The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-07-12

An Important Interview which
has never before been Made
i Public.
lHoraoo 0reeley's Policy Advocated By Him
| Seven years Ago.
lCorrsspondencs Of the Louixville Courier Journal
RICHMOND, Virginia, june IS, 1872.
4 An incident in the Mr.. Grceley's his
tory, SO creditablc TO his head and heart
THAT il ought long ago to have been made
public, has just been narrated to your
and he hastens to place
lii before the readers of the Courier-J our
NAL, not less an act OF justice to Mr..
Greelcy than matter oil general inter-
,Iest to the country. The wonder is that
NIthis incident should SO long have been
kept secret dating back as it does seven
years ago.
ANDREW JOHNSON SENDS FOR GREELEY.
\ Soon as johnson vas installed As Pres
lidcnt, ne sent gentleman named Camp
to New York to solicit an interview
with Horace Greeley. Unable to leave
the Capital, Greeley must come to him
at once at the White House. Greeley
promptly complied with the request. At
liter the first formal civilitics were over
Camp rose to leave, but President john
son requested him to remain, and he did
$50 during the whole Interview.
johnson opened the conversation by
saying that he found himself in most
trying position. The nation was con-
vulscd with passion in consequence of
Mr.. Lincoln's assassination the situtiOn
was new and embarrassing 10 him; he
felt inadequate to the task 10 which he
had been SO Unexpectedly called, and he
felt the need, as he never before felt it,
'of the counsel of some cool and saga
cious man. lie had, therefore, sent
for Mr.. Greeley. What course to pur-
sue, how To stem the torrent Of North
ern frenzy, how to manage the reins Of
government in crisis SO awful, was a
IprobIem too deep for him TO solve. Pla-
|cing himself in Mr.. Greeley's hands, he
asked,
WHAT MUST DO.
Thanking him for the confidence thus
lreposed in him, by Mr. Greeley replied
that his best course was to call TO his as
lsistance q few Of the wisest and best
men in the country. They should be re-
representative men from the two great
sections. On the part Of the North, he
would suggest Governor Andrew, oil
Massachusetts; Garritt Smith, OF New
Y ork, and Judge Spaulding, OF ohio
a like number Of Southern gentlemen
should he called; they should be invited
Ito the White House as guests Of the
there TO remain and celebrate
.as long as they thought fit; and, having
agreed upon some policy, they should
submit il TO the President for his approv-
nj, and il approved by him, as MIR. Gree
ley doubted not il would be,shOuld be
faithfully and rigidly pursued, despite
the popular clamOr which might for q
time ensue.
Mr.. johnson thought well of the sug-
'gcstion. But what Southern men
Should invite, Mr.. Grseley,to meet the
gentlemen you have named from the
North?
\ "First and foremost" said Greeley,
I.s Robert T.. Lee, of Virginia"
"Great heavens I" exclaimed johnson,
.shc is the very head and front Of the
rebellion"
Il know that" said Greeley, "and
|for that very reason you should invite
wants Of the Southern people; he, Of all
linen, possess the confidence Of the en-
tire South; he is upright and pure; he
'lwOuld not recommend single action on
lyour part which would not nee. the ap-
|proval of your advisers from the North,
and the result Of tho deliberations in
(which Robert +. Lee, Judge Campbell,
lof Alabama, and third man like them,
|from the South, took part, would not
sIonly insure the appreciation Of the dis
affected States but, in the course OF
flew months, would, / am firmly per-
suadcd, bring TO your support every
|right-minded and right hearted man ai
the North. The pacification of the es.
tranged sections, your main difficulty
,weuld thus be solved, and your path
made clear toward the solution of the
minor difficulties. How arc you to dis
4coycr the true sentiments of the Soutf
land the wants Of its people IL you dt
mot consult her representative men ?
land what sort Of restoration will tina
lie in the plan OF which the South ha
luo part whatever? 1t must Of necessity
lbc one sided, partial and unjust. TX
II .Ipcrsuadcd, Mr.. President and call Il
.. e.lyour aid men Of the standing, position
land temper have suggested, and by al
s,!mcans call them from both sections"
In this strain Mr.. Greeley continued
until he had
FAIRLY WON THE PRESIDENT
clover to his way Of thinking. The in
herview ended with the assurance from