Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-12-29
DAILY LEADER

An AnsIo-RebeI View OF ThIngs--Gen.
Robert Lees Opinions About Arm.
ing the BIaves--GOssiP about JEFF.
Davis.
A Richmond letter to the Liverpool
Courier, dated November 8, contains the
following passages of interest
Since writing that letter 1 spent q dsy
with General R. E. Lee, and when this
subject was introduced, he interrupted the
conversation and said, " / wish you to un-
derstand my views on this subject. am
favorable 20 the use of our servants in the
army. I think we can make better soldiers
of them than Lincoln can. He claims to
have 200,00 Of them in his service, We
can destroy the value Of sll such soldiers
to him, by using ours against them. 1 do
not see why should not have the use of
such available materials as well as he. 1
would hold out to them the certainty of
freedom and home, when they shall have
rendered efficient service. lie has not
given them home. Nor can he give
them officers who can understand and
manage them SIS well as we can"
On the next day conversed with Gen
ersl S. Cooper, Adjutsnt and Inspector
General, q. S. A. He said, !" agree with
General Lee in his views. l would not
await the slow action of Legislatures on
the subject. We have already used them
In the place of soldiers as teamsters, and
IN the engineer service. We can use them
In other ways. There is no reason for de-
lay Let them be placed in the field, and
give them freedom for faithful service to
the State"
Tho Government has inaugurated such
a movement by making during the pres
ent month"; draft of free and slave ne
groes, nominaliy fer the erection of fald
works, &c, but really to drill and proparo
them for home defence. l Travelled 10
Richmond in train containing one or
two carriages crowded with these drafted
negroes.
1 have seen President Davis, and observ-
ed him under those circumstances which
give the clue to character and draw out
the real feelings and powers of the man.
My first interview presented him in his
own home, playing with his children, who
we're asleep in the library, where. after
dinner, l awaited him. Wake IN jeff
you little rebel, wake up and 20 TO bedT
and then there was q scene that drew ont
all the tender affections of a noble heart
toward the beautiful children whom he
loved and was teaching TO love He lately
lost fine boy, the youngest, who fell from
an up stairs window.
l next saw him as an humble, Quiet. dic
nited but devOut worshiper, bowing down
on his knees before his Maker. in St Paul's
Church, where Gen. R. E. Lee also was an
humble and devout worshiper.
The third interview presented him ss the
Stat smsD, IN his offieisl capacity; and, as
he rapidly disposed of the cases broupbt
before him by distinguished men, who sue
essslvely tiled beforehim and as he touched
his bell, and called some high authority of
the Governmental meet some unusual case.
saw tnst the statesman could play with
men as well as the father could play with
his child.
Rev. Dr. NJ. presented q petition from
clergyman and thirty others, unarmed and
peaceable citizens, who had been arrested
and Imprisoned by the enemy. He said:
=" MY heart bleeds over the suGerings in
1icted on my countrymen by ruthless
foe. will do all can to relieve themp
A veteran and valued Colonel, psroled
from Federal prison, was presented. He
SAID Colonel, I am busy. You will
breakfast with Iao tomorrow"
Tho raids on the Canadian frontier were
mentioned understood him to say some
thing as follows: These small rilfering
and burning expeditions vex and annoy
the eremy, cause great vigilance, provoke
hatred, ard injure private citizens, without
bringing about peace or effccting the trne
objects OF retaliation. Should it become
necessary to wage war against the people
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