The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-27
KELLEYON JOHNSON.

cey Nj. Depew's Statements.
Philadelphia Press.
II have just finished reading Mr. Chauncey
NJ. Depew's letter to Colonel Fred Grant, refer
ring to the relations between General Grant and
President Andrew Johnson" said Hon. William
ID. Kelley yesterday, as he pushed aside news
paper and a package of papers that lay a desk
before him. He then went to give personal
"reminiscences corroborative of Mr.. Depew's
statements.
From my knowledge of General Grant,
President johnson and Edwin M. Stanton during
the period covered by Mr. Depews letter." he
said, Il aver that it is substantially correct
Although was not present at any of the inter
views mentioned, / know many facts which con-
firm my judgment. In proof of my knowledge
produce this stained and time worn pamphlet an
address l delivered in Concert Hall in Phila-
delpha, on March Is, 1866, which was published
by Colonel John W. Forney from the
Chronicle Office in Washington, and is en-
titled Dangers and Duties of the Hour.
only pleasant but at times confidential, espe-
cially before and during the period when he was
military Governor of Tennessee. In the early
part of April, 1865, We had passed an hour to-
gether in the ante-room of the executive cham
ber. 1t was on the day of my last interview with
Abraham Lincoln. In the course Of the CONVEX
sation he referred very kindly to an elaborate
speech had recently made in favor of universal
suffrage saying he had mislad the copy he had
read with so much pleasure, and wished it, that
he might refer to some of the authorities cited.
ext naxp of
the United States, but had not yet taken up his
abode in the White House, and occupied the
commodious mansion of Hon. Samuel Hooper,
of Massachusetts. On the morning of my ar
rival in Washington, having heard that Senator
Sumner had had protracted interview with
him, took the confederate Brigadier-general
CAN'T, of Arkansas, with me to the Senator's
room and we had long talk. Carl Schurz,
fresh from North Carolina, and the surrender of
Johnston's army, was with Mr. Sumner, who de-
tailed te E.s the subjects he ana the President
had discussed. The statement led to mutual
congratulations that the successor to Abraham
Lincoln was one who so heartily abhorred trea
son, was determined to punish traitors, and who
being familiar with the ignorance and degrada-
tion of the poor whites of the South, was ready
to aid in improving their condition. We were
also assured by Senator Sumner that President
johnson did not differ from us in the necessity
of availing ourselves, in the reorganization of
the South, of the political power of the loyal
people of that section without regard to lineage
or past prejudices, we had availed ourselves
of the military power of the coored troops in the
extreme exigency of the country
"By turning to my old speech find that:
accompanied by General Grant, waited on
the President the next morning at his resi- dence.
The interview was satisfactory but chiefly so in
this, that the point on which the President was
clearest was that there must be no haste in the
work OF reconstruction; time most po-
tent ally; these people having overthrown their
government must be made to feel the want of
government and to suffer from it's want. y
1t was in his judgment-for the question of
called session of Congress was incidental :
ly touched on-fortunate that Congress
did not meet at an early day, for in the interim
we would be able to ascertain the true spirit of
the people of the South. y Our inter
view was not disagreeable to the President for
remarking that he ought to be in the room he
occupied as an executive chamber, room in the
Treasury, he suggested that we should prec ede
him. We did so, and in a few moments he
joined us.
There was intense eagerness in the North TO
know President Jonnson's opinions, and rep
resentative of the Associated Press sent the
following dispatch to all parts of the county
Judge Kelley, of Philadelphia, had a pro-
tracted interview with the President to-day, and
is entirely satisfied with his views and pur-
poses
Having returned to Philadelphia visited the
Union League the next morning, and while
giving an account of my interview to group of
members, among whom were George III. Boxer,
Lindley Smyth and Thomas Webster some OF
my hearers doubted the possibility of such en-
tire coincidence between my we'll known radical
views and those of the President AS / was
about retiring, General Schurz arrived and
said, General, be good enough to confirm or
contradict some statements have Just made by
letting these gentlemen know the Presidents
opinions as expressed to you He did so. and
confirmed all my allegations. This was in April,
1860. Yet In March, 1866, President Johnson's
opinions had undergone such changes excluded
Mr. Sumner, myself and all the radical las the
President was pleased to call them) members Of
the two houses from confidential conversation
with him, and most of them from
all intercourse with him. Indeed, in
speech he had made on the 22d of February,
he not only denounced Congress, but in
weighed against Senator Sumner and Thaddeus
Stevens by name. as fit subjects for violence.
From having insisted, as he did, with great en-
phasis and persistency, in 1863 on the repeal of
so much of the confscation law as provided that
it should not be so construed as to work for
felture OF the real estate of an offender beyond
his natural life, and reiterated the assertion to
Others as he did to me. that, without such re-
peal. we could not confscate under that law,
and If we permitted these people to return and
resume the commanding social position the pos
session OF their estates would give them, we
could not punish prominent traitor in Tennes-
see, and would make it necessary for the Union
men to abandon their property and the State;
he had surrounded himself, not only socially.
but as his accepted political advisers, by the
most influential of the confederate leaders. espe-
cially those of great wealth and commanding So
cial position. and was in the habit of denouncing,
in the most public manner, Congress as an un-
lawful body, hanging on the verge Of the gov
ment, and the joint committee of fifteen on re-
construction as an irresponsible central direc-
tory
His benefciaries land he changed officers by
the thousands, and demanded political featy
from even the laborers in the government work
shops) made their places secure by echoing these
ribald denunciations of a coordinate branch of