The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-05-26
Single Copies Five Gents.
VOL. NO. 49.a

[ 1t IS proper TO say that this was no.
80 stated By Gen. Lee. but is simp.y
al inference from the conversation that
took place on that topic On the
contrary, the General seemed very
cautions in regard to terms. In order
to get at bis views, if possible, 1 sug>
gested the conservative sentiment Of
the. North, which proposed general
amnesty to al! soldiers and military
officers, but that the political leaders
OF the South be held to strict ac-
countability. Would that he justs
be asked. 'What has Mr.. Davis done
more than any other Southerner, that
he should be punished? 1t is true he
has occupied a prominent position az the
agent OF whole people, but that made
him no more nor less rebel than the
rest. His acts were the acts Of the whole
people and the acts of the Whole peo-
pie were his acts. He was not ac.
countable for the commencement of
the struggle. On the contrary, he
was one of the last to give in his
adherence to the secession move
ment, having streuuously opposed j.
from the outset. and p ,rayed it's
ru'nous consequences in his speeches
and BY his writings Whv, therefore,
should be suffer more Shan others?'
OF course it was not my province to
discuss these questions, and rs this H.
lustration disclosed he bent Of the
Generals mind, i, was all that I de-
sired to know.
In taking leave Of the General I
took occasion to say that he was greatly
respected by large body of good and
true men at the North, and chat as a
soldier he was universally admired,
and that it was earnestly hoped thar
he would yet lead an army of United
States troops in the enforcement Of
the Monroe doctrine. He thanked
me tor the expression Of Northern
sentiment towards himself, but as for
more fighting, he felt that he was get
ting too old his only desire now be,
fng to be permitted to retire to private
life and end his days in seclusion. It
was, | thought, an evidence Of painful
sadness at heart that prompted the
added expression, that lie would have
been pleased had bis life been taken
in any of the numerous battle fields on
which he had fought during this war.
While talking on the subject of the
abolition of slavery. + remarked thati:
had lately been charged in some Of
the newspapers Of the North that the
Gusts slaves, some two hundred in
number, had been left in Gea.
Lees custody for emancipation. The
General said this was mistake. As
executor of the will he was required
to emanci pate these slaves at certain
time That time had not arrived when
the war broke out. It did arrive one
or two years afterwards. At that
time he could not get to the courts OF
the county in which Arlington is 10.
Gated, to take out the emancipation
papers as prescribed by law. But ho
did take out papers from the Supreme
Court Of the State in this city, liberat
ing them all, and they are SO recorded
in the records of that court. He sent
word Of tl,eis freedom tc the negroes
at Arlington, and the necessary papers
were sent to those at the White House.
and to all others that could be reached,
and they were all thus liberated,
together with number who were
either the Generals or Mrs. Lees
private property.