Year: 1866

| Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Commercial.
WAsHISGroE, Dec. 22.-Representative
Eggleston, Of Ohio, had a long interview


with the President TO day. He spent more


than an hour in conversation with him on


general matters, reconstruction among the


rest After talking Of the result of the


late elections, Mr.. Eggleston asked the


President If he did not think il would have


been better for him 20 have surrendered


his views and opinions in favor of the
popular verdicts in October and November,
and not TO have pressed his policy in his
last message The President replied to
this that he did not think he he had shown
any further opposition 10 the popular YER
dict than merely 20 express his opinions TO
Congress in what be thought would best
conduce 10 the welfare OF the country
He thought the Radical party had made a
great mistake in spending so much time as
they did last SESSION before announcing upon
what terms they would agree to readmit
the Southern States, and that great damage
to the public welfare had been the result Of
this delay. Now that Congress had passed
the amendment, and it was 70 become a
part Of the constitution, he could see no
guaranty that the Southern States would
be admitted, even after the ratification had
been fully accomplished.


AT. Eggiesion replied to this, that there
was an implied guarantee in the speedy
admission Of Tennessee after her Legisla-
ture had ratified the amendment, and
that be thought the party with which
he acted would be nearly a unit in the ad-
mission of other late Rebel States, as soon
as they had complied with the conditions
exacted from Tennessee.


The President said he hoped this would
prove 10 be true, but he feared there would
be q strong opposition to such a policy,
from the extreme Radicals.


Mr.. Eggleston said he felt little doubt on
the subject. There might be some opposi-
ton from Messrs. Sumner and Stevens, but
il was a good characteristic of Mr. Stevens
that if he couldn't get what he wanted, he
would take the best he could get


Yes" said the President "thats true of
Stevens, and | always liked him for it-a
practical man, though he seems TO me to be
working in the wrong direction"


The President repeated the hope that the
South would be admitted to representation /
on the adoption of the amendment. II was
useless, he said, to discuss the propriety or
impropriety Of the conditions embraced in
that measure. II had been agreed upon,
and all he could now ask was that the |
guarantee Of reconstruction upon that basis |
should be faithfully kept by the party that |
had offered it. He expressed regret and |
surprise that 30 few members of Congress |
had called upon him since the opening of |
the session.


Mr.. Eggleston replied that he did not |
think members Of Congress should carry |
their antagonism so far as that He be- |
lieved in fighting out old political battles |
before the people, and thought that opposi- |
ticn 70 the views OF the President ought not |
to deter members from conferring with the |
Executive or consulting him on business
matters


The President concurred in this view ex-
actly. He would like TO have men of all |
political compilations call on him and tell /
him what they wanted. No harm could /
possibly come Of such an interchange of
views, and great deal Of good might come
of it. Now that the quarrel had been SET
tied as most people thought, there was Ger
tainly no reason why Senators and Repre-
sentatives should so sedulously avoid him.


The conversation was concluded by Mr.. /
Eggleston inquiring about the Mexican
question.


The President replied that il didn't look
ss favorable as he had hoped to have IT,
but still he thought it would be we'll