Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1865-10-20
The President Oh the Impstsepment OF Al
cXander H. stephens.


Il letter from 3. il. Bigham,. dated La
grange, Georgia, September 2, 1865, and
addressed to s. w Adsir, Esq, of Atlanta,
Georgia, has been published. Mr., Eigham
had Just returned from the submission Of a
petition in behalf Of alexander Il. Stephens,
TIe says Of his interview with the Presi-
don't .. .u t6L s,-
In submitting tInis petition well knowing
the strong current OF sympathy ana adnlra~
ton that exists fer BAR. Stephens $50 forcil'ly
referred to in your letter. | reminded the
President that | could as, we'll bring five hum
dred Thousand signatures to it as one. Upon
his saving that ne doubted the correctness Of
MIR, Stephens public services "a statement
that he had been longer member Of the
House of Representatives, when he retired
from that body, than any other person hold
ing seat in that body [ replied that it
might be modified then to terms which no
man, speaking in the light Of history, would
question, so as to set forth th2s for q long
series Of years Mr.. Stephens has rendered
service, which MAS as etiectual for good, as
national, aye as continental, IN its character
as that of any man who has figured IN the
public councils for the las; half century, and
that his health was impaired by that service
The President said, in substance, that he
appreciated .the services referred to; that the
Government would give due consideration
to the matters involved in his case, and IN
due time. Meanwhile he desired it under
stood that every attention was paid to his
health at Fort Warren, and that he was
treated considerably and humancly. The
conversation then took wider range. The
President, referring to the fact that exGov-
errors Brown and johnson, and Judge Lin
ton Stephens had recently had interviews
with him on the subject, said he thought Mr.,
Stephens himself quite capable Of presenting
his own ease; that his friends, nevertheless,
urg ed his release with great pertinacity and
solcitude. To that replied, that, ifindeed
Mr.. Stephens was al that time silent, l had
no explanation to offer, as | had had no COM
munication with him, for some time ; that |
spoke in behalf Of myself as one of his friends
and of thousands in the country whose hearts
would bound with joy at the release Of the
great statesman. The. President closed this
! conference without any encouragement. r.,
A few days afterward, having received
letters from Mr.. Stephens (who had heard
/ Of my presence in Washington, but did not
| know Of the petition, also one from judge
Linton Stephens, VINO is now, by permission
Of the authorities, spending some time with
his brother in Fort Warren, again called
uron the President 10 present some addition
| al views therein set forth, together with re.
hections suggested. The President received
me kindly. | referred to bis REMARK III tbs
previous conference about Mr.. Stephens ca
pability to speak for himself. and proposed
/ 10 read one Of the letters. 80 this he Assem-
ted, which being done, endeavored to urge
that the condition Of the freedmen on his place
and the fact that Mr. Stephens had been act
ing in a fidueiafy capacity. such as guardl
I, an, administrator, &c, and had been attor'
ney for many persons, iii important cases
made his temporary presence at home lmpor'
.tant to the interests Of others. .''
I also referred totile fact 20 eloqucntly
touched upon in your letter,, that he had re
sisted secession with 'a%bl'ine courage, anc
that now he is the only Political prisonel
from Georgia. that his..hcalth is feeble, ane
we would feel it an additional personal fave
for him to be released before the departure
of Judge Stephens, SO that he might accom-
pany and assist him en- route home. III;
| President did act terminate this conference
50 abruptly az the former one. In its prog
ress he said. s'the Government he trusted
did not forget the sacrifices Of any public ser
want tll.ass indeed it would seem hard It ii
the day Of misfortune such sacrifices shout,
not be permitted to plead for him; but tina
there was a time for all things, which b
hoped the friends Of MIR. Stephens would un
derstand and duly appreciate. That actin'
as chief magistrate, he must have due re
gard to the general tranquility ana tue Goo
! Of tn,, :, ipIa country ?