The Express.
London, England, 1865-05-12 00:00:00

A CONVERSATION WITH GENERAL LEA

The New York Herald of the 29th ult. has a long
letter from a special correspondent, giving some
amount of a conversation at Richmond with
General Lee. Writing from Richmond on the 24th

ult., the correspondent says
In order, if. possible, to get some clear light for the
solution of the new oomplioations growing out of the
molder of President Lincoln I yesterday sought sad oh-
tailed as interview with that distinguished soldier and
leader of the rebel armies, Gaunt Robert B. Lee, and
was parmitted to draw oat his views on the very import-
ant questions suggested. It is proper to gay that my
reception was everything that could be expand from •
gentleman who has always been considered • type of the
coos famous ohivelry, sod, I had almost arid, sobility of
Virginia. Pen and ink sketches of General Lee have heat
so °amorously made of late, by newspaper writers, that soy
*Usnet at this time by me is thin direction would be •
work of supererogation. I may simply 'say, that the firm
step, the clear voice, the bright, beaming consternate, the
quick intelligence, the upright form and the active manner
of the general very strongly belie the portraitures of him
which are so common. All the vigour sod animation and
ability of ripe manhood are prominently completion in his
beetriag. His venerable white hair sod beard simply inspire
respect for the mature ideas and deliberate expressions that
umiak= this conspicuous rebel leader, but ill nowise oon-
vey w lespreuion of dewy or old age.
It will not be parable to relate the extended contention
that earned with any approach to exactas, no saes hey-
. ing been taken, and it will riot, therefore, be attempted ;
but I will confine myself to a record of the views expressed
by General Lee on several prominent topic', as I nada-
stood him to express himself.
The general's attention was directed to his written and
spoken determination to draw his sword in deface only of
his native state, and the Inquiry was raised as to what he
considered the defence of Virginia, and what degree of de.
liberation he bad given to that expression. He stated
that, as • firm and honest believer in the doctrine of
State rights, he had considered hie allegiance due pri-
marily to the State in which he was born and where he
had slogs resided. And, although he was sot an ad-
vocate of seoession at the outset, wheat Virginia seceded he
honestly believed it his duty to abide her fortune. He
opposed secession to the last, foreseeing the ruin it we,
sure to entail. But when the state withdrew from the
Uoion he had no recourse, in his views of honour and pa-
triotism, but to abide her fortunes. He went with her,
intending to remain merely a private citizen. Whoa he
resigned his commission in the United State* army he
had so Intention of taking up arms in any other well%
and lean of all in • service antagonistic to the United
States. His state, however, called for him, and, enter-
airing the fixed principles he did of state sovereignty,
he had no alternative but to accept the service to which
he was celled. When he made use of the declarations that
have bees so extensively quoted of late, he had accepted
ealy a commission from Virginia. Subsequently when
Virginia attached herself to the Southern cootedoracy, the
mime political impression, impelled him to follow her, and
wises he aocepted serene under the rebel government he
did so on the principle that he was defending his native
state. And yet, by the sot of accepting such service be
was bound in honour to serve in any part of the con-
federacy where he might he celled without reference try
elate lines ; and the reconciliation with his forme; amid,
if any were iteastary, was found in the f that Virginia,
.1"015 idur••• 4 liltt the ata Soothers states, in
I tolearliag them all In was detendiog the one id which be
orneidered his allegiance primarily due. As to the effect
of his surrender, he was free to say it was • severe
Now to the South, but sot • crushing blow. It was of
military, not political significance. I inked, was
not that surrender • virtual &offender of the
dootrine of Scat* rights. By no means, the general replied-
Wises the Soaffilickall be wholly subdued, there will then
undeniably be • surrender of that doctrine. Bat the sur-
render of a single army is simply • military necessity. The
army of Northern Virginia was surrendered because tuttir
resistance on its part would only entail • useless sacrifice of
life. But that army was merely a part of the force of the
South. When the South shall be forced to surrender all its
forces and return, to the anion, it indisputably, by that
act, surrenders its favourite doctrine of secession. That
principle will then be settled by military power.
On the question of state sovereignty the general contends
that there exists a legitimate OWLS UM. In the conven-
tion that formed the organic, law of the land, the question
of defining the relative powers of the States, and their rela-
tion to the general government, was raised, bat after much
diectuaion was dropped and left unsettled. It has re-
mind so unsettled mill the present time. This war is
destined to set it at rat. It is oriortuat• that it was not
settled at the outset ; but as it was not settled thee, and
had to be settled at some time, the war raised on this Use
caeoot be considered treacle. If the South is forced to sub-
mission in this contest, it of course can only be looked upon
se the triumph of Federal power over state rights, and the
forced annihilation of the latter.
With reference to the war in the abstrsol, the general
declared it as hie honest belief that peace was practicable
two years ago and has been practicable from that time
to the present day whenever the general govern-
ment should see fit to seek it, giving say reason-
able chance for the country to escape the consequences
which the exasperated North seemed determined to impose.
The South his, dunes all this time, been ready and anxious
for peace. They have bean looking for some word or expres-
sion of compromise or conciliation from the North upon
which they might ben a return to the Union. They were not
prepared, nor are they yet, to come and beg for terms ; but
were reedy to accept any fair and honourable terms, their
own political views being considered. The question of *luny
did not lay in the way at all. The best men of the South
have long been anxious to do away with this institution, sod
were quit* willing to-day to gee it abolished. They consider
slavery for ever dead. Bat with them, io Toledo' to this sub-
ject the question has ever been, " What will you do with
the trod people!" That is the lariats question to-day, sad
one that cannot be winked at. It must be met practically
and treated intelligently. The name most besieposed of,
and if their disposition can be marked out, the matter of
freeing them is at none settled. But unless some humane
course is adopted, based on siedom and Christian prin-
ciples, you do a gross wrong and injustice to the whole
negro ram in setting them free. And it is only this ma-
sideratiou that has led the wisdom, intelligence, and chri►
tianity of the South to support and defend the institution
up to this time.
The suessination of the President was spoken of. The
general considered this event in itself au of the most de-
plorable that could have occurred. As a crime it was un-
exampled and beyond execration. It was • crime that no
good man meld approve from any conceivable motive. Un-
doubtedly the effort would be made to fasters the respon-
sibility of it upon the South ; but, from hie intimate ac-
quaintance with the leading men of the South, he use
confident there was sot one of them who would sanction or
approve it. The scheme was wholly usknown in the
South before its execution, and would never have
received the slightest encouragement bad it been
known ; but, on the contrary, the 111014 severe
execeation. I celled the general's stleatices, at this
point, to •• notice that bed been printed is the Northern
papers, purporting to have been taken from • paper pub-
lished in the interior of the South, proposing, for the sum
of one million of dollars, to undertake the assassination of
the President and his cabinet. The general affirmed that
he bad never seen nor beard of such • preposition. nor did
he believe it bad ever been printed in the South ; though
if it had, it had been permitted merely as the whim of some
crazy person that could possibly amount to nothing. Bush
a crime was as anomaly is the history of our country, sod
we lad yet before its perpetration to leers that it was pos-
sible either of earnest conception or mama' execution.
It was a most singular sod remarkable expression to
escape the lips of such a man as ()snare! Lee that the
South was never more than half in earnest is this war."
I asset attempt to translate this remark or elucidate it.
Its utterance wave, ed to me the impraricmthat the South
was most hominy sick of the war, and anxious to get back
into the Union and to peace. The goners' added that they
went off after political leaders In • moment of passion and
ueder the excitement of fancied wrongs, ltrosstly believing
that they were *Darin • struggle for ea inalisashlo right
and • fusdamental principle of their political creed. A man
should eat be judged harshly for contending for that which he
honestly believe* to be right Such was the position of the vast
majority of the Soothers people now. And oew that they are
detested they consider that they have lost everything that is
worth outman( foci. the government. They have eserifind
home. friends, property, health, all on this hews Men do
not make mak sacrifices for sethhet. They have made the
sacrifice from Unmet eogrietions. And sow that they have
lost I. the Mein they feel that they have so Interest left
lo this country. It is the *eke of Gamed Lee that no-
ises moderating sod liberality be axgralood towards them
the gasatry leas its bast people. Alrody, be mai
they are seeking to expatriate themselves. sad mnogrong
sham am started to go to Mexico, to Bradt. to °mud%
to hum or ologwhine. Ho is called spas frequently to
---ssnanog sad wpm= wink usisebiklegs TM

