The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-30
General Grant ON RoconstructIon.

We find in the Lewiston (Maine) Journal some
notes made by the editor Of an hours interview
with General GRANT at Washington few days
since. which, even il we suppose tho conversation
to be colored aud distorted by the reporter, are
not pleasant to read. According to the ststement
before us, the General intimated that IL woulo
perhaps have been better for the country had the
war continued for year longer, explaining and
adding further observations on the state OF the
There we're some parts Of the country where
our armies had never trod, particularly Ie4as,
which needed to feel the blighting effects OF war
to bring their people to realizing sense OF tne
enormity of their crime and tho necessity OF q
thorouph repentance. 81 find, said he, that
those na,ts Of the South which have not felt the
war, and particularly those which have oeen Win;
in onr Ines, and have therefore escaped the rebel
conscriution and taxes, are much less disposed TO
occent the stustion in good faith than those por-
tons which have been literally overrun with fire
and sw0rd.Ps ..1, cor,,horn ,,oorla
he remarked that they are much less disposed
now to bring themselves to the proper frame OF
mind than they were one year since. "a year
AGO. said he 'they were willing to 40 anything;
now they regard themselves as masters oi the
situation" ..Some of the rebel generals, he
added, "are behaving nobly and DONG an tney
can to induce tho people to throw aside their Oh
nre;ndices and to conform their course to the
Changed condition of things. Johnston and DICK
Tavor particularly are exercising good mnu-
ence: but." he added, "Lee Is behaving Dauiy. ne
ia conducting himself very differently from Wnat
had reason, from what he sali at lne tllne VI the
surrender. to suppose he would. No man at the
Son,h is capable of exercising tenth part OF the
influence for good that he is; but instead OF using
it. he is setting an example OF Ioroeo aoqul-
esceuce 80 grudging and pernlcious In us enec's
as to be hardly realized. ,...,
sSThe men who we're in the rebel armies" said
Grant. "acuuiesce in the result much better than
those who stayed at home. The women are par
t,cnlarly bitter against the Union anu union
men" "Of course, ".he added, "there ls some
bitterness of feeling among oil classes, out aln
satisfied it would soon die out II tfelr ieaulns en
had not somehow got the idea that treason after
ali was not very bad, and that the southern
canse as they phrase it, will yet triumph, not IN
war but in politics" 'In my Judgment" SAID
Grant. 'sthe tone OF certain men end CERTAIN
papers at the North is such as to 40 incalculaole
mischief in making the snaed ats to rao as
that If they will only stand by what tney are
naased to call their rights they Will nave heIp
rom rom the North" "This," significantly added
Grant. sis only playing over again the lncipient
stages Of the rebellion" He was connuehl .nhs
smother their resentments and become good citi-
ems if these mischief-m makers at the Nortn (1he
Connarheads) would only let them alone. For
himself. if he had the power; the nrst thing ne
would do would be to seize the NOW ioch Ne"s fs
and kindred Sheets which are giving the ooutn 30
dangerous an ldea VI 'n0'i wa
tSSTroons said Gen. Grant, "must be kept in all
the nrincipa points in the South for some time to
come This will be necessary to repress the turou
ence of class of tho South very dangerous ~ W
all we'll disposed persons, and also to protect the
rights of tho freedmen, who are looKeo upon Win
deem hatred by very large proportion OF the peo-
pie.