The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-12
Rich i'm Reminiscences. !


At the ripe age of p Gen. Willard War
ner of Chattanooga, Tenn, who was seen
yesterday at the Ebbitt. has undiminished
mental faculties, enjoys good health,
takes life with imperturbable good hui
NOR, and can relate as many interesting
"reminiscences as any man in the county
shys the Washington Post.
He is a native Ohio manand was colonel
of Buckeye regiment in the Federal
army and orevet brigadier general In
1850 he was delegate TO the Republican
national convention from the Columbus
district, and voted TO nominate Mr. Lincoln
for President. In 1865 Gen. Warner moved
TO Alabama TO engage in cotton planting
and subsequently became United States
senator from that state FOR several
years past he has lived in Tennessee.
These times remind me- said the Gen
eral TO a Post reporter. ''of the stirring
scenes that were taking place in Wash
ington just thirty-seven years ago. In
this month, in the year 1861, came to the
capital and one of the first men l called
on was Secretary Chase. He took me to
dine with him at his hotel, and during
tire evening we talked over the threatened
rupture between the North and South.
The black clouds Of war were then gath
ering fast and thick. Among other things
Gov. Chase said: I think it would DO
better for US 20 let the eight cotton states
go of by themselves in peace. Sooner or
later they Will be. asking 10 get back into
the union. To- try to maintain slavery
down there in one section of the country
will result in failure, but let the slave
states try it. They will tire of it by and
Dy' and thus the matter will work out
itself"
'At that time did. not know Mr.. Lin
coin very well, and asked the secretary
10 tell me what kind of man he was. His
aswer l shall never forget: Mr.. Lincoln
Is the cunningest man in the world: his
cunning, in fact. is so great that 1t
amounts TO genius
When l was in the United States Sen,
ate" said Gen. Warner, 81 had visits
from colored constituents now and then
VINO wanted to borrow money. Sometimes
they got it and sometimes they didn't.
Alter my term was over, imagined Ia
be let alone by those fellows, but they
kept after me just the same. One dav at
the capitol a Seneganbian brother called
me or, and told me a narrowing story
about the necessity of his immediate pres
ence IN Mobile. and begged the loan of $50.
Whlch he'd be sure to return when he got
there.
Now, look here said I, why don't
you let me alone? Don't you know I'm
out of politics? I've paid all my debts
70 my supporters. Go and see Senator
Spencer, and give me a rest; I'm only a
private citizen now
What do you mean, Central said the
darky. / knows you is out but amt Won
er ex-senator yit?
cotton was worth big money right ar
ter the war;" said Gen Warner. .'and so
pretty soon after it's conclusion I conclud
ed TO migrate to the South, and engage m
farming went out from Montgomery
ia n1A ,,Ta
Joining, and took passage in a stage coach
in which there were two other travellers
mad with me a handsome blue overcoat
that mad used in the army. but I contIu-
ued to wear it because it was comfortable
and because had no other Pretty soon
one of the men began talking about the
war. lie said the South was not beaten
put simply overpowered, and that if the
FORCES had been at all equal. the Yankees
would have been annihilated. A grea,
zeal OF TINS / had heard before. and il
dldn worry me at first, but the fellow
Kept IL UP at terrible rate, and got so
abusive of the North that finally I couldn-t
stand 1t any longer, and opening nv Inns
FOR the first time, sadie
My friend, judge from the ferocitv of
your talk that you were non-combatant
LOU are q stranger to me, and so is this
other gentleman, but I'll bet so against
mat amount, and let him hold the stakes
mat you were not iii any battle during The
war Upon this the other man. who had
ike myself, preserved entire silence Wins
the TRADE was in progress remarked.
IN mold the stakes. if you'll let me take
ran your bet. and make il for any
amount. l was in the Confederate army
from IeXas' and d me, if 1 am ever go
ing to admit that the South was IiclSaa
by an army of towards,
wei, the offer was NOT acoartod -,
the war talk ended. The funny part of !,
was What had sized up the blrsterer
right. He was never in the army. ana
was not even Southerner. but belonged
up IN Connecticut His talk was in the
me OF making himself solid with the peo-
PIE OF ms adopted home, and in his first
effort he came TO grief"
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