Year: 1868




Mack" Talks WITH Him Two Hours


and Half.


Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Commercial.


WASHINGTON, January l, 1868.


TALK WITH THE PRESIDENT.


Taking advantage Of the general clear
ing out of congressional dignitaries which
had taken place since the adjournment on
the goth, and of recent snow storm, which
/ felt assured would compel the few rheu-
matte members and gouty senators who
remained at the capital to stay in their re-
spective boarding houses for few days,
and thus give reasonable chance to an
unofficial caller in pursuit of an interview
with the President, made visit to the
White House last evening for the purpose
of brief political conversation with his
Excellency. After few minutes waiting
in the ante-room l was ushered into the
Executive presence, where remained for
two hours and half. From what passed
I select the following items Of general
interest:


THE PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION.


"I believed then and believe now that
there is a majority in the country-and q
very largo majority-opposed to the policy
Of the Radical party but many who want
to oppose that policy cannot be made to do
it by joining the Democratic party. They
will not make accessions to the Democratic
party or fall into the rear of it under the
| leadership of such men as Vallandigham.
The October elections in Ohio showed this.
| Negro suffrage, which represented the
Radical policy, was beaten by $4,000, and
vet General Hayes was elected Governor.
| Well, now, if the people were as much in
favor Of the Democratic party as they are
opposed to Radicalism, they would have
given SO, 900 majority for Thurman.
ORD REMOVED BY GRANT.
I told Mr.. johnson that I understood
General Grant to have been the first to
suggest the removal of Ord, and he replied
that such was the fact. He Johnson) had
not attempted to interfere against Ord, but
let Grant have his own way.


THE MOSES BUSINESS.


"They talk a great deal," said Mr..
Johnson, "about this Moses business, as
if l had said something then that I had
never said before, and have repudiated
since. The fact is, there is nothing in that
speech inconsistent with my previous
record, or with what I have said or done
SINCE"


because I wanted the negroes to be
free and enjoy their rights, it does not fol
| low that want them to be the ruling class
| in eleven States. Reconstruction Of that
kind, after it's accomplishment, brings nc
peace to the country. 1t plants in every
State the elements Of discord and dissolu-
ton, that will be felt sooner or later"
MR.. LINCOLN's PoLICY-wHAT He SAID


HIMSELF.


GAS to an extra session for the purpose
of settling the reconstruction question:
said the President, "Secretary Welles will
tell you that Mr.. Lincoln said to him one
day that he had no idea of calling it; but
that they (meaning the ADMINISTRATOR
had better 60 to work and get it all out OF
the way before Congress met to fuss
about it."


SOMETHING ABOUT STANTON.


One of Stanton's last suggestions in
the Cabinet, he said, was to increase the
regular army to it's Instrumentation
would put it at nearly 1000 men also,
to have an order issued making desertion
punishable by death. Stanton came in one
day with proposition embracing these two
points, reduced to writing. The President
expressed his astonishment, and inquired
if General Grant approved such thing.
Stanton replied in the affirmative. "Well,"
said the President, 81 am opposed to each
of the propositions, and especially to both
Of them." Stanton went on to say the
army was deserting in platoons, and nothing
but rigorous enforcement Of the death
penalty would stop it. The President said
he never heard Of such thing as shooting
for desertion in time Of peace. Stanton
replied that there was law on the statute
books now authorizing it, but he couldn't
find it.


The President said the country would
be unable to bear the expense of the army
filled to the maximum. 1t would be a
hundred millions year; but Stanton in
sisted that it ought to be done. When
General Grant came into the Cabinet the
President asked him if he had approved
OF Stanton's propositions, and he replied
that he had not-that he hadn't seen them,
and knew nothing of them. 81 could
never approve of thing like that" said
Mr.. johnson, "to bankrupt the North in
order to raise big army to oyerrun the
South. There's too much Of an army now,
and it's too expensive already"


It will be observed from the above that
the American Carnot had back-action
idea in view, which was to recruit the
army up to the maximum first, and then
shoot it down to the minimum. The origi-
nal Carnot never equalled that in brilliancy
Of conception.


A GOOD JOKE ON GRANT.


This is as good place as any to tell
what I conceive to be good joke at
Grants expense, perpetrated by so grave
a person as Attorney General Stanbery.
My authority is unquestionable, as, in fact,
it always is. Soon after Grants accession
to the Cabinet he brought up PROPOSE
tion, in Cabinet meeting, in regard to the
abolition of whipping, as punishment for
crime, in the South. The whipping post,
he said, was relic of barbarism, and it
ought to be abolished. All the Cabinet
officers agreed on that point, but they diff
fered as to the propriety of interfering
against the penal laws of State. Such
punishment was being gradually abolished
anyhow, and would soon disappear en-
tirely. But Grant believed that something
ought to be done by the army to prevent
its continuance. 1t was 80 barbarous that
it ought not to be tolerated day longer.
Stanbery glanced at the General and said,
in quiet way 81 believe you still buck