Year: 1867

flTfSibENI AND tONSEhN AllVEs


The Washington correspondent of the Cincinnati
Commercial, apparently "by authority" makes the
following statement in reference to the negotiations
between the President and certain members of Con-
gress, with view to agreeing upon plan Of re-
construction. The information is, doubtless obtained
from implicated members:


In the first place, the conference was not proposed
by the President nor by any member or Senator in
Congress- The proposition was suggested by inter-
mediate parties holding official position.
They Il leading Republican Congressman of
their own Voton, and positively without the knowl-
edge of the President, and stated that from their
cent information and conversations .th the Executive
they satisfied that by slight mutual concessions
without any sacrifice Of principle Congress would pre-
sent a plan OF reconstruction to which the President
would readily give his assent.


At first the members of Congress were not disposed
to take them into conscientious The ground that
the President had authorised no such proposition to
| be made. But on second consideration meeting of
twenty or thirty Vas called at which the medating
parties present. A detailed conversation resulted
in showing unmstakably that nothing short of the
ratification OF the pending constitutional amendment
and the adoption Of universal suffrage by the Southern
States, would secure reconstruction, and entitle them
to representation in Congress-; that, in fact, nothing
| else would be acceptable to Congress.
This conclusion reported at once to the Pres-
dent, who stated, in rep y, that he willing, in
der to secure settlement of the question, to yield
his position and favor the ratification of the pending
constitutional amendment, and, in addition, to exact
suffrage Of Southern States additional condition
precedent to their representation in Congress. The
President did rot lay any stress to whether he fa-
yorcd impartial universal suffrage but distinctly in
timaed that the difference between the two would not
prove material.


The Presidents conclusions were then reported in
turn to those Congressman, who were earnestly as
sured that they had been correctly given. It then
suggested that interview be had at once with the
President, and that a committee of the members be
appointed to see Mr.. Johnson, and learn from him
personally these reported declarations.
A committee then waited on the President, and he
substantially repeated the statement which he had
made to the mediators. This reported to all of
| the members at a second meeting who present
at the first one, and it looked upon being con-
elusive. The fact of the President having stated his
Fconcessions communicated to between sixty and
seventy members on the Republican side of the House
and nearly every stated that they would vote for a
bill embodyiDg them if it could be brought before the
House.


If there any point in doubt in the whole matter it is
the question whether universal impartial suffrage
shall be required in connection with the constitutional
amendment. The way In which the argument is to be
carried out is being illustrated in the protracted
session of the Senate, where the Blaine amendment is
pending and which is virtually the plan the President
is declared to have accepted. Should the Senate
adoptit and it is agreed to by the House, the Presi-
dent is afforded the opportunity Of making good the
representations which he has given to the members.
! In any event. it is expected that the views of the
President will be communicated to Congress in a
message either approving veoing the reconstruction
bill.