The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-15
Ceneral sohnston's Ideas.
THE CONSERVATIVE AND SENSIBLE POLICY
: re OBSERVED BY THE SOUTHERN MEMBERS.

l. THE CONSERVATIVE AMI ocENo1pbC o's1Si ~
i BE OBSERVED BY THE SOUTHERN MEMBERS.
| [sDecIal dispatch 10 the Washington Post.]
RICHMOND, VA, November 13.-Late last
evening representative OF the FoSt was
accorded an interview by General Joseph
b. Johnston, who will represent The metro
politan district OF Virginia in the next
Congress. A painful though not serious
accident, resulting in bruised knee, at
present confines the General to his modest
residence on Grace street, in the city
OF Richmond, but, aside from this, his
more than three-score-and-ten years have
| left him straight as an arrow and as full OF
vitality as many man OF fifty years. There
has been such cry already raised by the
vindictiYe Radicals OF the terrible disasters
| to be brought upon the country by sofia
South that the views OF General Johnston,
who will naturally be leader, will have an
interest for people OF all parties. Replying
to question as to the probable financial
policy OF the southern representatives, the
| General said:
"Speaking first for myself, I am unaltcr-
ABLY for homes. money. II my views were
otherwise could not have stood upon the
platform upon which was elected. Upon
| this question stand with the Intelligent ana
patriotic men OF the South, who are not to be
deIuded by fat sophistrles. The war taught
us the value of q currency whose issue was
| ilimitable, and God knows we are now
too poor to try 4 repetition OF the expert
ment.'
"What is your opinion OF the attitude
that the southern majority will assume in
shaping the policy of the partly"
"Without any adyices at all upon the
uuestion, will venture to say that the attl-
| tude OF the gentlemen from the southern
States will be such as to dsappoint the ire
conciables OF the opposition. who have, l
see. already begun an effort to array solid
North against solid South. We will pro-
baby have little to say in reply to Radicals
OF this stamp. Our acts will speak more
emphatically for Us. SectIonalism was
killed last Tuesday, and long before
1880 the "sold South" and the "soiid
North " will be forgotten terms. The peo-
ple OF the South have known for thirteen
wears that the war was at an end, but
these long-range Radicals and latter-day
warriors cannot, seemingly, be brought to 4
realization OF this fact. The revival Of the
charges that it is our settled policy to saddle
the war debt OF the Confectionery upon tbe
country is absurd-contcmptibI so-and it
passes my comprehension how any intel!l-
gent reader can receive such reckless lnYen-
lions WIFI VallcllCc. HO hooulu 10 INV 'S
close q part OF the Union as is New Eng
land. Virginia has the same interest in the
general prosperity OF the country as Mas>il-
chusetts, and her representatives and the
representatives OF the South will be found
to be as active in support Of all measures
tending to the general good OF all sections
OF the country as the gentlemen from Maine
or Vermont"
General. what is your opinion Of the fu-
t,lre Of the Greenback party in Virginia or
the South?"
"They have no future, sir. They were
buried beyond hope OF resurrection on the
9Th, and deservcdly so. Here in Virginia
they had no principle. The cornerstone OF
their hopes was laid In dishonesty, and their
doom was fore0rdaincd. TO their scheme
for picbald currency they added here the
policv OF reputation Of the State debt, and
though congressman can have no share in
the settlement OF that question, still the cleo
ton of their candidates would have been
hailed as sigma! victory for the repudia-
tionists. But, to the credit of Virginia, they
have failed slgnally, and the world will now
understand that we will meet our honest
obligations"
In the closing moments OF the interview
the conversation turned upon the probable
course of the southern delegation regarding
the speakership, and while General john
ston declined to commit himself thus carly,
the tenor Of his remarks left the clear I'M
preston that the sentiment OF the South
would be in favor OF the election OF
northern Democrat. The General said in
so many words that that would be the
wisest course to follow.