New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-02-24
A Talk NTH ALEXANDER a. STEPHENS

The Philadelphia Enquirer of Friday gives
long and interesting account Of an interview with Mr.
Stephens the vcePesident Of the late Confederacy Mr.
s. as readers know is preparing his elaborate HIS
tory Of the War; The writer The Enquirer thus de-
Mr. Stephens has been often described, end photo
graphic portraits OF him are very common these iater
dneness of his hair tie extreme delcacy Of his hands,
and the exquisite harmony Of his features manners and
voice refined organization, nne almost 10 eheinnscy
is manifest any who may meet him; his hair
has whitened equally without becoming thnmed ana ms
forehead expresses habitual physical PAIN his eyes are
of dark hazel color, beautiful and large as censump-
tives but keen aud flashing at tines his nose "a OF Ia.
face slopng quickly 10 delicate clin contains mouth
like girls small aud straight. Jefferson DAVIS, IN some
of his and intense moments reminds one on NJ
Stephens but the former Is OF eoarser and more eafy
mold Mr. Stephens has az times, pe.ulans ION ~
some hat, and ms Invalid complexion ana stature gya
MN the importance Oh his eoU1ensnce
anhis voice grows shrill and eeetive' Ike John Kan
doph's,
On being asked what he thought OF affairs In Georgia.
Mr. Stephens was very that everything there Ia
wreched" He thought the State ruined. nearly so;
that the blacks had been melted by neendiary emsares
such condition that nothing was left Tor the wmer
"G6sndon the state said Mr.; stephens II would
hack We are so orRanizd there the proportions OF the
such that negro citizenship would leave the
our snly policy would be emigration. We cannot alto.
gcthcr blame the for this They are poor credn-
Identical Political emlssares have tempted tem for Ma
other purpose than u keep party IN power regardless
good Of society and the negroes Own we'll
We asked Mr. Stephens who was responsible for thii
Reckess partisans" he said the lust TO retain power
to consolidate everything into the hands 81 faction the
class OF insane politicians like Thad Stevens"
AT this point Mr stephens came TO h fayore sne OF
q centralized Government opposed 10 the Ofisa IT,
publican theory OF system OF sOvereigntes.
give this country aud republican Institutions tonf
years Of trial. he said this madness Tor cen,ra,
downfall OF freedom 1t IS the last chance for man az
intelligent self-govemment Against these principles,
In the critical moment OF their triumph, the whole
wisdom OF the founders OF our country was drected
Madness reigns we are about 10 destroy freedom To-
build up party and Government that viii deyour Ne
Our next inquiry was as 10 the probable admission OF
Alabama under the defeated Constitution. On thus Mr.
Stephens SAID that the negro Constitution had been put
TO vote and beaten by 1000 ballots. Nevertheless Ai
Bingham had reported that the state should be adnHu
upon TINS SAME CONSTITUTION. . a., ,.-,.... -.
We expressed u doubt that II was DIT. Bingham ""
had introduced the bill He said that MI. Bingham no
all the rest had subsidized into the madnees OF me- parry
sententiousy. Right! why, how have they dce every
thing In CoDtTessf" = . -, Go. a.
he should express his choice OF candidate Tor the nehs
"Weli. "he said Il am not active man now; am "a
partsed prisoner However, don't mind saying that
think Mr. Johnsons reelection would he food Iihg l"r
the country He Is the best halfway man mat can see
have disagreed with him many times; Dut nc 40 IA
tonal who tries to do L9r inc Oes. anu one
and he "a steadfast IN It, II the Democratic party eouh
harmonic and nominate him, II would encOurig, tie
Southern people believe that all might yet be VEL
Mr. Rtephefs when interrogated TO the proper bses
for said that II should lie IA unpv
OF the principle that the States had never lett te l
never having left the Government merely resumed to'"
old condition.