Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-10-01
MIR. StephenS' Views.

Hon. Alexander ii. Stephens being ID baiu
more on a visit, was yesterday Interviewed
by the reporters of the press Of that city, and
among other things, said to tie Americans re-
porter:
health bulletins as anybody. and can compete
10 that regard with Charles y Conor, Mr.. Nor
ton aud the Pope. Well, my health Is better
| in some respects than 1t has peen 10 twenty
wears: 10 others not 40 good. l suppose l have
teen the most pitiful subject OF dyspepsia that
any person has been and yet survived. l can t
even now cat al cvg ncr touch cup Of coffee
settled with cgg. | can't touch butter nor
milk, hut eau take hold OF chop, srloln
steak or chicken with relish. My rhumatlsm
| is worse. and | am weaker 10 the limbs than
have been. The bronchial troubles which so
| nearly carried me off last winter have nearly
disappeared. If continue 10 the same state
Of health am now 10 will bo able to attend
the sessions OF the House very regularly this
winter. Ia 1874 and 1875 didn't miss day.
Rep.-fIas your visit North anythiug to do
with the business OF the coming session?
Mr.. Stephent-By no means. | have man.
| uscript ready for the publishers, for which |
wish to arrange an early appearance. 1t IS
called the Hampton Roads Conference, and
treats Of the proceedings Of that memorable
| meeting OF February, 1865. That will occupy
my time until the opening Of Congress.
Rep.-Who do you think will be Speaker oil
| the next House?
MIR. Stephens | suppose MIR. Randall
| will be. supported Cox as against him the
last time, but Randall made much better
Speaker than thought he would. You sec,
| admire MIR. Randall for the very thing that so
many Of the democratic party condemn him
| ior-l mean his firrnncss against the tlIbuscr-
| ing movement over the announcement OF the
Judgment of the Electoral Commission, Just be
| fore adjournment. 10 him the credit Of the
suppression Of that movement, which, il it had
been successful, would have to my mind result:
| ed in another civil war, is due. Yes, sir, |
| think that had that judgment not been officially
promuIg atcd, civil war, with all the misery that
follows 10 its train, must have cnsued. | think
| Mr. Randall in that instance distinguished him.
| self particularly. However, | hear that he is
| against the Texas Pacific road. am in favor
Of it, and Nlr. Randall in the chair can do less
| against it than he might on the foor-unlcss
| he should be corrupt 10 the appointment OF
| committees, which is not likely.
Kcp.-Do you thick, sir, that MIR. Hayes ~as
| seated by fraud?
MIR. Stcphcrs-l thiok Mr.. Hayes tenure is
Grmcr than that of any President ever iDaugu.
| fee by the judgment of the highest judicial au-
| thority in the land. Evcu if | thought their
decision wrong which do not, I should bow
| to it as | would to any decree from the bench.
Rep.-Do you think there will be any qucs
ton of the validity Of that decision raised 10
Congress?
Mr.. Stephcns-I do not; such assaults, il in.
deed there arc any, will come rather from pas.
sion than from mature Judgment. And this
brings me to speak of the Presidcnts Southern
policy. regard his motive az being sincere
and 10 accordance with his line Of policy, as ex-
pressed 10 bis letter of acceptance and 10 his
inaugural His reception throughout the South
duriog his visit shows how thoroughly our
Southern people appreciate this. think that,
as cx Gov. Brown, of Georgia, said in his
speech at Atlanta whilst the President was
there, that he will have the support of every
democrat 10 the Satc-so long as he continues
as he has begun. One thing is certain-the
President will receive more cordial support from
Southern democrats than from certain leading
Northern republicans Mr. Blaine, Mr.. Conk-
Iiug and others, who will disorganizc but not
denounce, who are willing to ruin but not TO
strike, who arc the Joabs of politics. From
such republicans the President need not expect
support
Rep-Wcre you Of that opinion befure the
Rochester Convention
MIR. Stephoos-l was of that way Of thinking
after tue Cincinnati Convention. Mr.. Conkling' g
speech was no revelation to me. l take it for
mild expression OF more extreme views.
Rep. You, who have seen and intimately
known the members of each succeeding Con-
gress for over twenty. five years. must be able
to give an opinion as TO the calibre of the pre-
sent one ~
MIR. Stephens Compared with those of the
past, it is good one. From the South VIC
have some gosd men--two from Georgia, OF
think. But | could not name any of them. 1t
would be iuvidious for the to do so. OF those
men Of the past, | should say We have never
seen their equal. Just before the war ability
in Congress was we'll equaIized between the
North and South. Previous to that the South
gave to the country its leaders. 1t was uCder
the leadership of Southern democrats that Tex
as was acquired and California. Broad and
statosmanlike measures were introduced and
carried to a successful termination. [ tell you,
sir, had those men of the third generation of
this country's politics been at the helm at the
time, ouch an outrageous folly as secession could
never have happened. Iopposed it, but am
the same diigent champion of State rights [
then was, go | went with my people. l must
give to the republican party the credit Of free
ing the slaves That was their great act as
party, aud one that has done much TO pcrpet-
uato its existence.
Rep.--What will be the leading questions to
be acted upon by the next Congress
MIR. Stephens-Oh, there arc so many could
not possibly say.
Rep-WiIl not the financial ono be the prin-
cpal?
Mr.. Stcphcns-Wcll, it will, I suppose come
in for a full share of attention. [ am 10 favor
Of law providing that after certain date all
contracts shall be understood to be in eoiu, un-
less otherwise specified and all past contracts
be discharged in currency prevailing at the
time, reduced to coin basis.
TO the reporter of the Sun he said The
coming session Of Congress will be asinterestiDg
as auy ever held 1t would be marked, how
ever, by an absence of all feverish excitement.
The Development in Congress Of the new poll
CIV of good feeling will be watched with interest