The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-02-08
THE CIRCULATION taOF THE "DIS-
PATCH" Is LARGER THAN THE COM.
BINED CIRCULATION OF ALL THE
OTHER DAILY NEWSPAPERS OF THIS
CITY, s...E rMrn.RN Eva sE-Egs-.

VIhER bAllsq NE"SiAfERs Or THIS
CITY, usz rfTro3o Ez2 @ssEs1sS2
Correspondence OF the Macon (Ga.l Telegraph
Hon. Alexander H. Stephens OF Pol.
lard. Grant, and the State Of the
Country. Is
o=af CRKwFoEDvILLE, GA, jan. 81, 1869. ~
The entrance to- the dwelling OF Mr.. Ste
phens forms striking contrast with the
Worldwide fame of its owner. Here is no
"pomp of pride," no majestic frippery,
that causes the weary traveller to hesitate
and turn his longing eyes in search Of a
more hospitable resting place. All is plain
and unpretcnding.
Upon my arrival at tie house was met
by colored servant, who pointed out the
door within which sat her old master. A
light knock, and the words "come in"
uttered in that well known voice, soon told
me that he was at home. No sooner did he
see me than his hand was stretched forth
with all the kindliness and generosity for
which he is so proverbial. After words of
greeting and an introduction to his nephew,
Mr.. William G. Stephens, I found myself
seated before the fire, with small table
separating me from my distinguished host.
The Sdnct,nl-for sanctum it ISIS plain,
unvarnished one, and reminds you at first
sight of an EDITORS private ofice-all news
papers, with slight relief in the shape Of
books and writing paper. !Ts was dressed
in q suit of neat, comforta?g brown wool
len jeans, of home manufa r'rIre, and woven
from the fleece of his own ilpck, which he
informed me was raised on lis own planta-
ton. lis exactly similar to the suit which
he wore when he was inaugurated Vice
President of the Confederacy.
When ! entered, he was engaged in look
ing over the papers which had arrived by
mail few minutes before, but kindly en-
tered into a very pleasing conversation with
me without delay. / ventured to call his
attention to paper which contained the
article Of Mr.. Pollard on the flight of Mr..
Davis from Richmond, and particularly that
portion relating to himself, with an urgent
request that he might allow me to publish
his remarks in reference to it. He stated
that he had seen the article, and would
grant my request only on condition that |
would give his remarks in his own words
then took down in short hand, as he spoke,
the following:
81 have great repugnance to having
my name brought before the public in such
q connection, even in correction of the
many misrepresentation which l almost
daily see in the papers yet assure you
that what Mr.. Pollard in this article says is
without the least foundation whatever, and
his information, from whatsoever source
derived, is entirely incorrect. Twas here
lat my own home) in Crawfordville at the
time referred to. Mr.. Davis did not pass
nearer to Crawfordville than Raytown,
some eight or nine miles distant and I did
not know that he was passing through that
part of the State until some time after
wards. Griswoldville,' spoken of in the
article of Mr.. Pollard, is at least sixty or
seventy miles from my residence. E Il
"However widely MIR. Davis and I may
have differed upon public questions and
public policy, either before or during the
days of the Confederacy, our personal and
social relations were never interrupted.
Our terms Of intercourse were always
friendly. No act of incivility on the part
of either of us was ever exhibited towards
the other, SO far as | am aware Of"
... GENERAL GRANT.
| asked MIR. Stephens what he thought
would be the course Of General Grant as
President, and while he says but little upon
public matters, his reply was as follows :
"All the country wantsi good government.
For General Grant personally l entertain
the highest esteem. From the time l first
met him at City Point, in 1865, | have re-
garded, and still regard, him as one Of the
most remarkable men have ever met. He
possesses one of the rarest combinations of
elements of character Of perhaps any man
living. do not believe he will be easily
influenced, much less controlled, by any
person. He will act from the dictates of
his own Judgment and what he believes to
be the line of his duty. regard him as a
man of great generosity and magnanimity-
neither selfish nor ambitious and be-
lieve he meant all that the words import
when he said Let us have peace Gene
raj Grant, however, no more than any other
man, can have all things as he might de-
sire. The future of this country, therefore,
is still enveloped in great uncertainty. All
the patriot at the South can do is to bear in
patience the present, exercise generous
confidence, and look hopefully for times de-
velopment." Of ..ars-g
s.. san -s.stss34 & THE COUNTRY ss~rE@sF@EE rs
ne said "With good government, there is
much of life in the old land we love yet !"
He here referred to a paper recently fur
nished from the Agricultural Bureau at
Washington which gives the products of
the great staples of the country, Indian
corn and cotton, during the year 1868, and
proceeded: Fgsa %. .gias 50 ~
s' From this it appears that in all Of the
States east of the Pacific slope the entire
product of corn was nine hundred mil
lions bushels. or this, more than one
half-to wit, 1--WE hundred and nine
millions in round numbers-was produced
in the thirteen southern States; while
the cotton crop, estimated ct two mil
lion three hundred thousand bales, grown
entirely in these States, at an average mar
ket price would amount to upwards of two
hundred and fifty millions dollars, Which
will be more than one-half the foreign ex
ports from the entire country. Those
figures in themselves exhibit what v;tnl en-
ergies we possess, if properly directed IN
der good government"
.gBlA& 81 NEGRO LAison. 2z@
Mr.. Stephens still retains all lis forrer
servants, both on the lot in tom End on the
old homestead, nonesof whom shcw my
disposition to leave him. Harry Stephens,
who bore his masters name long before
emancipation, and filled his present place
while Mr.. Stephens was in Congress, is
- ,, = ,., a a, ~ shnrfy Hall He