; no man ever of
II Il ~ i 49,
circumstances take one: and no Congress-
man ever bought another's vote until he
had had some experience in the mercantile
value of such articles by selling his own.
The matter contained in this paragraph is
a fit subject for the Judiciary Committee,
or some other committee of investigation
Let fair chance be given to let all the facts
beiknown, or, as Mr.. johnson said to me
on the subject, ssLet them clean out the
Augean stable entirely while they are at it.
They have been inquiring into my corrup-
tion; now let them inquire a little into
their own" e,- ID III. gs ..s,r.i -.l ta;
THE PRESIDENT AND POLITICAL PARTIES.
The President expressed the fear that the
work of restoring the Union would suffer
from the combinations and plans for the
next Presidency, already in state ofform-
alton. AS far as hewaSconcerned, he said,
he had no ambition tor another term. and
was not, and never had been, candidate
for reelection. 6 l am not seeking any
nomination, but want all the friends 1
can get to help me save the country, and
don't care what party they come from.
Before 1 sent my first message to Congress,
told all the Republicans who called upon
me that if they would go to work and get
the States back into the Union, and restore
harmony and good feeling between the two
sections, l would give them bond in any
sum they could name, never to ask an Office
and never to hold one again. l told them
then whatsI think now-that, aside from
the higher considerations of patriotism anu
public duty, as a mere question of party
lexpediency, they ought to do this. l said
to them that the South was whipped that
the people felt they had been put down by
the arbiter of their own selection, and
were ready to accept the situation in good
faith; and that if the Republican party of
the North would deal fairly and gener-
ously with them, it could be assured of
twenty years of power with the South its
friends. l told them that these States must
come back somehow, and it was for them
to say whether as friends or as enemies of
the dominant party of the North. If there
were any rebels left in the South the Re-
publican party could have conquered them
| by the course l suggested. That was clear
/ tony mind then, and it is more so now"
Concerning the Democratic party Of the
|
reasonable, others very unreasonable. in
their demands of him. Some wanted him
to give all the offices to Democrats; others
didn't ask any thing of the Kind. Some
! insisted on his changing his Cabinet and
4 doing every thing to suit them. ''If had
taken all the advice that's been give n to
me, don't know where should have been
j by this time. One set of men will come in
4 and lay down plan which they think will
do great deal of good. They'll go out
j and in will come another set equally conf
dent in an entirely different plan. L am
always glad to get advice. but some men
4 get mad at me because l don't take it.
They don't appear to understand how diff
| ficult it is for me to see the things from the
same stand point with them sometimes.
They are outside, as it were, and can't be
expected to see all the bearings as do.
But they'll come and storm and fret at me
because won't let them take charge of
me, and do the whole business. Now,
while L am here, / don't intend to be taken
charge of by any body. intend to do
what's right, as nearly as l can get at it.
4 and 1 won't shirk the consequences, that
may arise from that course. / can't please
every body, and its no use trying. It's all
very well to get advice, and am thankful
4 for it always, but the responsibility for ac-
ting upon it falls upon me, SO L must be
the judge"
Il HORACE GREELEIs
Il On the subject of Greeley's nomination as
Minister to Austria. Mr.. johnson said he
4 had seen it stated that this was an idea OF
i Stewards to get Greeley out of the country
i Greeley, ,and Weed and Seward shaVe been
i quarreling for some time" said he, ''and
have heard it said that Seward got this ap-
pointment to put Greely out of the way
There is not a word of truth in that. The
State Department didn't suggest Greeley 8
| on n OF of M
pointments in Cabinet on Friday, and
sent Greely's name to the Senate without
4 its coming through the State Department
in the regular way. His appointment was
a not suggested to me by anybody. They
had objected to Raymond. l was anxious
| to see the place filled, and wanted man
who was honest and capable to put there.
l picked out Greeley because thought h'
would suit, and didn't think the Senatt
would throw him overheard. Greeley ha
F queer notions about some things; he has
his freaks aRd his whims; and he has not
: been very friendly to ME, but have al
ways thought him an honest man. So
thought I'd send him in, and did so with
out consulting anybody. But it seems
they have6some objections to him
! too. Meantime the mission is vacant
but the fault of the vacancy is not mine.-
have done my duty towards filling it.
A. j. ON GENERAL GRANT.
Speaking of Presidential candidates ant
aspirants, Mr.. johnson asked me if ha,
any idea what was the nature of Genera
! Grants testimony before the Judiciar
committee. L told him 1 only knew of til
rumor that had been floating about Wash
ington, attributed to Mr.. Eldridge, Demo
cratic member OF the Judiciary committee
to the effect that Grants testimony mad
him a good candidate for the Democracy
! but that had also heard that the Rae
ical members of the committee asserted tn,
: very reverse of this. and claimed the testi