The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-01-16
Andrew Johnson's Private Dis
patches---Some Interesting
"Reminiscences

~o-F7OAAU 1HtCTcSGlHSs
r "Reminiscences.
Mr. II. V. Redfeld, in lette
/ from GreenevilIe, Tenn. to the Gin
cfnnati Commercial, gives copies of {.
number of dispatches which Andrew
Johnson received when President
and which he was allowed to read ii
Nr. JoInson's old Office, where the
dispatches were kept in severa
bound volumes. We mako the fol
loving extract from Mr.. Redheldl
letter:
Did President johnson offer Nor.
ton cabinet position? There ha;
been much said pro and con upon
this subject, and the following dis.
patch is now OF interest. and its pub
lication can do no possible karin:
INDIANAPOLIS, IND. February 81,
1866.-Andrew johnson, President
Gov. Morton is much better, and
able to accept cabinet position.
If you desire it his hrether-in-law
Col. Holloway, will go after him.
THos. N. STLLwELL.
This evidently means that the
President had Morton in contempla-
ton for a cabinet position, and had
asked for information, to which the
above is reply. At that time,
February, 1866, johnson and Nor
ton were still personal and political
friends.
In the fall of 1865 we have evil
dence that the late Charles Sumner
began to show q coldness toward the
administration. In this connection
the following dispatch, never before
published. is of great interest:
Boston, November IL, 1906
Andrew johnson. President of the
/ United States: As a friend and sup
porter Of your administration. most
respectfully petition you TO suspend
for the present your policy towards
! the rebel States. / should not pre-
sent this paper if l were not pain
fully convinced that thus far it has
failed to obtain any reasonable guar
ranty for that security in the future
which is essential to peace and rec
onciliation. To my mind it aban-
dons the freedmen to the control OF
their ancient masters and leaves the
national debt exposed to repudia-
tion by returning rebels. The dec
laration of independence asserts the
equality of all men and the rightful
government can be founded only on
the consent of the governed. L see
small chance of peace unless these
great principles are practically es-
tablished by our Government. With
out this the house will continue di-
vided against itself.
CHARLES SUMNER,
Senator Of the United States.
HARRIsBURG. October 10, 1865
Hon. Andrew Johnson, President Of
the United States: congratulate
you on having carried Pennsylvania.
The result is an evidence or the con-
fidence which our people have in
your admins tr&tion.
SIMON CHMERoN.
Not long after this, Simon broke
with the administration, and sent no
more dispatches.
In the following dispatch Gen.
Butler seems to want to know what
is to become OF him as military
man and an officer:
LOWELL, MASS. October %, 1865.
President Andrew johnson An
order to muster me out as q Major
General is about to be issued. Is
that desired by the President?
BENZ. f. BUTLER.
We have no further information as
to this melancholy matter. But
Chere is another dispatch from But
ler urging that Carl Schurz and 9TH
ers be not mustered out.
Also the following letter from
James Gordon Bennett:
Fort WASHINGTON, August 26.
1865.-Hls Excellency, President
Johnson: My Dear Sir-A very
old friend of mine, Mr.. H. Wikoff.
going to Washington on business
Of his own. x The United
States came out OF the recent war "a
one of the greatest powers of the
world. and her foreign policy is
equally as important. It seems to
me that we ought to settle our for
eign questions with Europe without
war, and the best means to do so
would be in a Congress Of all the
great powers. If | had any idea
what your government thought on
that subject, | could in my own way
aid and assist your administration
with more efficacy. l had given Mr..
W. my ideas on that aad other SUBJ
jects, which he will be glad 10 detail
to you ii you desire him. If advisa-
able. / should be most happy to pro-
ceed ia that course. 1 am, dear sir.
yours most truly.
JAMES @. BENNETT.
J. Madison Wells thus recon-