Year: 1868

A TALK with hE PkESlDtNI,


WASHINGTON, April 5, 1868.


Say rather, two Presidential talks in one letter
for have seen A. j. twice within the past week
and conversed with him freely on each occasion o.
political topics, and especially on the great subjec
which now monopolizes the attention of the peopl
throughout the country, and may be naturally sup
posed to engross good share ofthe time and con
temptation of his Excelency.


On Sunday night found the President, as
thought, quite despondent. He seemed to hav
read in the. proceedings of the trial, as far as
had then progressed, enough to justify his fear
on the subject of his own fate, and to have conn
to the conclusion that the case had been prejudget
against him. More than once, however, in tn
course of the two hours was with him, ne ex
pressed the hope that he would be fairly heard
and coupled it always with implicit confidence il
his full vindication. The idea was that unless n
had been condemned before the trial began, n
should certainly be acquitted at its close.


Last night called on him again. He had en-
tirely recovered from his dependency, and was IL
his accustomed good spirits-not only conhden
but even combative, insisting all the way through
not only that he was right, but that Congress wa
wrong, and that the wrong end of the avenue wa
in process of impeachment A friend to whom
have since spoken of the contrast which these two
paragraphs present, explained it at once, by say
ing: sThat's the way it has been with him evel
since the impeachment began. He is constantly
alternating between the fears that he won't be
fairly tried, and the confidence that comes from o
knowledge that he has committed no impeachable
offence"


BEN. BUTLER.


Naturally enough the subject of General Butler
came up on Sunday evening, as the town was tul
of rumors about the great speech to be made ne1'
day BY that distinguished gentleman. Iasked the
President if Butler hadn't applied to him in 1865
for Cabinet Office "No," he said, Butler
himself never did, but his friends did it for him.
A strong movement was made to get Butler IN
Stanton's place, and because it didn't succeed,
Butler has been pretty sharp after me ever since.
The idea was to put Butler in the War Office as
the first step toward recognizing the Democratic
party, with such men as he al the head of it.


FoRNEY.


asked the President if Forney wasn't on the
same track with Butler in the matter of re-organ
izing the Democratic party. "Yes," said he, 'he
was; and he (Forney) began to grumble as early
as December, 1864, just after the Presidential
election, because Democrats like himself had been
neglected and badly treated during Lincoln's first
administration. The first thing he did was to write
me letter, hoping that when Icame to the Vice
Presidency would give him the control of some
patronage that he said belonged to the Office oi
Secretary of the Senate but of late years had been
given to the Sergeantat-Arms. He hoped would
change that Then when became President he
was still more importunate for something or other
that he wanted. He always wanted something
He thought he could take charge of me and con
troll everything, and when wouldn't let him dc
that, he ouarreled with me. He is Almighty small
man to quarrel with; but, if it was worth while,
could very easily show the motive of his opposi
ton to me-" The President also showed me let
ter from Forney, dated January I, 1865, in which
the writer hopes that the admission OF Tennessee
and Louisiana will not be embarrassed by the ques
ton of negro suffrage and doest see how North
ern men can vote to enfranchise the illiterate ne
groes of the South, while in nearly every State ii
the North the blacks are disfranchised.


CAD INTERIM THOMAS"


Much of the conversation last evening related
to the testimony already adduced on behalf OF tn
prosecution. I remarked to the President tina
they had mt yet shown that General Thomas spoke
from any authority from him when he talked O
using force to eject Stanton. 'No, said he, "anc
they won't show it, either On the contrary, il
will appear before the trial is over, that warned
him to be very careful how he proceeded, as
wanted everything done quietly and peacefully, tol
no other purpose than to test the validity Of the
Tenure-of. Oficelaw. Thomas seems to be queel
old gentleman" continued the President. HE
has acted very strangely in parts Of this matter
But the fact is, he got little refreshed over hi
appointment at first You know how it is with
these military men-how much style they like tt
nut on, and how much fuss they like to make, ant
how they like to show their authority. Well
Thomas felt big when he got to be Secretary o
War. Stanton had treated him pretty sharply Of
some occasions, and here, he thought, was a goot
chance for him to show himself bigger man thai
Stanton. He felt his importance that day yer.
much, and was so much elated that he ran arount
telling everybody what he would do. We'll, now
if he meant to do anything very bad, he wouldn'
have talked so freely about it. Men, generally
don't mean what they say when they brag as mucl
as he did. But so far from my authorizing hin
to use force, I sent for him that morning, Will
his appointment was being made out, and talket
to him in this very room, to caution him to pro
ceed quietly. When his commission and Stanton
removal were made out, put them down on tn
table here and said to him: Now, this thing mus
be done very carefully and very regularly. Her
is YOUR commission and here is Stanton's removal
You'll keep this and show it to Stanton. HI
(Stanton) will get the notice Of his removal. Yo'
had better take somebody with you when you g