Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-05-01

A Conversation with Gen. Lee
What he Thinks of the Situat tion
-.IIe Condemns The Assassination
--Jeh: Davis mo Worse than other
SOutherners.
New YORK, April 29-The Herald's
Richmond correspondent recounts an inter-
/ view he has had with Gen. Lee. He called
ION him to obtain his political views and Law
Them before the public. On informing Gen.
i Lee of his object the latter said, ~ am pa
rolled prisoner" and added ~ have never
been politician, and know but little of po-
llitical leaders. lam soldier" He further
said he was ready to make any sacrifice or
perform any honorable act that would tend
Ito the restoration OF peace and tranquility
Ito the country. He said that, as believer
in State rights, he had considered his alle-
glance due primarily to his native State.
4 He had opposed secession, but when his
State went out he considered it his duty to
|go with it. When he accepted command
under the rebel Government ne con-
isidered he was serving his State. He
regarded his surrender of military,
mot political significance; that it was
mot a surrender of the doctrine of State
rights. When the South was wholly sub
jdued only would the doctrine of State
rights be surrendered. The surrender of
IA single army was only a military necessi-
3ty. When the South surrenders all its
forces and returns to the Union, then only
Twill she surrender her favOrite doctrine of
secession. That principle will have to be
Settled by military power. On the ques-
Ition of State sovereignty he contends there
iexists alegitimate cGS,ts beW. The question
Twas unsettled in the convention forming
~ mi Low Thn 90
settle it. Therefore the war raised on this
Issue cannot be called treason. If the South
lis forced to submit it of course can only be
looked upon as the triumph of Federal
power over State rights, and the forced an
Inihilation of the latter. The South have
mot bt en- and are not yet prepared to beg for
terms, but are ready to accept fair and hon
Iorable terms, their own political views be-
ling considered. AS to slavery, they con-
slider it dead, and the best men have long
been anxious to do away with it. He re-
,peatedly expressed the opinion that should
arbitrary or vindictive veorrevengeful or policies
ibe accepted the end was not yet.
He remarked that the assassination of
President Lincoln was crime beyond exc
lcration. 1t could not be approved by any
}good man from any conceivable motive.
As to the terms of peace, to the sugges-
|tion that the political leaders only be held
ito strict accountability, he asked: "Would
THAT be Just? What has Mr.. Davis done
3more than any other Southerner, that he
should be punished? 1t is true he has oc-
icupied prominent position as the agent of
THE whole people, but that has made him
mo more or less rebel than the rest. His
acts were the acts of the whole people, and
the acts of the whole people were his acts.
He is not accountable for the commence
'ment of the struggle. On the contrary, he
was one of the last to give in his adherence
Ito the secession movement, having strenuous
3ly opposed it from the. outset, pointing out
it's ruinous consequences by speeches and
fby writings"