Page:Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs (Volume Two).djvu/106

Rh were issued from the Department of State in the year 1865, may warrant the conclusion that President Johnson was not then prepared to treat the new state organizations as final and binding upon Congress and the country.

Under date of July 8, 1865, Secretary Seward said, in an official letter to Governor Holden of North Carolina: “It is understood here that besides cotton which has been taken by the Secretary of the Treasury under Act of Congress there were quantities of resin, and other articles, as well as funds, lying about in different places in the State and not reduced into possession by United States officers as insurgent property. The President is of opinion that you can appropriate these for the inevitable and indispensable expenses of the civil government of the State during the continuance of the provisional government.”

On the 14th day of November, 1865, Mr. McCulloch authorized Mr. Worth, acting as treasurer in North Carolina, to use the fragments of rebel property that might be gathered to defray the expenses of the provisional government of the State.

In answer to a question put to Secretary Seward, he said: “I do not remember that any provisional governor held a military office, except Mr. Johnson.”

In the further examination of Mr. Seward, May 16, 1867, he indicated his concurrence with President Johnson in this remark: “The object was to proceed with the work of the restoration of the Union as speedily and effectively and wisely as possible, having no reference as to whether Congress would be in session or not.”

This question was put to Mr. Seward:

“Did not he (the President) urge these parties to be prepared to be at the doors of Congress by the time of its next meeting?”

The answer was: “Very likely he did. I do not know of