The Portland daily press., 1866-05-22
Con. Grants Opinions.

We find in the editorial correspondence OF
the Lewiston Journal an interesting account
of an interview with General Grant at SIM
monss studio. in Washington, where the
Lieutenant General was sitting for a pust.-
The anti-tobacconistS will be glad to lean
that General Grant is leaving off smoking
In the field, he says, his allowance was eigh-
teen or twenty cigars day; he now smokes
only nine or ten. Passing over some general
conversation we come to his opinions ON the
vital questions of the day:
Referring to the temper of the Southern peo-
pie, he remarked, that they are much less dis
posed now to bring themselves to the proper
frame of mind than they were one year since
"a gear ago." said he, "they soere soilling to
do anything; nO,c they regard themselves as
masters of the situation" "Some of the reb-
ell generals" he added, "are behaving nobly
ana doing all they can to induce the people to
throw aside their old prejudices and to con-
form their course to the changed condition Oh
things. Johnston and Dick Taylor particu-
larry, are exercising good influence, put, ne
added, "Lee is behaving badly. he Is con-
Quoting himself very differently from what L
had reason from what he said at the Time oi
the surrender, to suppose he would. NO MAI
at the South is capable OF exercising a teilIn
part of the influence for good that he is, but
instead of using it he is setting an example OF
forced acauiescence so grudging and PERM
cious in it's effects as to be hardly realized"
"The men who were in the rebel armies,
said Grant, "acquiesce in the result mnch bet
ter than those who staid at home. The wom-
en- are particularly bitter against the Union
and Union men," "Of course" he added,
"there is some bitterness of feeling among all
classes, but am satisfied it would soon die
out if their leading men had not somehow got
the idea that treason after all was not very
bad, and that the Southern cause as they
phrase it, will yet triumph, not in war. but in
politics." "In my Judgment" said Grant
'the tone of certain men and certain
papers at the North is such as to do in
cdlculabLe mischief In making the cate rebels
believe that they are just as much entitled to
rule as crer, and that If they aciH only stand
by whdt they are pleased to call their rights
they ,ciU haze help from the North" "This,"
Significantly added Grant, sis only playing ov-
er again the incipient stages of the rebellion"
"He was confident that the large majority
of the Southern people would smother their
resentments and become good citizens, ifthese
mischief-makers at the North 1.-THE Copper
heads would only let them alone. For him
self, if he had the power, the first thing he
would do would be to seize the New York
News and kindred sheets which are giving the
South SO dangerous an idea OF their own posi-
ton and "rights" "Dick Taylor" added
Grant, "told me that the great body of the
South would settle down quietly and be salts
fled with anything if it was not for this false
idea of their rights and so-called ill-treat-
ment fostered BY such sheets"
"Troops," said Gen. Grant, "must be kept in
all the principal points in the South for some
time to come. This will be necessary to re-
press the turbulence of class of the South
very dangerous to all well disposed persons,
and also to protect the rights of the freedmen,
who are lookedpupo with deep hatred by
very large proportion Of the people" II am
in favor, however," he added, "of not retaining
our volunteers for this duty, because they very
naturally think that they fulfilled their en-
gagement one year since. Hence, whenever
I have heard of any dissatisfaction in volun-
teer regiment, have at once ordered theirds-
charge. couldn't consent to the punishment
for turbulence of brave men who had been
through the war, and who regarded themselves
as being wrongfully held. have given orders
for the Immediate discharge of all the white
volunteers" ..nst.r .q
Grant spoke in high terms OF Sherman,
Sheridan, Howard and other generals, and re-
ferred to our Mexican difficulties, forcibly add
ing that he believed the French invasion of
Mexico part of the rebellion, and he should
have been glad to have seen a detachment of
our army sent there one year SINCE He would
engage that Sheridan, with plenty of arms
and 1000 American troops and goOdly num-
Der Of American officers, would, with the aid
of the Mexicans, clean Macmillan out OF
Mexico in six months.