The Portland daily press., 1869-08-24
The Relations Of the President with Po-
..- liiical Parties in the South.


The Relations Of ihc President with Po-
.-r. litical Parties In the South.
Cymon, the we'll informed Washington cor
respondent of the New York Times, speaks
with much assurance concerning che Presi-
dents attitude toward the political parties in
the South. Political matters being in a transit
tion state there, it is extremely important that
loyalty should continue to receive the support
of the national administration, in order that
States still unresonstruoted may have happy
omens attend them upon their new birth into
the Union. The correspondent clears up all
doubt on this point. He says: isuo5
With regard to Mississippi and Texas, the
President fails to see any good cause for q di-
vision in the Republican pa ,ty, and cannot
recognize the half-dozen so-ealled "Conserva-
tives" as the only true supporters OF his Ad-
ministra alton, in the face OF the fact that the
National Republican party in Mississippi b ave
formally pronounced against a continuation of
acknowledgements and test oaths, while in
Texas they have framed Constitution wholly
free from these unpopular provisions. Gener-
al Ames, when here, fully posted the President
as to the character of the movement OF the
conservatives, and he fully believes, with the
Times, that so far as its Republicanism Is con-
Gel ned, it Is "a fraud" The fact is that the
leaders thought SO meaplY OF the Preside mt
that they sought to enlist his personal sympar
thies by the nomination of Judge Dent, but
they only added to his embarrass ment, and he
was finally compelled to dismiss Wofford aud
his friends with refusal to pledge either sup
port or sympathy Whether Dent will now be
nominated By the Convention OF Conservatives
which meets on the Goth, is more doubtful
than it was. 1t will make little difference
Dent is a Democrat and always was. He ac-
cepts negro suffrage Just as the "Conserva-
tives" of Mississippi do-because it is an ire
versibe fact, and though he will undoubtedly
prove friend of the Administration from OBJ
vious motives, he must of necessity be controll-
ed by those who may elect him.
The direction of the Presidents sympathies
are pointedly indicated by the removal OF
Wofford from the position of Postmaster at
Corinth, to which he was appointed last
spring He was formerly Colonel in the
rebel army, but he appeared in Mississippi and
in Washington as ardent an advocate of mill
tary reconstruction and Republican rule as
Longstreet. He went before the Reconstruc-
ton Committee last winter, and urged the me-
cessity of new election, because of the unfair
character of the last, and his testimony oppos-
ed that of such men as Judge Sharkey Judge
Simrsil and others, with whom he now pro-
poses to form new Republican party. His
thorough reconstruction iavorably impressed
Mr.. Boutwell,, Chairman of the Committee, at
the time, and so he came to be appointed Post
master at Corinth about the time, and for
much tie same reason, that Longstreet was
appointed Surveyor at New Orleans. But
now he finds himself somewhat out Of joint
with his party friends.
Concerning Texas, the deep design of such
thoroughly ttnreconstructed rebels as Ex-
Governor Throckmorton to take possession to
the State government for the white mans
party through the election of Hamilton, is
fully understood by the President. Hamilton
should not be elected; if for no other reason,
then for his personal unfitnesS. .ia,. ...-
What the President fears more than all else
in these disguised movements of "Conserva-
tive Republicans" is q spirit inimical to the
national credit. 1t exists in Texas to strong
degree, gold being still recognized as the only
currency in many counties, and 1t has taken a
square position in Tennessee, with such ex-
trems advocates as Andrew johnson and
Isham G. Harris In Kentucky it is pro-
claimed on the stump, and the President said
of the Ohio Democratic platform, with its in
sidious propositions, that it meant reputation
pure and simple. That was when Rosecraps
was supposed to be the fgure-head. Its mean
ing is no longer susceptible of the slightest
doubt since the nomination of Pendlston.
As to the interference" in State elections,
am convinced the President means to do so, as
far as he legitimately may, call it by what
name you will To say that he must not or
ought not to interfere in the approaching cleo
tions in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, is
to assume that he will be entirely neutral as
between Republicans and Democrats, and that
he recognizes no party Obligations whatever.
Thoroughly as General Grant is a President of
alive to his political duty to the political party
that elected him, and in the coming elec ctions
the country may expect to see him use his iu-
fluence and exert his power for the success of
the Republican candidates whenever and wher-
ever he properly and consistently can.