The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-05-12

&; there was-ilnminent danger ola bloody
affair Judge Orr and other influen
tial gentlemen intertercd, the excite
meut quietcd down, and the prisoner
was locked up. Mr.. Isaacs was alive
at last accounts. but no hopes are
entertained Of his recovery.-Phe"ir
GEoRGIA'S GREATEST SON..
A Son of the Late Henry ]. Raymond
Visits the Hon. Alexander H. Steph
ems. ..
II. W. Raymond, Esq, of the
New York Times, Ia son of its
founder,) has recently visited Hon.
A. II. Stephens, at the latter's
home in Georgia. Like all men
who have ever come i" contact
with Mr.. Stephens, Mr.. Raymond
was evidently impressed with his
greatness. lie writes to his paper
that, as the interview WAS mostly
confidential, he cannot tell what
took place while it lasted. He had
Mr.. Stephens permission to make
public some Of his views. We
quote:
Warm as was the day, bright
coal fire was burning in the CRATE,
aid every window was firmly fas-
tened down-Mr. Stephens being a
victim of that air-abhorring disease
known as rheumatism. Two beds
stood against the wall, a bookcase
in each corner, a few chairs and a
couple of tables Uttered up with a
confused mass Of papers, letters,
books, documents (among which /
noticed a pamphlet speech by Sen
ator Bayard, and newspapers, made
up the furniture of the room. On
the floor were scattered, in wild
confusion, copies of newspapers
from every section of The land.
: Mr. Stephens appearance is IA
miliar most peorle; his spare lig-
ure so very sli light and frail, his
large head and piercing eyes; but
to me, who had never seen him be-
fore, he seemed but mere skele-
ton. But when he talks the man
is forgotten in the charm Of his
conversation. For three hours and
a quarter MIR. Stephens talked with
me ON almost all subjects, and my
only regret was that the time Was
up so soon. Firm in his convic-
tions, emphatic, and at times elo-
quent in his mpariSons, illuStrat-
ing all points with Illustrations
drawn from a long life of varied
experiences, full of "reminiscences
of the old political times when
statesmen filled the places now oc-
cupied by politicians, Mr.. Stephens
could NOT but be entertaining as
we'll as instructive. / was amused,
during our interview, with the free
dom in the manners Of the chill
Greu of his household servants.
They came in and out at will, squat
ted on the floor and played with
the dog, or stood before the fire
and stared to their hearts content,
took part in the conversation when
ever they desired, being humored
in everything by their much-loved
master.
Mr.. STEPHENS VIEWS.
z I should like very much to give
a detailed account of Mr.. Stephens
sayings, for I know it would be
interesting; but, with the excep-
ton of g few points which ! have
his permission to repeat, must be
silent. Mr.. Stephens adhews as
firmly as ever to tire doctrine of
State rights, and sees in its triumph
alone the salvation of the Republic
from a centralized despotism. lie
considers the thirteenth amend
ment as having been fully ratified
and valid, as the natural result of
the war. The fourteenth and ff-
teeuth amendments he considers
as "gross usurpations of power,
passed by force and fraud" with
seven Of the original thirteen colo
mics unreprcsented. He would not
hear of any such thing as "accept-
ing the situation with those :wo
amendments in existence. lie did
net, nor did any one, propose to
do away with negro suffrage, but
desired to avoid what now existed
hostility of race to race.
Mr.. Stephens spoke of the Tam
many Ring, New York, as an
determination" and a disgrace. OF
Governor Hoffman he SAID that he
knew of nothing against him, but
he did not know him. OF General
Hancock and Frank Blair he spoke
strong terms of admiration, the
latter being "man of nerve. "
The conversation turned OIL State
rights, the political future, the
next campaign, the condition of the
South and its needs, &c.; but as
Mr.. Stephens desired the conver,
sation to he considered as contiden
tial, [ observe his request. Some
Of his political predictions, as tC