New-York tribune., 1868-04-08
THE LAST "PRESIDENTL4L TALK"


Say rather two Presidential talks in one letter-for
have seen A. j. twice within tho past week, and con-
versed with HIM freely each occasion political top
les and especially the great subject which now mo-
nopozes the attention OF the people throughout the
country, and may be naturally supposed to engross
good share Of the time and contemplation Of his Excel
lency.
on Sunday night found the President, ns I thought.
quite desnOndent He seemed to have read In the pro
ceedngs of the trial. far as had then progressed
enough to Justify his fears the suct Of his own fate,
aud to have TO the conclusion that the case had been
preIudged against him. More than once however IN the
Of the two hours was with him. he expressed the
hope that he would be fairly heard and coupled always
with implicit confidence IN his fun yindication The idea
was that unless he had been condemned before the trial
began, he should certainly be acquitted at It's close.
covered from his despondency and was in hs accustomed
good spis-nOt only confident, but even combave IN
slstng all the way through not only that he was Tight
but that Congress was wrong ana that e wrong ehd Oh
the avenue was IN process OF Impeachment friend 70
whom have since spoken Of the contrast which these
two paragraphs present explained u at once by syhg:
That Is the way 10 has been with linn ever since the I'M
peachmen began lie Is constantly alternating between
the fears that he won't be fairly tried and the confidence
that from knowledge that lie has committed no
"AD INTERIM THOMAS"
Much OF the conversation last evening related 10 the
testimony already adduCed behalf OF the prosecution.
remarked TO the President that they hadn't yet shown
that Gen Thomas spoke from any authority from him
when lac talked Of using force TO eject stanton. No.
said he, and they won't show IL either. ON the con.
trary, II viii appear. before the trial is over that
wanted everything done quietly and peacefully lor no
othcr purpo,Ge ~ man 10 ltst o M ~ tio
continued the President. He has acted very strangely
in parts Of this matter But the fact is, he got little
refreshed over his appointment at first You know how
II is with these military men-how nuch style
they like 10 put OH, and how much fuss they
Ike TO make and how they like 10
show their authority. Well Thomas fet very org
him pretty sharply some occasions, and here, he
thought was good chance foI hlm to show himself %
day very much. and much elated that he ran
around telling everybody what he would do Well now
II he meant TO do anything very bad nc Nodn haye
talked 20 freely about II. Men generally don't mean
what they say when they brag ~ much as he did Bat
for him that morning, while his appointment was
being made out, and talked TO him IN lhis very
rOoiD, To caution him 90 proceed quietly. When
his commission aud Stanton's removal were
made out put them down ON We table @ helr anu rs ssn
and very regularly. Here your oomnlssoh ahd mere
il stanton's removal You'll keep this and show II to
Yon had better take somebody with you when you go 70
trouble lie went over 10 the War-OiIce and talked
to Stanton and back TO me III Few minutes very
all right, and that he would get possession or the war
Office just stanton could pack up ms
and a member OF the Cabinet ard all that: and |
never man more elated over position IN my he.
But thing he knew stanton had iecondefed s
M ~ ,h 10 v 1ep N.Y. bo tronbIe bean However
the whole thing will cleared up the trial progresses
1t will be shown that not only didn't anthoI1e Thomas
nmetly aud i'm presence Of n witness. OF they
can't hold me responsible either for what Gen Thomas
said or for what he did independent OF my orders sup
pose ordered Thomas 10 10 New-fork on business
and that he went down to the railroad depot WIN eo
paBy OF soldiers and seized train TO take MN therc,
would be responsible for that act simply because had
ordered him 10 NewYorkt Certainly not ahd neither
am responsible for what he did or said outside OF INV or
ders in the matter Of the War Office"
Further IN the conversation the President expressed
disappointment and regret in the appointment of Ibomas
but he thought all The trouble ar arose from inc ns s9S M ha5
big at the idea of being above everybody elso IN The
thought that the of his being found at masked
ball. that night, explained good deal OF IT, and was IT.
self an explanation OF Thomass "elated CONDITION.
GEN; EMoRr's TEsrIhoSY; , -,
Gen Emory, given that day Thursday. Yes. he said,
he had just finished the reading OF u In the afternoon
paper, as came in "Wel, what do you think OF itP
said L. adding that Emory seemed 10 have considered
himself very important person in the conspiracy and
one to whose and ana teSy % the eSIy and 6eTe w
where he makes great mistake. He talks as II had
tional questions with him. when I did nothing OF tho
kind. II had been In need OF constitutional adviser,
I'd have sent for somebody else The sent for him
was this told that morning, very good authority
which could not well disregard that important changes
and movements the troops about Washington had been
going Oh without my knowledge advice had been
told that Stanton had been giving orders, II to get
ready disturbance here, which he seemed TO antcl
pate and during which he proposed 20 make II an easy
for somebody else to step in and get possession of
was m ii; but Secretary Weles had called and in
sisted that should take some notice OF the matter 80
sent for Emory questioned him about the disposition
of troops here merely TO 1nd these changes had been
made and II by whose authority lie 0verestnated MS
own importance, and thought wanted TO consult
him another subject, and discuss constitutional ques
tions with HIM When seeIetafy Ms9s & Is eseq ", 70 e
AZ to the other conversation with me-, winch Emory
details had nothing to do with the trial at ALL lie
speaks OF himself as obecung In very patriotic way 10
the Maryland militia, because they wore gray uniform.
He introduced that subject himself never asked him
word about It, But no makes II appear that wanted TO
use the militia Of Maryland Tor some purpose or other
again he would make me appear as taking him for
one Of my confidential advisers, which no
Nect n that time was to ind out how many troops
there in the department and to know whether the
coored troops who about the city couldn't DO re-
placed with white troops. thought II best after the war
we had gone through that white troops shond DC here
aud foreigners coming here all the time II they saw
but black here 9ey % o6e Ge 1S ns Se bsx har
were duty here because they were better troops than
ali but thought II white troops were TO be had they
would better than black ones ior the garrison OF WISH
neton; that's all And out OF that little matter Gen.
Emory without stating the real object OF his eonyersa
on with makes big story about gray uniforms ana
Rebel militia" .,,,,,.
Isad TO the President that they would commence the
testimony the last articles, or those relating 70 his
cleveland and ST. Louis speeches tomorrow, ana asked
him il he denied the correctness OF the reports o hose
peeches as presented TO the Court Yes he SAID he dd
and he denied all the right TO Introduce mere e1
tracts from long speeches. Onittng te cohleA au MY
we're delivered AS for tho Cleveland speech. he said
did not intend TO make any speech there e. az IA AL ~ ny
,onton was 10 come In response 10 te can OF inc
neope and excuse myself and then retire But as seon
a. appeared some people IN the crowd commenced 70
S hoot ~ we and question me, aud badger me- ana
thonght I'd 20 In and silence them nave Deeh III po
I Nc ong dime and am naturally cOmbativo. don't
v, nosc Ia he booted down by anybody and especially
I did mt propose to be hooted down 10y SET sc. %, "
s sant ot Tor that purpose. these fellows were ~
eXeIsnd and else where so they went for me and l
vent for them and we it hot and heavy for while
& io rS iisteu 10 me for WHILE but kept Interrupt
in@ me 10 prevent me from saying anything was ae
teTmned they shouldn't succeed Dut .nat since ,nsy
Snt on nn got the better Of them and after abort
ttyne Shey listened to In perfect silence. III seu
ANY % enen,es said good deal then that might not have
s M ,aye said either As TO the et Louis speech