oonstryiestaithroposysting men. They are its brie and
sinew, arid enterprise, he bops for the
end siring demands that no effort be spited
to
keep them in the country and peaty them. It
wu a most noticeable feature of the onversation that
Nara! Lee, ausge as it may appear talked throsibont
as careen of the United Stahl.. He Wanted to pleat hist-
self on the national platform, and take hie observations from
that standpoint. He ham calmly, deliberately, earosatly,
but with no show of Wend other or differoat from what
might be expected from so honest believer is hie peculiar
opinions. The cony/notice, which lead tun greatly pro-
truded, so moth so that I became tummy far fear of trio-
pude' es time that I bad no right to slain, terminated
with some allusions to the bums of pure. Here there
was, perhaps naturally and properly, more retloenee them
on any other Unite. Bet it was plain from what transpired
that the only question in the way of immediate pewee
was ths treatment to to accorded the vanquieha. Every-
thing else, by impliostioe, seems to bosseresdand. Slavery,
state ghts. the awhile* of secession, aod whatever awed
poll policy may be involved in the strife is abanioud,
the ally barrier to an Immediate and universal sosponsiou of
hostilities and raters to the Union being the trestssest the
mama authorities may promise those who have hoe
restating its power and paramount authority. It is proper
to my that Ibis woe sot so stated by Gement DM but is
simply an isference from the aosvormtion that took place
oo that topic. On the contrary, the general seemed very
maims in regard to terns. la order to get at his vista,
if possibis, I negated the semesustive esotiment of the
North, which proposed a second amnesty to all 'oldies'
and military officers, but that the political leaders of the
South be held to a stria accountability. " Would that
be just? he sated **Whit has Iftr.--Davis dose shoe than
any other Postheresc, that he should be punished? It is
true he tea oompied a prominent position as the agent of •
whole people, bat that has made him no more nor ler
a rebel than the rest. His sots were the sots of the whole
people, and the acts of the whole people were his sesta.
He was not accountable for the commucantiot of the
struggle. Os the country, be was nee of the let to give
is his adhersses to the secomilis movement, having
strenuously opposed it from the MAMA and portrayed its
ruinous ousequenoss in his speeches and by his writings.
Why, therefore, should he suffer mere than others? Of
course it was not my provisos to dilutes these questions,
and as this illustration dinelowed the beat of the geserars
mod it was all that I desired to know.
In taking hue of the poem', I took oomeion to say that
he was greatly moulted by a very large body of good man
at the North, and that as a soldier he was universal',
admired, and that it was earnestly hoped that he would yet
lead as army of the United States troops is the enforeeneent
of the Metros doctrine. He thanked me for the exgreerioo
of Northern esotimeat towards himself, but as for mess
fighting, he fat that he wu getting too old ; his only desire
oow being to be permitted to retire to private life aod sod
his days in seclurion. It was, I thought, an evidence a
painful sedum of heart that prompted the added expeusios
that he would have bees pleased had his life bees tikes is
any. of the numerous balds-fields on wash he had fought
daring this war.

