Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-05-13
rCorres ,ondence Cincinnati Commercial.l
Status Quo Post BeIIum.
AUGusrA, ca, May 4. ls67.
ALExANDER ID. STEPHENS Az HOME.

ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS AT HOME.
Before leaving Atlanta met friend
who urged me very strongly to stop at
Charlottesville, on my way to this place,
and call on Alexander III. Stephens, who, /
was assured, would be very glad to see any
body from the North, especially one max
ing .stour of observation''-which pre-
tended to be doing in a small way. / soon
procured letter of Introduction from a
gentleman who knows Mr.. Stephens inti-
matelY, and on Friday morning left Atlanta
on the Augusta train, which, in about sew
EN- hours, landed me at Charlottesville Sta
ition, soon found what the natives called
&c the hoteln-rather an antiquated speci-
men of caravansary; but entirely corres1
ponding in this respect with the other
buildings of the little town-and alter rid
ding myself of travel dust, started in pur-
suit of Mr.. Stevens house, o A plain two
story frame, standing in the center of a
somely shaded with oaks; arising just to
the left of the railroad track as the
train approached from Atlanta, was point
ed out TO me, and in five minutes was
inquiriDg if Mr.. Stephens was at home. He
was, and was Immediately shown to a.
room In which found him smoking pipe
and reading the National IHteLb tgeRcer, seat
ed by the side of "a small table which was
heaped full of books, papers, letters and
writing materials in great confusion. The
room was small, and like anything but the
beau ideal of a statesman's study or reads
ing room. In one corner was q plain bed,
without any, extra finish on the posts, or
fine embroidery on the counterpane; in
another corner was bureau and looking
glass, such as you would see liz the house
of the poorest peasant in the land who pre-
tended to have any such thing at all;in an-i
other was glass bookcase, crammed with
manuscripts in great disorder, and over
against one of the walls was a cot)which
afberward learned belonged to a; little negro
boy about twelve years of age named
"Tim,n who acts as body-servanti for Mr.
Stephens. = The floor was covered with q
faded carpet, which had never been either
Luxurious or expeHsiVeaT TheC Cmantlepieee
was strewno with tteuchre deckso and
"Whist deckssp sand here and there apipe
and tobacco box for the use ofVisitorS, who
are curtain to beinvtted to smoke. On the
hearth-rug in front of Mr.. Stephens there
were, if recollects right three dogs--tol-
ierably large ones, tOo--indulging in quiet
suooZe. Such was the room and its furni-
ture in which Imet the great Georgian
such the room in which he spends most of
his DAYS and all of his nights. The entire
house is furnished in the same simple and
unpretending style. There is a very plain
parlor on the night as you enter the front
door, and still palmer dining-roomo on the
left. To the rear of this you pass through
q large, airy porch and enter the library,
an apartment about twenty feet square,
shelyed all round and all the shelves full OF
,books-laW, politics, history and misceHa-
Ineous works, with bronze bust of Web
ster looking at You from one of the top
shelves. ~ Passing through the library you
enter the room have already described as
the bedroom and study of the distinguish
ed statesman. Up stairs there are. four
rooms-all kept for the accommodation Of
l. fha nrh
apartments as to their furniture and
equipments" .-f.,ss,3 -5lrr..--s ...-..
So much by way of conveying faint
idea of the household surrouudings-bui
what of the man himself. A more difficult
task than pen and ink photograph of Mr.
Stephens is not easy to conceive-such 9
one, mean, as would present him to the
readers mind anything like what he really
is, in personal appearance His face, a
first glance, is the face of boy, with few
wrinkles In it. There is neither strength
age, nor force of character in his features
His complexion Is pale, with sallow tingt
on the cheeks-the skin seems soft and del
icate as a child's; and there is not the sigI
of beard or whisker, nor of the use of
razor to prevent them. His small mouth
and thin, livid lips, set physioguomy a
naught, with those who know him as al
orator. But what is lacking in other fea
lures to denote the man; and enable you Il
estimate his intellectual force, is fuily
made up in pair of the finest aud mos
keenly, expressive brown eyes | have evel
seen in a human head. They tell the who'll
story and tell it at once. Only let him lool
you full in the face with them, and yol
forget the sad boy, prematurely old ant
wrinkled, and are confronted by maj
whose body disease may have wasted ant
worn, but whose mind is vigorous, stron!
and powerful enough for the physique of
gymnast. ss = AZ 5ft"r 9-5lt JcrIg q
Mr. Stephens is now about fifty-fiv
years of age.a He is about five feet'elevel
in height, but his shoulders stoop a littl
and make him look shorter. He has never
enjoyed good health, / believe--certainl,
never since he arrived at mans estate; ant
the aff1iction and suffering through whicl
he has passed have left their impress upol
every Hneament of his countenance, till h
looks more like boy, ,shriveledl by aoHt
pains into old. age in few years, than.
man who has lived upward of a half H,acen
tary in the world. His hair is quite gray
and straggles long and thin over his fore
head sometimes;g his voice, in conversation
tells little of what it can be in public speak
| ingy for it is thin. weak, and inclining +
falsetto-one would scarcely think its l1a
volume enough to reach public audienc
| atall. His legs and arms are long, an
| thin, his hands small and lbony, and hi
| whole frame, as he walks about, sfo WHY an
| with apparent distress, seems loose an
| awkward. His dress is simple and arusti,
| When at home, he usually wears q suit Z
brown homespun, real Georgian-mad