The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-11-05

1 President and he would be glad to know
| that lie could depend upon my power and
| influence provided he had any conflict
with Congress. | said If Congress at-
| tempted to usnrp his prerogative as presi,
dent | certainly would be on his side, but
/ was not in favor of one co coordinate
branch of the Government usurping the
power Of another. and that such a condi-
ton could not exist ina Republican gov
ernment He then said the senators and
representatives from the Southern States
WHO had just been elected or were being
elected were rightfully elected and were
legally a part OF Congress, and ought to
Ec recognized as such and seated that the
states they represented were states in the
Union just as much as they ever We're !:
that they never had been out Of the Union,
and that was the principle upon which
the North fought the rebellion that the
right way to settle the reconstruction
question was to recognize these senators
and representatives It's duly elected, and
indicating that if ! would side with him.
in this view he would recognize all these
senators and representatives as legally
elected. and they, with the Democratic
senators and representatives Of the North,
would make a majority and become the
Congress of the United States, and if the
rest did not acquiesee and come in they
would be regarded by him as a rump con-
gress, whose acts would be Illegal and con-
sequently null and void.
Il said to the President that that would
be an encroaehment on his part upon a CO.
ordinate branch of the Government that
would amount to high-handed asurpation,
If not treason, which | could not endorse
on tolerate that it would plunge the coun-
try into anarchy at once, and that no one
scould foresee the end [ also said the
question of the status of those states be-
loDged to Congress, and Iadyised him not
to try such an experiment. In q few days
he sent for me and said he had appointed
L. d. Campbell, of Ohio, minister to Mex
leo. and that he had fitted up vessel espe-
cially and with everything / could wish,
and he desired me to go with Campbell to
Vera Cruz, and that, il he was not re-
ceived by the authorities of Mexico, to
come back to the Rio Grande and proceed
up as far as Brownsville on tour of OBJ
servation as to the contest between Max
imilian and Juar@. / thanked him. but
said did not wish to go, and respectfully
declined. He said the trip would be
pleasant one and the rest would do me
good, and urged me to go. still declined
in respectful terms, but decidedly.
In a few days | received a letter from
him appointing me upon this mission. /
Immediately wrote him a letter and sent it
over to the Executive Mansion, declining
the appointment, and referring to our
conversation on this matter a few days
before. | then saw that it was his pur-
pose to get me out of the way. and / was
determined to remain in Washington.
Shortly afterward l was sent for to attend
a Cabinet meeting. | arriyeda little after
the time Of meeting, and after | was
seated Mi. Seward began to unfold and
read paper which proved to be my in
Structions upon this very mission. arose
from my chair and asked the Secretary to
suspend reading. Then Isaid Mr.. Pres
dent, you once in conversation said you
desired me to 60 ON this expedition and
then respectfully declined. Afterward you
wrote me letter appointing me and
answered you by letter respectfully but
firmly declining the appointment and
now | say to you that cont accept the
position. The President arose from his
chair, and, with great vehemence bringing
his fist down on the table, demanded OF
the Cabinet to know whether he had not
authority as er oticio communicating chief
to order this man to this service. said
Mr.. President, probably l can answer
that question as we'll or better<fhan any
member of your Cabinet. This is a civil
position and you have no power to-compel
me to accept any civil Office. l then
walked out of the room. In short time
he again sent for me and was smiling and
pleasant as ever, He asked me where
General sherman was. | replied he was
then in New Mexico. He requested me
to telegraph him to come to Washington.
Immediately wired General Sherman
that the President desired him to come to
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