Year: 1865

The correspondent of the New York Her.
aid, writing from Richmond under date o.
April oath, gives a somewhat extended &C
count Of an interview which he had with
Gen. Robert E. Lee, from which we extract
some passages that are Of interest at this


ON STATES RIGHTS.


On the subject of States rights, Gen. Lee
contends: There exists legitimate casus
belh. In the convention that framed the
organic law of the land, the question of de-
fining the relative powers of the States, and
their relation to the General Government,
was raised, but after much discussion was
dropped and left unsettled. 1t has remained
so unsettled until the present time. This
war is destined to set it at rest 1t is unfor.
tunale that it was not settled at the outset;
tut as it was not settled then, and had to be
settled at some time, the war raised on this
issue cannot be considered treason. II the
South is forced to submission in this contest,
it of course can only be looked upon as the
triumph of The Federal power over State
rights, and the forced annihilation Of the
latter.


SLAVERY.


With reference to war in the abstract. Lee
declared it his belief that peace was practi-
cable two years ago, and has been practical
ble from that time TO the present day when
ever the general government saw fit to seek
it.


The question Of slavery did not lie in the
way at all. The best mon Of the South have
long been anxious to do away with this insti-
t,,ti md I,,,
it abolished. They consider slavery forever
dead. Blu, with them, in relation to this
subject, the question has ever been, What
will you do with the freed peopIe?" That is
the serious question to day, and one that
cannct be winked at. 1t must be met prac-
tically and treated intelligently. The ne.
groes must he disp sed of, and if their dispo-
sl;ion can be marked out, the matter of free.
ing them is at once settled. But unless some
humane course is adopted, based on wisdom
and Christian principles, you do a gross
wrong and injustice to the whole negro race
in setting them free. And it is only this
consideration that has led the wisdom, intel
ligence and Christianity of the South to sup
port and defend the institution up to this
time


If these are Lees views, certainly some of
the most prominent of the political leaders
of the South do not agree with him, as all
the world knows.


ON UNION AND PEACE.


Gen Lee desires to Le understood as na,
tional man.


1t was noticeable throughout the entire
interview that in no single instance did he
speak of the S, ulhern Confedrracy, nor Ct
The Yankees nor tie rebels lie frequently
alluded to the C, unlry, and expressed most
earnestly his s"llci,ude for its restoration to
peace and tranquility, cautiously avoiding
any expression that would imply the posi-
bili,y of it's disn,egration.


lie professed an earnest desire that
course should be pursued such rs "would
conduce to an immediate peace" implying
in his remarks that peace was now at our
option.


But he was particular to say that, should
arbitrary or vindclive or revengeful policies
be adopted, the end was not yet. There yet
remained a grea, deal Of vitality and strength
in the South. There were undeveIoped re.
sources and hitherto unavailable sources Of
strength, which harsh measures on our part
would call into action; and that the South
could protract the struggle for an indefinite
period. We might, it was true, destroy all
that remained Of the country east of the Mis-
sissppi river by lavish expenditure Of men
and means; but then we would be required
to fight on the other side OF that river, and
after subdung them there, We would be
compelled to follow them into Mexico, and
thus the struggle would be prolonged until
the whole country would be impoverished
and ruined. And this we would be com.
PEELED to do if determination, confscation
and general annibialion and destruction are
to be our policy.


MIR. LlNCoLN's ASSASSINATION DENOUNCED


The assassination Of President Lincoln was
spoken Of


The General considered this event in itself
one of the most depIorable that could have
occurred. As crime it was unexampled
and beyond execration. 1t was a crime
that no good man could approve from any
conceivable motive Undoubtedly, the effort
would be made TO fasten the responsibility of
it upon the South; but from his intimate
acquaintance with the leading men Of the
SOutu, no WAS couu0out Inero was not ouo oi
them who would sanction or approve it.
The scheme was wholly unknown in the
South before its execution, and would never
have received the slightest encouragement
had it been known; but, on the contrary, the
most severe execraton.


The Generals attention was called to a
notice that had been printed in the Northern
papers, purporting to have been taken from
a paper published in the interior Of the South,
proposing for $l,Oo0,o 900, to undertake the
assassination Of the President and bis Csbi
net. H4h


The General affirmed that be bad never
seen or heard Of such proposition, nor did
he believe it bad ever been printed in the
South; though it it had, it had been permit
ted merely as the whim Of some crazy per.
son, that could possibly amount to nothing.
~ II. = Al