The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-06-14
AL Sviutcn, the Distinguished Yankee His.
,or;an. has an Interview with General
10 His Estimate OF the Hero.

,.,n Lexington Letter in the New York Times.
Having made somewhat close study Of the
.,nraigns of General Lee, and having, be-
,.irs followed with interest his operations on
T,o actual field of battle, / had long been de-
s,rous Of learning by personal sight and con-
,srse what manner OF man he is.
seated at the table was handsome. looking
Gentleman, dressed in uniform salt OF pep
mr.. and salt color--a very portly, well.pre-
llsrved gentleman Of some four and fifty, with
q fine bronzed complexion, a nobly modelled
nose compact head, gray hair, and beard of
make hands in a courtly gracious manner. It
rras The man who welded the thunders Of
rhsrccllorsviIle and the Chickahominy-it
y-qs President Lee.
rest 70 your readers 10 learn what are his
Jews touching such Questions In the Virginia
-,rupaiCns lof the war; as had occasion to
ak enlightenment from him, il would be i'm
,,osslbe for me TO make these public, seeing IL
v-1s the express request of General Lee that
should refrain from doing so. He has a NOR
;,I dread Of appearing in the papers. / under
stand from those who are in intimate daily
converse with him that he is strongly in IA
,ar Of the people of his State and of the
south coming right 0p, frankly accepting
fbc situation, and earnestly pursuing the work
~ reconstruction" Personally, he is at pre-
sen, in the flush OF health He frequently
- is ont , and the clearest image have been
came 70 me this afternoon when, with high
tor boots and leathern quantities., he rode ont
on The same gray horse that used TO bear him in
fhc stress of battle. He is greatly beloved by
nc people for his modesty, gentleness, and
goodness, and is prodigious fayorite with
That General Lee will figure in history,
when il comes 10 be written with fun light,
and without passion or prejudice, as very
able commander, n skilful methodical soldier,
Who made several admirable defensive cam
vaigns, fought two or three brilliant aggres-
siyc actions, protracted the war on the limited
.ar8!re OF Virginia for four years by careful
lasb1ndry OF his resources, and finally sue
Cumbed only 10 greatly superior numbers
nav. | conceive, be readily conceded. That he
VIII figure rs the.South now figures him, in
fhe light OF q flrst-class captain, may, believe
D.. fairly doubted His character takes its
shame rather from an admirable balance of in
f..lrlluai and moral qualities than from the
rrsseSSion of any overmast ering power. Some
,a.u-a very fcw-are adequate; they are SUI
rremc, they embody reyolutions-they alone
'-r worthy OF study. Lee was not of such. He
lacked passion, he lacked abandon perhaps
la-a ! speak cautiously-he lacked true coHric-
.. And vet think may say he lacked true
...yiulion. For il is well known that he was an
ardent lover Of the Union, and that he was, as
have learned since l came here, always at
heart an emancipationist. He was, therefore,
no. the type of nor the leader for that fierce
Titan spirit that sought in the ruin OF ma
lion 10 erect an empire on Inc lounuaton VI
slavery Such a spirit needed embodiment in
q brain and hand swift and aggressive and
rrmbOyaut rs itself. Nor, on the other hand,
WAS he great enough TO stand forth as a pa
r..:, but he permitted himself TO be drawn
mo he vortex of passion that seethed and
lruled in his section, 10 be allured by poor
hind fallacies, instead of following the in
suratiOu Of greatness. 1 think he is far from
happy And yet his fame as n soldier, though
do; nrsi class, is very sound and complete, so
That now, away from the field of war, and
buried here IN quiet academic life, among
these secluded hills, il seems rs though he had
r.,.,ra away from earth. He is all that is left
10 Virginia. 1gagHG mater rirt,m, out of the
,.r..E, Of a revolution. Is il, then, wonderful
-... N!rEinianS almost adore him?