Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-11-20

interest, and it is a valuable eontribu
lion to the literature of the subject
both on account Of the uniInpeachablt
integrity of the writer and the peou
liar opportunities which he enjoyed o.
being with the topic Of which hi
writes. Gov. Perry was a persona
friend of President Johnson, and he
writes with feeling as well as vigor
In a private letter accompanying his
communication, he says that he wishes
it published "for the truth of history
and the defense of a slandered man."
SANS SoUCI, Greenville, S. c., Nov. 2, 1887.
To the Editor of the News and Courier:
The communication of MI. Depew,
purporting to give a conversation with
Gen. Grant at aldinner table, in refer.
ence to the conduct of President John.
son after the close Of our civil war, is,
in my opinion, a tissue of slanderous
falsehoods from beginning to end; and
once before Gen. Grant was convicted
by the whole of Johnson's Cabinet of a
want of veracity between him and
Johnson.
That Johnson was in favor of hang
ing the leading Southern men at the
close of the war; that he was after
ward f1attered by the Southern arts 'oc.
racy and changed lis policy towards
the Southern States, and that finally
he was in favor of organizing a revo.
~lutionary Congress. with the Southern
members and such of the Northern
members as would 60 into this Con-
gtess, is absurd and preposterous.
Immediately after the close of the
war | was appointed Provisional Gov
ernor Of South Carolina, and wen on
to Washington before any such extra
ordinary aristocratic influence could
have been brought to bear on him. l
had several private and confidential
interviews with the President. He
said nothing about trying to hang Con-
federate generals and politicians. On
the contrary he was kind and forgiv-
ing in his conversation and said all he
wished was to see the Southern States
restored to the. Union and slavery abol-
ished. He was disposed to pardon all
who would take the oath prescribed
by him. l told him that all the people
in South Carolina would be disposed to
adopt his suggestion and be once more
loyal to the Federal Government. He
was much pleased at the information
L gave him in regard to South Caro-.
lima, and requested me to call on Mr..
Seward, and the other members of his
Cabinet, and tell them what l had told
him. L did so, and my information
was gratifying to them all. He ex-
pressed a wish that all the Southern
States would Immediately elect Sena-
tors and members of Congress so that
they might be able to take their seats
when Congress met.
President Johnson was a man of
great irmness and integrity of char
acter, devoted to the constitution and
the Union of the States. He deeply
deplored, whilst a strong Southern
man and born Democrat, the unwise
course pursued by the South in conse-
quence OF Lincoln's election to the
Presidency. At that time the Demo-
cratic party had a majority in both
houses of Congress and a majority of
the Supreme Court. President Lin
coin was therefore powerless to op-
press or injure the Southern States.
johnson was a. warm Southern mar
and made, just before the election of
Lincoln, the best and abIest speech
ever made in the Senate Of the United
States on the Southern question. He
was a highly gifted man, and 1 heard
a distinguished lawyer of Tennessee,
opposed to him in politics, say he was
the most Intellectual nan he had ever
met.
1t is a great mis- lake TO suppose that
President johnson could be influenced
by wealth or aristocracy to pursue a
curse different from his own convic-
tions of duty in any matter. 1t is
true that he had no respect for wealth
or a~ristocracy, unless united with
Integrity and honor, love of country
and Republican institutions. He said
once in my presence, addressing a
charitable and religious association,
that he respected all sects of the
Christian religion, and regarded every
honest man as a brother"
1t is foolish to suppose that
johnson, who loved and idolized the
constitution and hated war and revolu-
ton, should have been in favor
of organizing IA revolutionary Con-
gresS and involving his country in an
other civil war. No one who ever
knew President Johnson a believe
such an absurd story. That he re-
GREETED, deeply regretted that the
Southern members of Congress were
not allowed to take their seats l know
to be true.
On my return to Columbia, Gen.
Preston, DR.. Laborde, Mr.. Alfred
Huger, Mr.. DeSaussure and other gen.
tlemen called on me at Col. j. B.
Campbell's, to hear the news from
Washington. 1 stated to them the
kind, forgiving and magnanimous
policy President Johnson vas disposed
to pursue toward the South and did
pursue. They thought 1 had been de-
ceived, but afterward acknowledged
their error. b. +. FERRY.