Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-06-27
4 Rebels Opinion.

Alexander II stephen, In hi, work The
War between the States" answers the qiic.-
tioa a. to how Gen. Grant compared with
Gen. Lee a. follows:
Why. .ir. the idea Of DRAWN. a com
pari>un between thrm did not oceur tn mn. .
| should Just a. soon have thought of
drawing a compact. >on between Louis Ma
pulc"n and Washington. But ia answer
20 our question. ~ 10 what imprc>> ion h.,
made upon me. will say. IN the first
place. that ! va. never :" much disap-
pointed In my life. la Iny previously form
"a opinions. OF either the personal appear
Aatt ct hearings OF any one. about " nom
| Lad read aud heard 80 much The d.
appointment. moreover, was iu every r.
>peci favorable and agreeable / VA, in
>taiily struck with the great simplicity
atd perfect naiuralnos> of h.~ manners
and the entire absence OF cvpryillii,. -ik.
ah"ciaii"n. show. or even the usual militia
~ air or n'ieh of Inen u his position. lie
WAS plainly Atirci. sitting In "A los-cabiu-
hu-i.y writing on L small table by a Kern
>cuc lanp. II WAS night when We arrived.
There Wa nothing ia his appearance. or
surrounding, which indicated hi official
rank. There were neither guard. nor aids
about him. Upon Colonel Babcock's ran
pug - hi- door the response. Come in.
wa given by himself. In q tone Of voice.
.,isd with cadence. which can never tor
Ills conversation VA. easy aa,l fluent.
without the least effort or restraint. IA
tins. nothing was 50 closely noticed hv me
n the point and terseue>> TIA which h..
expressed whatever he said. He ,lid not
seem either Ia court or avoid conversation.
hut whenever he did speak. what he aid
WIS directly In the nntnf MI a
whole matter in few words. saw be-
ing with him long. that he was exceedingly
quick ia perception. aud direct in purpose.
with vast deal more OF brain. than
tongue a ready a. that was nj hi> com
mad.
were here with General Grant Two
dal =, a the correspondence referred To-
shows. lie furnished Us with comfortable
quarters on board one OF nj, despatch
boat. The more became acquainted
with him. the more became thoroughly
Impressed with the very extraordinary
combination of rare elements of character
which lac exhibited. During the time he
met ~ frequently. and cOnyer,el freely
upon various subjects. not much upon our
mission. | Jaw, however. very clearly.
that lac was very anxious for the proposed
Conference 10 take place, and from all that
MA said rcf-rred-wheiher correctly or
NOT. do not Anow-that he was fully an
pri>cd OF il proposed object. He was.
without doubt, exceedingly anxious for
termination OF our war. and the return OF
peace aud harmony throughout the coun-
Try. II was through his instrumentality
mainly, uat Mr.. Lincoln finally consented
10 meet Us at Fortress Monroe. a. the cor
respondence referred to shows.
But in further response TO your iuouiry.
viii add: that upon the whole the result
OF tins first acquaintance with Gen. Grant,
beginning with our going To. aud ending
with our return from Hampton Roads.
MAS. The conviction on my mind, that. tax
en- all III all. he was one of the most re-
markable men | had ever met with. and
that his career in life if his DAYS should b..
prolonged. was hardly entered upon: that
his character was not yet fully developed;
that he himself was not aware of hi. own
power. and that if he lived he would. In
the future, exert Il controlling influence in
shaping the destnies of this country. eth
er Tor good or for evil. Which il would be.
time and circumstances alone could dis
close. That was the opinion of him then
formed. and it is the same which has been
uniformly expressed by me ever since.