Year: 1867

raj Grant-The State OF the Country.


WASHINGTON, July 22.-The following items
from conversation with the President since
the adjournment of Congress, are, think, of
sufficient interest to entitle them to the dignity
Of printers ink. The first subject mentioned
was the Reconstruction bill, and the speeches
made in both Houses, in which the radicals
asserted that the last veto contained q threat on
the part Of the President not to carry the mea-
sure into execution. "These men, said Mr.
johnson, alluding to Boutwell,, in the House,
and Sumner and Howard in the Senate, ''are
not fools enough to believe any such thing.
They know very we'll that there is no Ian
guage in the message capable of being tortured
into any such meaning. They know better than
that; but they thought they could make some
capital by pretending TO put such a construction
on H. Tor the benefit of great many who won't
read the message at all, but will take their
word for its contents. l neither said, nor
meant to say, that wouldn't execute the bill;
never said, nor meant to say, that of any law
passed by Congress. My opinion of that and
the other Reconstruction bills is that, If there
is any Constitution left in this country-if there
is any of it still remanng-they are clearly in
violation of it. / think that's as clear as any
proposition in mathematics can be. There may
be doubts as to the constitatonalty of some
bills, but don't think there can be any as to
these, and especially the last one. Well, that
bill was sent to me for my approval. l couldn't
give my approval, so sent 1t back with my
objections, stating why couldn't sign it.. Does
that prove, because l vetoed it, that l won't ex-
ecute it? If they have disregarded the
Constitution in passing it, as l think they
have, It's no reason why l should disregard it
by not executing bill passed in the mode pre-
scribed by the Constitution, by the required two
thirds majority. A bill may be vetoed either on
the ground Of expediency or on the ground OF
constitutionality. In either event it becomes as
much law after it has been passed by two.
thirds majority over the veto, as II 1t had re-
Ceived the approval OF the Executive. So, of
course, there is nothing lett for me to do but to
execute that bill until 1t is either repealed or
modified by Congress, or set aside by compe-
tent judicial tribunal. think these men would
have done good deal better If, instead of twist
ing false construction out of sentence or two
of that message, they had answered some of the
reasons which assigned for not approving the
BILL"


On this subject of the negro question. the
President said that so far from settling, the
recent legislation OF Congress would but inaugu-
rate in real earnest the question of the equality of
the two races. 1t might have worked itself out
to peaceful solution If they had let it alone;
but they had given it a forced growth by the
hasty transition of the negro from his former to
his present condition in the South, and the
result could rot be good. The people of the
North, he thought, would see this before long,
and there would be reaction. "These men,"
said he, "who insist so much on negro equality,
never had any real love tor the negro. There
always was more of what they call negro
equality in the South than in the North: that is,
there has always been less feeling against the
negro there than in the North, and there is less
to-day If they would only let the Southern
people alone. There is Sumner. for instance
what has he ever done for the negroes? Have you
ever seen his name TO subscription paper for
their benefit in any way? | never have, aud
they are always bringing such things here, ask
ing for this, that, and the other to help the poor
and needy among the colored folks. don't be-
lieVe Sumner ever gave cent. Then again.
last New Years day we had public reception
at the White House. The negroes came along
with the white folks, they mixed in the crowd,
and they were as well treated as anybody else.
Sumner had a reception that day, but didn't
hear of any negroes calling on him, and guess
he wouldn't have treated them very we'll If they
had called. And yet he will have nothing now
but that the entire machinery OF the ten States
in the South shall be put into the hands OF these
negroes, and any man who doubts whether this
would be eXpedient, in view OF the past condi'
ton of the negroes, and their lack OF oppor-
tunity to fit themselves tor what he wants to do
with them, he denounces as Rebel and
traitor. according to his notion"


MIR. johnson said he could hardly tell what to
think of the action of the House on the question
of lmpeachment-6rst ordering the report to be
made, and then refusing to let Mr.. Wilson make
1t. He referred to the subject good'naturedly,
and as one who, though deeply interested, was
not very fearful of results. 1t would be strange,
be said, if they couldn't make case out, after
all the trouble they had gone 10. "They even
examined my private banking account TO nnd
out about some bonds that had. have had
these bonds for good many years. whenever
got apy money put IL into them. Some got
while / was mechanic. They were the only
things saved out OF the war; all the rest of my
property that could be carried of, l lost"
He spoke OF the action of the House in order
ne the arrest of Lafayette @. Baker for not
ianswering to a summons from the Judiciary
Committee and wondered what more they ex,
pected him to swear to. 81 understand" said
he 'that he testified to having got possession
of letter written by me to Jeh. Davis during
the war, while ] was in Nashville l think
he says he got it through Jim Brownlow. Now
the tact is, never wIote letter to Jet. DAVIS
before during, or since the war. Davis and l
never agreed very we'll, and never liked each
other. If you'll look in the GLOBE Youll hnd thls
from debate between us on bll or Davis tor
the increase of the regular army. l was opposed
TO the bill; FIRST because thought saw In II
something like the inauguration OF the secession
war, and then, was opposed TO big standing
army always. Davis had just been Secretary OF
War, and knew where all the new appoint
ments would come from, and what kind OF men
they'd be. hunted up all sorts OF authorities
against his proposition, and especially the
writings of Washington, where the militia Is
spoken OF as the great army Of the Constitution;
I thought that was beautiful and truthful
Idea"


then said to the President that it had been


asserted that he was intimate with Wilkes Booth


at Nashville. He replied that he had never seen


Wilkes Booth that he was aware of. Booth


might have called upon him at the Capitol in


Nashville, as great many persons did, but he


couldn't remember it, 1t had been said that


Booth played at the theatre in Nashville while


he was Provisional Governor but he had no


recollection OF ", and he never went to the


theatre while ne was Provisional Governor. ttlt


IL very hard, said he s'that such charges as


this should be made against me in Congress


and that tneIe y no rsoress for me, after those