The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-10-09
VISIT 70 FORT WARREN.
Interesting Interview With Alexander
II. Stephens-A Day With Judge Rea.
gan, OF Texas.
TO TILE EnfrnR nR rrIr rrruArn

John H. Reagan late rebel Postmaster General under
President Davis in which no expressed desire to
me- obtained pass from the Secretary Of War and
tended my visit from New York TO this city.
Yesterday morning went down In the government
boat to Fort Warren where spent the day with Judge
Reagan and late Vice President Alexander H. Stephens
As this latter gentleman and myself grew up In the
neighborhood in Georgia, and Judge Reagan and my
SELF had served in the against the Reopen
theAfcan slave trade issue could not have
remembered subsequent political differences against
them IL would.
politely received by the officer in command OF
the powerful fortress which win not pause describe.
and conducted Immediately to the OF Judge Rea-
gan, without other question than 10 Know If would
turn in the early boat or spend the day Having
answered that would not return until evening the off,
Ger left in undisurbed intercourse with the unfor-
tunate prisoners the whole day found Judge Reagan
in excellent health--I may say robust His face is
little beached by close confinement before his enrge-
ment; but his frame seems to have expanded and his
whole physique to have gained new strength He was
cheerful and took more phosophic view Of his
situation than could man in thousand
der like circumstances. question whether many
months Of his time studiously
and probably employed those during his solitary
1nement He has read great DEAL which he seems to
have maured WE'LL has written out his early memoirs
which, man who had TO buffet against misfortune
and the want Of early opportunities, cannot fail TO be
Interestingly has written essays upon government
and an address the people of Texas, which he for
warded through the authorize Governor Hamilton
As may have reached the public prints, may yet do
So will not do Judge Reagan the injustice Of trying to
repeat the contents from memory. cannot be mistake
however when say, that Judge Reagan takes more
comprehensive view than thousands who have retained
Oh rfttl, ,ha Qu
tion" but he recognizes and accepts all the logical
conclusions deduclbe from that situation. He
tns that the contest opinion had assumed that form
when the arbrament OF could not be avoided that
the South claimed the right to secedc that ho not
OF those who thought 1t peaceful remedy, but
peced terrible war; and adhered to his section, intend
ing to abide the consequences. He makes no tcchn
cal constitutional legal quibbics but slys Two
staked all and lost ALL The government offers to
store the great their rights minus eir slaves
While he thinks this hardship to the loyal Union men,
else has the right 10 complain Ho advises all TO
regain citizenship and restoration OF Their
rights under the constitution, In good faith,
soon US they can. Ana he advises that in
future they accept the logic Of events, and do at
once what e thinks IL neyilabls win have TO he done
ere long,hat u.s. change the organic law to sus Tho
altered situation; to adopt free State constitution ami
to rtry the emancipation amendment OF the consttu
ton of tho United states, and TO leave for
further agitation. While he would disfranchise
entitled vote ke would In future extend the PRIV
lege every intelligent man Of every color who coud
road ana write He would extend the freedmen
equal rights in courts He does not think IL possible
that these measures be long avoided and he would
have them adopted once He proposed other minor
amendments Of not great importance This latter
view understand TO be purely for quiet and rcpose
has. kanv
conservative man, and hopes ere long TO
be parioned, At least rSased from prison,
he does not propose enter eo political ME- but
TO exert himself FOR support for dependent family.
He has found public life the road neither wealth nor
happiness Indeed, he thinks that those who
active in the secession movement ought 70 yield public
affairs the better Judgment OF those who opposed u.
says the doctrines OF secesion and all political claims
founded upon them have conquered and DO
surrendered. n3@
Nv conversation with the Judge long, frank and
free stated 10 him frankly that could not have en-
barked in the work Of resistance because would navo
had consciousness that violating the supreme
law OF The land In running conversations tina
Judge gave many inside view OF the workings Of
tho rebellion about which will not say more than that
The mental haacnaiion great p high quarters ~
| low.
found Mr. stephens the feeble emaciated franc
which he always was His figure Ia bent and his face
wrnkled but his eye keen and his intellect unm-
haired He suffered much before his enlargement and
Will, he recognizes that he 10 mprsonsd the second
nuentiaI a. himself who had given their whole lives "a
the work destroying the Union, have BEEN overlooked
while he who only yielded afser the work was a:eom
pltshed was held prisoner reminded him that the
ud o society always sevcrcr upon the scdnoee
than Tho sctnccr Mr. stephens convcrscd pleasantly
about men, things and ante 'cdents OF our youthful
l,ybood He looks with dlstrust upon the exceeding
sctlvtv secessioniss In the work OF restoration
4 He remembers them the men OF 1850
| MON man his whole fe he finds h mseH dis
4 ,anred by those who bore down the Union element
nr stephens has the constant compsnionshp Of his
l brother Judge Linton Stephens.
did not know the disposition Of the government TO-
wards these distinguished prisoners, and could, there
That II tho states good faith there could be no
disposition dcian them beyond the period Of cstora
ton 70 long However much we may always d,poro
Welded the and lent 70 the destructiycs I'D
wegbt ~ their names and services, yet no one can =!
| gard tlIrm az the more guilty agents. they are env
tied H. clecucy and will doubtless receive all that th9
merit ipartook Of their simple dinncr, which was nj
oxtravag,ht although they are not wanting for means
In INC afternoon we walked upon tho parapct and
viewed the mighty modern improvements for defence,
which Will not undertake TO describe lest should aI
the first Texan who had visited him since his connne
| mcnt
4 and WINS aoou steamed back - Boston NY mind now
grew melancholy aud reviewed the PAST history 81 thesn
far separated from their friends anu lamhes.
Neither was born 20 fortune afnueDce, but sprung
from obscure psrentagc They were poor ana sell
| tai tnt They wore reared In slave country,
about which the great lie still livcs that The sons 81 tho
poor are always degraded oucssts from society wicked
| mendacity' These only two among the thou.
az living and dead proofs that nearly al the moIai
aud Intellectual worth the south sprung from tho mid
do and poorer classes stephens entered Tie House OF
seutaves Of the United states early; and ne Won
national reputation which placed HIM among the very
nrkt minds who have distinguished mat body Reagan
wss younger less polished but little lees intellectual and
| promising they were both struck down w the day OF
bef usefulnses BY the fell spirit OF destruction Could
not their and the constituency 81 hundreds
OF others of like histories be satisfied With government
vrhero enaius was 80 well rewarded Stephens had
before him the example Of Georgias great pride, William
II Crawford whose unaidcd march 10 fame inspired go
many Of tho humble youths of that state b. hcw their
way 70 the widest nclds of AMBITION might name
thousand whose distinguished records would put 70 shame
mo assertion that the poor could not rise ~ Southern