Year: 1866

HE PROCESSES TO AGREE WITH SUMNER.


During that interview he referred very


kindly to my speech in. favor of uni
versal suffrage, and requested an
other COPY, saying he had mislaid the
one he had read with so much pleasure,
and wished it that he might refer to
some of the authorities cited. When 1
next saw him he was President of the
United States, but had not taken up his
abode in the Executive mansion. Hav-
ing arrived in Washington in the eve
ming, delayed my call upon him until
the next morning. aud having heard that
Senator Sumner had had protracted in
'terview with him that day, with General
CAN'T, of Arkansas, l went to his room,
where l found Gen. Carl Schurz, fresh from
North Carolina and the surrender of
Johnson's army. He had, as you remem-
Der, commanded division of the con-
quering army in its wonderful march
through the enemy's country, and was
still in commission. Senator Sumner de
tailed the points the President and he
had discussed, and we parted with mu-
tual congratulations that the Presidential
Office was in the hands of one who ab-
horred treason, was determined topunish
traitors, and who, being familiar with the
ignorance and degradation of the poor
whites of the South, knew how grievous-
ly they had been misled, and was there
fore capable of pardoning them. We
were glad to be assured that he did not
differ With US upon the necessity of
aViling ourselves, in the recognition OF
the South, of tie political power Of the
loyal people of that section, without re-
gard to lineage or past prejudices, as we
had aVailed ourselves of their military
power in the extreme exigency Of the
country.


JUDGE KELLEY'S INTERVIEW WITH THE PRES


IDEET.


Accompanied by Gen. CAN'T, waited
upon President johnson the next NOR
ming st his residence in the mansion of
the Hon. Samuel Hooper, of Massachu-
setts. Our interview was satisfactory,
but chiefly so in this: That the point on
which President was most clear was, that
there must be no haste in the work of re-
construction; that time was our ablest
ally; that these people having over
thrown their Government, must be per-
mitted to feel the want of Government,
dn0 " 6uhcI I'D bAAlk NACJ
might be brought to comprehend the
true foundation of just government. 1t
was in this judgment-for the question of
possibility of called session of Congress
was incidentally touched unfortunate
that Congress did not meet at an earlier
day, for in the interim we would be able
to ascertain the true spirit of the people
of the South; they would discover and
appreciate the just demands of those
who had maintained the Government,
and we would be better able to judge
now far the newly emancipated citizen
should be trusted with political power.


The point specially pressed by Gen. Grant
was the agency through which argument,
persuasion and information could be pre-
sented to the people of the rebellious dis
tricts. The keresies which had produced
the rebe lion could thus, in his Judgment,
soon be eradicated. These, he said. were
two: The doctrine of State sovereignty,
or the right of secession, and the doc
trine of slayery-the right of man to
hold property in man and he suggested
that while military power was main
tanned it was clearly within the limits of
constitutional power to suppress any pa
per which maintained these doctrines
within the conquered States. Especially
did he protest against permitting any ed
itor who had taught these heresies and
stimulated the people to rebellion, to
preside over paper within any military
district. The President assented very
distinctly to the correctness of the Gen
erals views, saying that nothing could
be more important than that the press
throughout that region should be con
Quoted in the interests of the Govern
ment, but in such a manner as not to
wound the sensibilities of the people
He hoped, however, that it would not be
necessary to exercise such power. Our
interview was not disagreea5le to the
President, for, renarking that the time
had come when he ought to be in the
room which he occupied as an Executive
chamber room in the Treasury-he
suggested that we should precede him,
and say to his messenger that he had di-
rected US to come and wait for him. We
did so, and in a few moments he Joined
US. Our conversation soon closed, and as
we departed from the Presidential pres
ence General Schurz was ushered in
There was great anxiety at that time to
ascertain the Presidents views on the
leading topics of consideration. The
continued kindness of my constituents
had given me some prominence before
the country. 1 was then, as 1 am very
proud to be to-day, known as a radical,
and on returning TO the hotel was sur
rounded by number of the intelligent
gentlemen who represent the newspaper
press of the country at its capital, and
whose anxiety and laborious effort to sift
and compare statements and rumors, that
they may inform the readers Of their re-
spective journals with which they COM
municate, is too lightly esteemed. They
would gladly have learned from me all
the points discussed, and the precise
shade of the Presidents opinion. But
the time at my disposal was too brief for
that could only say that the interview
had been entirely satisfactory to me. One
of the gentlemen said to me that it
would great deal of satisfaction to many
people if would permit them to say very
briefly what 1 had said to them, and,
drawing his pencil, wrote: Judge Kelly,
of Pennsylvania, had a protracted inter-
view with the President to-day, and is
entirely satisfied with his views and pur
poses," which was read the next day by
the readers of all the papers with which
the Associated Press communicates.


The next day was giving an elaborate
report of the conversation to some mem
bers of the Union League of this city,
among whom l remember were Messrs.
George II. Boxer, Lindley Smith and
Thomas Webster. Some of my hearers
evidently doubted that there could be
such entire coincidence between my well
known views and those of the President
as represented them. Happily, General
Schurz arrived at the moment, and with
drew from the conversation by saying
General, be good enough to confirm or
contradict some statements l have just
made by letting these gentlemen know
the Presidents opinions on certain points
for your interview with him was few
moments later than mine." He did so,
and confirmed my allegations at all
points.


JUDGE KELLY SUPPORTING THE PRESIDENT.


l had other interviews with Mr.. john
son, and had no reason to doubt his
frankness or candor. You may therefore
readily imagine the amazement with
which 1 read of the appointment OF a
Provisional, Governor for North Carolina,