Visit Of The Missouri Radical Committee To President Lincoln--response Of The President

Messrs. Kniile Pretorious, Theodore Olshausen, and K. E. llombanor, (Jommittce, &c : Gentlemen : Duriug a professional vigit to Washington city, I presented to the President of the United States, in compliance witli your instructions, a copy of the rcsolutions adopted in mass meeting at St. Louis on the lOth of May, 1863, and I requested a rcply to the suggestions therein contaiaed. The President, after a oareful and loud reading of tho wholu report of the proceedings, saw proper to enter mto a conversatiou of two hcurs' duration, in Iho eourse of which most of the topics euibraced in thu resolutions and other subjecta vvere disouseed. As my shftre in the convorsation is of secondary importante, I propose to omit it entirely iu tliis report, and, avoiding details, to conimunieate, to you the atanco of notewortliy remarla niado by tbc President. 1. The President said that it may be a Biisfortutie í'or tho nation that he was electod President. But bavirig been elected by tho peoplo he meant to be President, and to perform Lis duty acBording to his best understanding, if be had to die for it. No General will be removed, nor will any chango in the Cabinot be made to suit the views or wishes of any particular faction or set of men. Gen. ilalleck is not guilty of the charges made against bira, most of whioh arise from misapprehension or ig norance of those who prefer thstn. 2. The President said tbat it was a inistake to suppose that Gens. John C. Fremont, B. F, Butler and F. Sigel aro " systematically kept out of couimand," as stated in the fourth resolution ; that, OD the coutrary, he fully appreoiated the nieiits of the Generáis nained ; that by their own aetiou they had placed themselvcs in the positions which they occupied; that he was not only willing but anxioua, to plaee them again in command as Boon as he could find spheres of aetiou 'or tliem, without doiüg wjustioe to oturs, but tinit at present he '' had more )egs tliau holes to put them in." '. As to the want of unity tho Presient, without admitting suoh to bo the ase, iiitiiuati'd thut eaoh member of tbo Cabiuet was responsible mainly for tbe uaiiner of conduoting the affaira of bis iarticular department; that there was no entralization of responsibility for the otiou of tbe G-ibinet anywbere exoept iu he President bimself. 4. Tbe dissensious between Uuion men u Missouri are duo solely to a factious pirit wbich is exceedingly reprehensible, .'he two parties " ought to have their ïeads kuocked together." "Eit.her would ather soo tbe defeat of their adver.-i3ry hau that of Jeffersou Davis." To tbis pirit of factiou is tobe attributed the failjre of the Legislature to elcct Senators aud tho defeat of the Missouri aid bill in Congress, the passage of whieh the Presdent strongly desired. The President said that the Uuion men u Missouri who are iu favor of gradual etuaucipatiou represeuted bis views better thau those who are iu favor of iiafe emancipatioD. In explauation of lig vicivü oü this subject, tho President said thafc in bis speeches he had frequently used as au illustratiou the case of a man who had an excreBcenco on the back of his ueck, the removal of which, in One operation, would result in tho death of the patiënt, whilo " tinkeribg it off by degrees" would preserve lila, Although BOi-ely tempted, I did not reply with the illustratiuu of the dog vhos3 tail was amputated by inches, but confincd myself to argumenta. Thü President anuuunccd clearly that as far as he was at present advised, the radicáis in Missouri had no right to cousiSer themselvca the exponent of his yioWB on the subject of emancipation in that State. 5. Gen. Curiis was not relieved on account of any wrong ac., or graat mistake committed by hita. The systcm of Provoet Marshals, estabhshed by hiin throughout tho State, gave rise to violeut oomplaint. That the President had thought at one time to appoiut Gurí. Preiiont iu Lis piace ; that at another time ia tliought of appoiatiug Gen. McDowell, [ whom he characterized as a good and ojal, although very unfortunate scldiur; jliA tbat at last Gen. Scjiofield was aplüinted witli a view if posaibla to roeoncilo au 1 satisfj the two fractions in Missouri, lie lias iastructioos not to interfere witli eitUeï party, but confina bimself to bis mi'itarjf duties. l necd hardly assure you, gentlemen, that our sido of tho oase was as i'ully presentod as tbo occasion admitted. At the closo of the coiivcrsation Mio President remarked thajt there was evidontly a "sorious migunáerstanding'1 springing up butween him and the Germana of St. Louis, vïbicb bo would like to sou removed. Observiuff to him tbat the diiïeronce of opinión rclatcd to facts, men, and meaBures, I witbdrew. lam, yery respectfally, &c.