The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-07-27

Id q eiDus Views were oyerruled and
n ono thing more than another was the
StIpend0us bluntIer Of 5sst the Rich
Inond adlnfniEt tion, 1t may be found
stu Its monetary poll The only thing
AN all eonsolat tory on this line, IS that
HnRncia gentry OF the North have, ae-
coFN ng to expert testimony, doubled
Etheir conntry q war debt, and judg ing BY
their period ical progress, aided and abet-
ted by some Southern men, brought this
Union to such a predicament that one
u section at least may regret that
Lee did not capture Washington instead
sof being baffled at Gettysburg.
Finding that his counsels were unheed-
ed, otter the abortive Hampton Roads
difference, Mr.. Stephens returned to his
village holne where he said he would
rather he hanged than, live in Paris
end patiently awaited the Confederacy's
inevitable end, the forming OF which
COME deracy he strove to prevent from
the beginning. There he was arrested
and taken to prison. at Fort Warren, In
Boston harbor, where his frail body and
sensitive mind endured torments, al
though the severity Of prison discipline
i was relaxed in his regard. This incar-
ceration led to some strange results.
There his half-brother Linton met the
lady who became his second wife. She
WIS a deyout Catholic and one OF the
most esthnable Of good women. Through
this union. the children Of Linton em-
braced the religion Of their step mother,
two Of them became Sisters Of Mercy
and the nephew Of Alexander Stephens,
who Is the worthy bearer Of that illustri-
otzs name, is said to be studying for the
priesthood Mr. Stephens lived and died
Q. Presbyterian, although he believed
that the mother church preserved civil
tzation.'' He was glad that his n1eces
renowned the world for religious life.
'Better. there" he used to say, than ap-.
plying to me for places in the Treasury
Department. 1t never, however, oc-
curred to Mr.. Stephens, when denounc-
ing Know-Nothing intolerance, that his
mamesake-the son OF Linton whom? he
loved more fervently than David Jona-
than--would be a priest. But he would
have been proud Of it, none the less, If
he could have known it later, the more
80 as his devoted friend. Col. r. M.
Johnston, can now hold his own youngest
sen offering the Holy Mass as one of the
Lords aarointed Mr.. Stephens was as
nlysteriously conducted to Fort Warren
as Colonel johnson was from Powslton to
Baltimore
Physically the contrast between Alex
anS1er Stephens and his half-brother Lin
ton was most pronounced. Linton was
large and athlete, while Alexander was
o mere skeleton, though above the aver
age height
My first personal acquaintance with
this, in SOM prospects, greatestOf Southern
men, was about 1867. ] was at that time
editing an Augusta paper. Mr.. Stephens
had recovered from his prison hurts. and
was, for him, in unusual health.
He came into my office briskly. He then
had a full suit of brown hair, pallid,
beardless face and dark eyes that seemed
supernaturally bright and piercing. His
clothes were black, rather rusty and
slouchy, the coat beingt he conventional
swallowtail of an ancient regime. The
skirt seemed home made while the
collar was expansively girdled
with a cravat tied sailor
fashion. To have a visit from
such man and to be treated with I'm
usual courtesy by a. person of SO much
distinction pleased me greatly, for was
a young fellow. We disclosed many
bonds of sympathy, and, from that time
to the end Of Mr.. Stephens life, with a
few trifing exceptions, we were INSOFAR
able friends. With him I protested
against the reconstruction policy and
acts. With him defended what was
most creditable in President Grant, This
was not wholly popular although MIR.
Stephens, in most eloquent and adroit
speech in Augusta, defended his position.
At that period Grant had not been al
together captured by the Jacobtns and his
experience with Wall street, which
nsptres to rule the country and has about
succeeded, was yet to come. With Mr..
gtephena and Mr.. T. K. Oglesby, his sec
rotary, Visited the president at the White
House. Grant was a cordial admirer OF
klIe Georgia statesman and came down
}tairs to see him unceremoniously. He
greeted Mr.. Stephens with undisguisea
Measure and affection. The President
General had been to the theater, the
hight before, and betrayed the appear
ance Of a man who may not have gone
to bed soon after the show. His face was
flushed and one eye Blood -shot. "a cigar
stunrp was merVously chewed by him
during the interview. While our con-
versation lasted, Grant was simple, unaf-
feoted and companiefiable.s. When 1t end
ed there was sudden, perceptible trans
formation Of demeanor. He grew digni-
lied and austere to Mr.. Oglesby and my
self, but remained gracious to Mr.. Steph-
era. n 51% .4g 3-s. Il.
Ss In his great work on '.The War Be-
tween The States Mr.. Stephens pen-pic-
lures Of Lincoln and Grant are master
pieoes. The deterioration of these po-
tentates was traced with prophetic skill.
En- this connection, 1t may be worth record
ing that Mr. Stephens deduced the ruin Of
all constitutional liberty or national glory
to aohening politicians, and it may also
be added that even before the war, he had
much scorn for many Of the men sent by
southern people to the Federal Congress-
AS early as 1856 he wrote thus: The
Democratic members from the South gen
orally are good-for-n nothing set. They;
followed the administration and the whole
administration policy now is counting the.
North. The gentle reader may compare
1866 and 1896 to suit himself, In the light
OF events. }5 5Es6
For some years L was quite close to
MI. stephens at Washington and our IN.
tilnaae relations continued in Georgia, as
he dwelt only short distance by rail from
Augusta The fail Of a gate upon: him de-
stroyed his power OF locomotion without
the aid OF crutohes or an invalid chair but
the faculty OF mental labor never depart
ia, while he lived, except at intervals of
COMPLETE exhaustion when death seemed
surely near. The activity and fert litysof
HE braun we're Incredible consid ering5
Iyhysical ILLS that beset him from infancy:
ana sorrows that followed fast and fol-
3,sa,aA ~ q, Tho lived he ur9S. M