The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1872-10-24
Alexander q. Stephens on Gen
0aaut.


In the second volume Of his HE
tory Of the Rebellion" Alexander II.
Stephens, who rs 10 intelligence and
keen Discrimination has no superior
10 tile Southern states. ri, -- his in,-
preston. III Gca. Grant. ~ matte up.a
his flrst aud only interview a,,a HIM.
They are - follows:
II was never 20 much disappointed
In my life In my previously formed
opinions Of either the personal appear
ance Or bearings Of any one about
whom had read aud heard 50 much.
The disappointment. moreover, WA
IN every respect favorable snd agreea.
bic. ] was instantly stiuok with the
great simplicity and perfect natural-
ness Of bis manners, and the entire
absencs Of everything like aflectation.
show. or even the usual military cir
or mien Of men In his position. He
was plainly attired, sitting Ia log
cabin, busiiy writing on . small table,
BY kerosene lamp. II was night
when We arrived. There was nothing
ia his appearance or surroundings
which indicated his official rauk.
There were neither guards nor aids
about him. Upon Cot. Babcock's
rappiny at is door, the response,
Come in was given by himseif, IN .
tone Of voice aud with Q cadence
which / can never forget. His con.
versation was easy aud fluent, without
the least effort or restraint. In this
nothing was 10 closely watched by me
~ th~ point aud terseuess with which
he expressed Whatever hs aaid. He
did not seem either to court or avoid
conversation but, whenever he did
speak, what hs said was directly to
the point and covered the whole mat
ter In . few words. I saw, before
being with him long. that he was ex.
ceedingiy quick In perception and
direct IN purpose, with . vast deal
more hrains than tongue, - ready ~
tha. was ut his commani 4 ........ The
more became acquainted with him,
the more | became thoroughly i'm.
pressed with the very extraordinary
combination OF rare elements of char.
acter which he exhibited.
........ Upon the whole. the rerult Of
this first acquaintance with Gen.
Grant, beginning with our going to
aud ending with our return from
Hampton Roads, was the conviction
in my mind that. taken all In all, he
was one Of the most remarkable men
had ever met with, and that his CO.
reer in life. II his days should be pro-
longed. was hardly entered upon.
........ That was the opinion Of him
then formed, and It 10 the same which
has been uniformly expressed BY me
ever since"
Here IL the tribute which Mr.. Ste.
phens, writing as . historian, though
politically opposed to Gen. grsnt. 10
constrained to pay to the great con.
queror OF the Rebellion. Whatever
Mr.. Stephens may have been or may
be In other respects, his csndor In deal,
ing with Gen. Grant ought TO teach
such men a. Senator sumner whole
some lesson. His 10 the opinion off
political opponent and defeated ex-
rebel. given by one who shows his
capacity to DO justice to the real char
acter Of the great hero whose achieve
ments will ever be the pride Of bis
country. 1t is lameutsbls that the
heat Of political strife should b the
occasion for maligning such men -
Washington. Lincoln, and Grant.
The decent sense Of gratitude ought to
prevent the slanders Of . partisan
tongue. Y. Independent.