The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-08
INTERVIEW With GENERAL FORREST.

who Arc the True Representatives OF the
Southern People e-Radical Misrcpresenta-
tions-Brownlow's nIiiitia-The People Of
Tennessee Desire Peace-Who Are the Ku
Klux s-The Political Status of the Negro
The Rebel War Dcbt-Tho Presidential
| -~----r MEMPHIS, Tenn, Sept q 1868.
There Is no one man In all Tennessee at the present
time who exerts wider influence over his fellow
citizens than N. B. Forrest. He Is looked up to by
every exConfederae soldier as their leader and the
faithful expOunder OF their views In all public mat
ters in which they are, directly or indirectly con-
cerned. The DISTINGUISHED class OF civilians who,
along with the ex-soldiers, form an overwhelming
majority of the people of the State. also recognize
in him their chief representative and mouth
piece This influence Forrest could never have
obtained on the mere strength OF his
abilities as q politician for he possesses
but few Of those attributes by the aid Of which poll.
ticians drag themselves first into notice. then into
power; but he owes simply to the fact that he was
during the war prominent general In the Confede-
rate army for, as Is now the case in all the Southern
States the old political hacks are being pushed aside
as political guides to give place to the who led
| In the battlefield. When therefore, General Forrest
delivers political speech he states what he knows
to be the sentiments OF his equally voteess fellow
| citizens. or at least he speaks with the knowledge
| that what he says win be heartily endorsed by them.
A week OF two ago he spoke at Brownsville, when
| he touched upon certain important questions that
| are now troubling the "stuation,n but the speech
| was SO manged and distorted by several Northern
| papers that the Misrepresentation thus made have
been the subject Of much complaint In Tennessee.
DESTROYS of learning what was said at Brownsville,
/ and feeling that an interview with the Gene
| raj would DO productive Of more truthful in
formation in regard to the condition of affairs and
the sentiments OF the people than speech trimmed
to suit their views by several partisan papers which
| published It, your correspondents called upon him
! yesterday and was very cordially received. The
conversation held during the interview is correctly
given below, as it was in It's present shape submit
ted to the General after it written out and re.
| ceved his endorsement. 1t win be seen that from
the outset Forrest wants to have 1t understood that
In addressing the people he does not do so as poll.
complains very justly Of the Misrepresentation Of
Southern mems speeches by the radical press. In
rails who are entering the field of politics he sald:-
~ am no politician, neither have the slightest
close Of the war; and particularly since the New York
| Convention put the democratic candidate IN the
field that have at various times given my views on
spondents who have called upon me for that purpose
The speeches have made were delivered from Q
sense Of duty owed to those men who had followed
their former leaders stood on ths political Questions
| OF the day.. ! have never yet made speech about
the state Of the country merely for the sake OF making
4 speech, because speech making is not my strong
point, but whenever have addressed the Southern
people 1t was always at the earnest solicitation Of
men VINO Lad fought IN the war and who believe
the faithful exponents Of Southern public opnoI.n
..Is that your belief, Generaw
| from improper motives wish to belle the South by
ing men in the South are the tonisderate soldiers
During the war they were accustomed to look up to
their leaders with an implicit faith, believing That
whatever they did would be done for the bepeet 0f
In the generals as they had when under their mill
tary control; They LEFT the armies when they were
their lost fortunes by vigorously gong to work, and
not sitting idly by to Walt until somebody should
Da e Ro o Do 0s ss S m
be the right aud while fghting exeriei themselves
to gain the victory; but when they were
shoulder to the wheel for the common good. Each
man When paroed went to his home--the farmer to
his farm, the mechanic to his workshop the mer-
chant to his counting rooul-a determined to act
a. good and peaceful citizens should act The men,
men to have say IN matters which relate to the
future welfare Of the state. Every man o. them IS
war, nor is there one who would not exert himself
to his utmost TO put an end to any movement that
might culminate In bloody strfe.'
''if such be the case, General, how Is It that many
speeches Of leading Southerners, us hinted in
| RADICAL MISREPRESENTATION,
certain Northern journals would seem TO indicate
that the people OF tennessee are ready, even anxious
''You do well to say as printed In certain Northern
Journals Tor can assure you that there ID scarcely
speech delivered by any prominent man South who
| distorted In the most disgraceful manner by men
employed. South, probably for that purpose, or by
persons, North, who are not willing that the people
should know the true condition OF things In the
south or the real sentiments tents OF the Leading
the re MaSn Of the opnon V' of tRe psope
In my own case have been panied by several shame
the thing seems to have attained to the extent Of
perfected system: On several occasions when have
addressed my fellow citizens and used tho most pa
chic language and gwen the very best OF advice
have found my speeches added to ana words put into
my. mouth that never uttered-sentiments
In the reporting OF u speech know full well that
word here and there may be Incorrectly transcribed,
but no excuse can be offered for man who deliber
ately manufactures whole sentences which the peo
pie are induced to heed the real utterances this
or that man, whose opinions they anxious TO know
something about. Correspondents have called upou
me time and again to know my views, and although
nessee whose opinions as TO the situation would be
| Of more value than mine, have always expressed
put in print conversations between taeln and me in
which never had part. do not say this as de-
in speech or to correspondent that any one could
consider rejecting ON the good faith Of the North
ern people, or that might tend to exert bad influence
| South.
THE PEOPLE ARE FOR PEACE.
81 have done oil that I could, and will
things nam TO cx GFsT Ss south,
and especially In this unfortunate state. On several
occasions In this very city have aided the civil
| outraged citizens were DESTROYS OF putting out OF
the way, and there Is not radical In the State whom
| would not protect from violence II saw him in
danger. - -t-..5 -s.'-e5
talk 6t Is6rnEa WAR;
81 have seen enough OF war, and those who are the
most boisterous now and cry out for war you will
nnd are the very men who did not participate in the
last one and would not join either side in another
one were II to occur tomorrow, could they raise
c0rporals guard In the entire State to help on the
| strife they clamor for. These men remained ut
| home during the late CONFLICT and made money out
| OF IT, and are quite wiling that like source OF
profit should be originated as quickly as possible.
| The people OF Tennessee ore for peace The ex-
soldiers are Tor peace and are anxious that peace In