Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-01-25

/ What the Arkansas ncicgasiGn to Washing
| ton Say-C0ngress, tic President and
General Gra.t
The gentleman from Arkansas, Hon. r.
S. CAN'T, and others, who spent some weeks
in Washington, by instruction Of their Leg
islature, for the purpose Of comforting with
the heads OF the Government and the leaders
of parties, arrived III Louisville last Friday
on their way home The editor Of the Lou
| lsyille Journal had conversation with these
gentlemen, who were unreserved on all ques-
tons, and gives to his readers the following
summing up of what they said:
They do not wholly givcup Congress as
lost to all sense, justice, patriotism, and de-
ccncy, and believe that the impeachment
scheme will ultimately be abandoned or
overwhelmingly defeated. They discovered
that Stevens rcpublicanism was maady
confined to a minority of the Northern
representation, and that letters and re
monstrances by the thousand were pouring
in daily upon members, from all parts Of the
North, protesting against the impeachment
as unwise. revolutionary, and calculated, if
carried out, to produce civil discord and in
tcrnccinc strife"
They found the President firm in his de-
termination to sec that equal and exact jus
tce be meted out to each and every State Of
the Union the adamantinc resolution Of i
grand and granite nan-while his consttu-
; tional advisors arc equally firm in the posi-
ton they have taken as to the true meaning
Of their obligations under the great chart Of
human liberty and human rights.
1.-The delegation also met, at the dinner
table of Secretary Seward. with Gen. Grant,
who, as usual, was very reticent in political
matters, frankly stating to them that lie
knew nothing of political affairs, and was
wholly ignorant of the sophistries, twistings,
and turnings Of politicians. Regarding the
constitutional amendment, the General de-
clned to express any opinion as to its justice,
censtitutonality, Or exrediency, but said he
would like for at least one Southern State to
adopt it, us an experiment, to see if their
Senators and Representatives would be add
mittcd to their seats in Congress-at the
same tine expressing the opinion that they
would be admitted. He also stated that, at
the commencement of Congress, he urged
upon prominent members, it they intended
to make the adoption, upon the part Of the
Southern States, of the amendment, the con-
ditIon precedent to re.admssion. they ought
to pass resolution to that effect, solennly
pledging Congress to receive the Senators
and Representatives into that body. If they
die not take some such step, they could not
expect the Southern people to tax u step
that might be preliminary to others that
would lead them they Fnew not where. On
the negro suffrage question he was more Dc,
cided stating that he believed thap was
question that should belief wholly and en-
tirely with the people Of the several States
that Congress, in his opinion had no right to
interfere in that matter; and emphatically
declared that if the question came up in Hi
nois, and he we're there to vote, he would
certainly vote against it. But, he said, sini-
ling at the time, if he were in one of the
Southern States he believed he woultl vote
for it, for he was satisfied he could march the
negroes up to the polls and vote them as he
pleased, and would thus be gaining instead
Of losing political power.