. //USW.
HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
Lucia di lanintcraioor was produoed kit bight,
for the debut of Mall*. Lme de Marsha, • young prima
donna who has lately begot to mete • peat seasation oa
the °anapest. From the anoints of her appearanou at
some of the principal theatres in Germany—Vioncia,in par-
ticalar—we were prepared for a very bright star, wed we
have not been disappointed. She achieved • brillisat
and complete encase, and will doubtless be an
of the greet attraction" of Her majesty's Theatre during
the season. To her other charms she adds the freshness of
youth ; and though at bar yesra sba cannot bare es yet
Piro!d meal' simians el the siege, yet her extreordieary
gifts, with Ler greet and evident genius, have already made
I her • very acoompbehed artist.
The character of Sdprdo was sustained by X. Josh*
also • meager to the London boards. Ho is a perfeema
of a high clan. His voice is • near of great power aid dna
Pak :Mr glees& ie artist* sod he is • spirited sad
eltagstie beton le 911 acarae•depeelally in the
limos. " raideliziose—he received warm sad deserved ap•
plane& fisathy's performance of Henries—Hasp Johns,
Lney's stela sad eras( brother—woe is every tiepin eel-
seizable ; and more Use °Maury impedance was given es
the pert of Raimondo, the pries; by the itesixisnlike sing-
ing end inteigent acting of Signor Boni. The chorus
sad orchestra ware exordiset, and the whole performance
wee in ell rowed ewe el and entwine.

DRAMA.

DRIIRY-LANE.

The long and, we believe, successful season at this
house is draw log to a close, sad the last performance will be
given on Saturday, May 20. Mr. Phelps announces that
his annual benefit will take plus oa the 18th inst., as
which occasion he will play Hamlet. Last night le• ap-
peared iu Zino Lear, for the first time st this theatre, sad
wan well supported by the chief members of the compsay.
The curie, being ranted, was received with loud applause,
but the storm scenes and other less demonstrative points In
the tragedy produced far less apparent effect upon the
audience. Mr. Phelps's Lear is deficient iu real pathos, but
it is a very earefal and intelligent embodiment. The holm
was crowded.