Randolph journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1865-186?, 1867-06-27
aN INTERVIEW WITH RE. ZEE
How lie Looks-His Views ON Re-
construction.

How lie LooLs-His Views on Re-
construction.
Mr.. William Swinton, Who. is travel =
ing Through Virginia, lately made n
call ON General r. T.. lee ut Lexing-
ton. OF his interview he gives the
following account Ina the New York
Times:
Having made somewhat clos.
study of the campaigns OF General
Lee, and having, besides, followed
with interest his operations ON the
actual field of battle, I had long been
desirous of learning, by personal sight
aud converse, what manner of man
lac il. The proficr Of IN introduction
by personal friend enabled me 10
grntify this wish; and, after breakfast,
We repaired 10 the residence of the
chicftain Of the Army of Northern
Virginia. II stands ON College Hill,
and IL a modest brick dwelling with
white wooden pillars In front, placed
amid a pretty garden shaded by some
fine trees and n large solitary weeping
willow. The house IL surrounded by
a high fern hedge tha, ends IL some
what the air of aristo, aiic scclusion.
Although II was no later than nine i'm
the morning, General Lee had already
gone To his Office in the college, which
i but stones throw removed. Here
was table piled up with papers and
college catalogues and textbooks; but
no rcminisccncc of war was visible,
no sword or spur or insignia. What
ever met the eye was entirely academ-
ic, not in the least military. And
seated at the table was handsome
looking gentleman, dressed i'm uni
form suit OF pepper-and-salt color-a
very portly, well-preserved gentleman
OF some four and fifty, with fine
bronzcd complexion, nobly-mo odcled
nose, compact head, gray hair and
beard OF the same color, closely crop
ped-who rose TO shake hands i'm n
c)urtly gracious manner. IL was the
man who welded the thunders OF
Charlottesville and the Chicahominy
it was President Lee.
If it would be of any interest to your
readers TO learn what are his views
touching such questions in The Vir-
ginia campaign rs l had occasion TO
ask enlightenment from him, il would
yet be impossible for Inc 10 make these
public, seeing it was the express re-
quest of General Lee that / should re-
frain from SO doing. He has mortal
dread of appearing in the papers, and
considering how he has been misrep-
resented, this is not wonderful. | may
say that with hi- friends he never re-
curs TO the subject Of the war; nor did
he 10 me express any opinion on polit-
ical matters. | understand, however,
from those who are in intimate daily
converse with him, that he il strongly
in favor of the people of his State, and
OF the South "coming right up, frankly
accepting the situation and earnestly
pushing the work of reconstruction
Personally, he is at present in the
flush of health. He frequently rides
ont; and the clcarest image L have
been able TO form OF him i'm the war
like mood, came to me this afternoon
when, with high-top boots and leather
gauntlets, he rode out on the same
gray horse that used TO bear him in
the stress of battle. He Is greatly
beloved by the people for his modesty,
gcntleness and goodness and is a pro-
digiOus fivorite with children. "If
You should see him rs he moves about
among US" said one of the people of
the town TO me, "and the unaffected
kindness and simplicity of his life,
you might fancy what he would be i'm
greatness" He has added great pros
pcrity to the town, and Washington
College, under his presidency, has
been lifted from the grade of broken
down academy to fhe position of re-
spectacle and highly -flourishing insti-
tuition of learning.