The Portland daily press., 1883-04-12
TrTIE PRESS.
THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL ~.
Stephens and Grant.

Washington special to the Cincinnati Com
mercial Gazette: Mr.. Crawford of the Sun
day Herald relates the following as the late
Alexander Stephens's estimate Of Grant: Il
shall never forget my first interview with
Grant. 1t was when came up in 1864
with the peace commission from Richmond.
l had been reading good deal about Grant
In all orr papers during the war; had read
of him as Butcher Grant so long that that
involuntary idea became pretty firmly estab-
lished in my mind. could not get ont of my
head a picture OF coarse, boorish, brutal
man. We had with US a leading officer of
Lees staff. He was in full uniform. wei
gotten up for visit of extreme ceremony.
When we reached Grants HEADQUARTERS it
was nearly night. We had been passed by
the sentinels with great deal of ceremony.
We thought when We reached Grants head
quarters 10 Ind great military scene. /
expected to find Grant, the then command
er OF an army of million men, in a splen-
did position, surrounded by all the display
that great military power makes possible.
But what was my surprise, when reached
the headquarters, to find only log house,
with not even a sentry in front of it. l
NO0otS0 II tAtiS tOuAu uC Gluill uSdQQudI-
ters. 1t was now nearly night. / advanced
with my party and knocked. There was no
servant even, in attendance to announce
callers. The door was opened by a plain,
medium-sized man in civilians clothes. He
held q lighted lamp In his hand.
II aIHid: wish to see General Grant. y
plest nossihfReral Grant, he said in the sim
rentemen?u way. ''Will you not walk in,
We walked in ales .....
He was alone in the roSsslse safsoseo safoseo the first
he evinced the greatest possible interest in
the object of our mission. observed him
closely during the hour we were with him
Grants simplicity and modesty were objects
of my most profound admiration / noticed
also when orderlies came to receive orders
that these were given In an ordinary voice.
There was nothing of the commander in his
directions. He usually concluded an order
with the words, go quickly delivered IN
conversational tone.
When our first consultation ended, Grant
insisted upon our sleeping upon his head
quarters boat. We asked where the boat
was. lnssead of summoning an orderly or
servant Grant said:
II will 60 with you myselfn
The night had now become very dark
We came out of the log house aud went
stumbling along after Grant, who skipped
ahead with the lightness and agility of boy.
Every now and then we would meet senti-
nel To his call of "Who goes there?s Grant
replied: "The general Of the armv.. He
conducted us personally to the boat, and
then assigned us to staterooms. think one
OF the best traits of his character was the
great anxiety shown by him on this occasion
to further the interests of peace. Instead of
finding him hard and uncompromising. he
was ready to make every concession in the
interests of this peace
The next morning when / awoke and had
dressed, went out upon the deck Of the
vessel, and there | saw Grant running along
on the bank, jumping like c boy, as he
waved dispatch sin his hand l soon found
ou- that this was despatch from Lincoln,
agreeing to receive the commission. STAN
ton opposed it, but Grants influence had
been strong enough to oyerrule Stanton.
That the commission finally failed in ac-
complishing its misson," said Mr.. Stephens,
Il credit entirely to Mr.. Stanton's opposi-
tion.''