Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-11-14

glad to see me, and that there wasn't
a man in Washington whose advice he
would as soon have as mine. told
him | was very glad and very proud
of that. We sat down, and he said he
wanted to hear my views on public
questions aud public policy. Well,
said i, the first thing I've got to say TO
you is, be warned by the fate Of all
Vice Presidents who have been in
your position. Look at Tyler and
Fillmore, and pray to God overy night
10 save you from their fate johnson
seemed astonished to think that had
any spprehensions Of that kind, but /
told him he couldn't be too careful, for
that he certainly would be tempted as
they were. He said need have no
fears that he meant TO stand by the
men and the party that elected him.
| then went on TO advise him what TO
do. l told him the first thing 10 do
was to order the trial Of a few Of the
leaders of the rebellion, before a mil
itary commission, and to hang them
when found guilty. He said be would do
that very thing, and would commence
with JEFF. Davis. He told me 10 hunt
up the law on the question, and |
agreed to do il if he would name some
one to help me. lie named Ben. But
Ter. Butler and | called on him a day
or two after TO find out exactly what
he wanted, and we had long talk with
him. lie told us he meant to hang the
leaders of the rebellion right away, as
soon as they could be tried aud con-
victed by a military commission. AS
We went away Ben. Butler said he was
delighted with Johnson; that ho seem
ed 10 be regular trump. We looked
up the law OF the case, and in few
days | called on him again. talked
to him about this very question Of re-
construction. lie said he was very
glad that it was a matter with which
he bad nothing TO do that it belong
ed to Congress exclusively, and he
should let Congress take care Oft We
parted, and soon after | went home,
with the assurance from him that he
would take no step not sanctioned by
the leaders Of the Republican par.
ty. j heard nothing from him until
about two months later, when | met
John Covode at hotel in Cleveland,
and learned that the President had
been in close communion with Copper.
heads and rebels, and had said TO Co
vode that he (Johason,) could do
without the Radicals better than
the Radicals could do without him.
About month after / went on to
Washington for the winter, and ]
called at the White House. / found
the ante-room full of rebels and Cop
perheads, and / was soon convinced,
from the style in which | was receiv.
ca, tnaI Johnson nad iound friends and
advisers. outside of Republican party.
| knew then that he had started on
the downward track, and made up his
mind TO betray the party, and the
country, too, if he codm. / tried my
best to keep him in, but it was no go.
MRS. LINCOLN.
During our conversation, the subject
Of Mrs. Lincoln and her recent dis
graceful conduct came up, aud, remem-
bering that Mr.. Wade was one of a
committee appointed by the two
Houses to investigate the pecuniary
condition in which Mr.. Lincoln's fam
lily was left, and report bill for their
relief, / asked him il it was true, as
stated by Mrs. Lincoln, that Mr., Lin.
coin left little or no property behind
him. "No," said he, "it's d-d lie.
We looked into the matter very care
fully. The Illinois men wanted US to
give her one hundred thousand dol
lars, and We agreed TO do so, if il ap-
peared that she really needed it. We
sent for the Administrator of the
estate, and be testife d that Mr.. Lin
coin left seventy-fve thousand dollars
in government bonds, or something
like that, besides some little produe.
tive property in Springfield, Illinois -
in all, about one hundred thousand
dollars We thought, then, that
twenty-five thousand. dollars would be
enough-the same as was paid to the
widow of Gen. Harrison. Mrs. Lin.
coin was very well off, and didn't
need oven what she got. She took a
hundred boxes of something or other
Il don't know what-away with her,
and the Commissioner of Public
Buildings swore there were fifteen
other boxes that she wanted to carry
of, and he had to interfere to prevent
her AT any rate she cleaned out the
White House. / didn't know but she
was going to run a big hotel, with all
she carried of.
CoSTIscArIoN.
Mr.. Wade characterized Thad. Ste.
ven'spending confscation bill, as d-d
ioolery. The time for cou6scation
bills, he said, was during the war,
when they could be of use in prevent.
ing men from going into the rebellion.
but to think of passing such meas
ure now, was sheer folly and nonsense.
III the negroes Of the South wanted
land, let them work for il.
Why could not Ben, Wade tell these
things before the election as well ms
afterl The future will yet reveal more
depravity at Washington, than can be
found at the Five Points in New York.