New-York tribune., 1875-03-08

Between these two radical elements, each alike
dangerous, are the people, the conservatives, leIi
me why should not they unite and hurl the section
alists from tho caucus, from the convention. and
from poweri The people. 80 to speak, nave
been in o valley, and the party men nave
kept them from the high ground. from the
mountains, where they could see what was going
on. Whenever the people conclude, as they did IN
1929 to view the field themselves they will break
away on the one hand from the Radical Democrats
and on the other from the Radical Republicans.
Burke one of Englands greatest statesmen, and the
faithful friend of America foretod the present con-
dition of affairs in this country in remarking OF his
own In effect he said that it must be apparent 10
all unprejudced minds that the bad men OF the ma
tion have combined and taken possession OK the
Government for selfish and corrupt purposes, ana
that it is the duty of good and wise men to associate
and have concert Of action, they Will faIl one by
one in hopeless struggle"
"Are you dcspondent for the future ~
"No, I am not despondent but am anxious. l
believe the people are coming their condition
as they did in Gen. Jackson's time. The late eiec-
tions show that. | predicted, in public letter IN
January 1871, what has occurred. At that time L
used the following language: party coming into
power, without pnncple, without creed,. can nave
no tie, no common bond of union which will hold 10
together, other than the spoils of Office and public
plunder, which is tho condition of the party
now in power, and on accOOnt of which it
will be retired, by common consent, to the
shades of private life, amid its reeking
corruption and hagrant disregard of principle.
having justly incurred the condemnation of an In
jurcd and betrayed people, 1 do not" said Mr.
Johnson warming somewhat with his subject,
"care as to forms aud plans. The Government
should be administered for itself and rot for party.
You will recall the lines of Pope:
For forms OF government lot fools contest,
That which Is best administered ~ BEST
As for existing parties, they must change. They
have already begun to disintegrate and dissolve.
The Conservatives, the people. only want a nucleus
upon which to form. Then they will crystalline and
become sod.'
"Wll you participate in the debate on the Pinch
back resolution of Mr. Mortonp
THAT / cannot say" replied the exPresident.
81 am heartily opposed to the Louisiana difficulty
SO far as Government action is concerned. The
scenes upon the assembling of the Legislature were
scarcely to be approved by anybody. Ny theory
reaches even to the Louisiana difficulty The Con-
seryatiyes are the best citizens in New-Orcans.
They are not the Kellogg people on the one side,
nor the rebel element on the other. The Conserya-
tiyes, meaning the people, of Louisiana are equally
opposed to both. Sheridan's conduct has not sur
pIised me. found it necessary to remove lin from
New-Orleans after had sent him there
and to replace him with Gen. Hancock, whose
orders on taking command did much. by their
temperate tone and by the acknowledgment OF
the superiority Of civil military law, to on
courage and foster peace. You must remember in
1866. or 1867 the case of Tennessee. Gov Brownlow
asked for,troops of Gen. Thomas, then commanding
that department. The case was very similar to that
of Louisiana. The request for troops was sent by
Gen. Thomas to Gen. Grant who forwarded 1t to the
Secretary of War, Mr.. Stanton, and by him 1t was
sent to me as President. The application Tor United
States troops was dsallowed and Secretary Stanton
wrote the dispatch"
"Wlll YOU not, In your new position, nave an op-
portunIty to pay off some old scorcsl You must
have mass of facts against many OF the leaders of
the parties of to-day"
"Whatever Jmay have I do not say. but l shall
use nothing. My service in the Senate will not be
personal one. do not represent myself, but Ten
nessee The country has nothing to do with
my personal matters. and with what has passed.
have no enemies to punish. nor friends TO reward.
have buried resentments, and have forgotten the
i'll treatment OF individuals If | can perform the
duties that are now before me as conscicntiOuslY
and clearly as | see them at this moment. snail ac-
complish as much as human vanity may seek to at
tain"