Year: 1877

Tho GOOD Lady Much Mortified by
misrepresentation of NeWspa-


per Reporter.


Correspondence Southern Home.l


MY DEAR SIR: About two
weeks ago an article appeared in
the Atlanta Constitution giving an
account of an interview with me,
by reporter Of the Philadelphia
Times, and the Times itself pub
lished a description of the same
interview, which was quite differ
ent, being considerably modified
and in better taste /; but both arti-
cles were written in a way that was
exceedingly mortifying to me, and
were full of misrepresentation. So
great is my shrinking from publici-
ty, that my first impulse was to let
it die a natural death, consoling
myself with the thought that those
who knew me would understand
how much of it to believe. But |
have since received from friends
letters Of advice and kindly warn
ing, saying it is a duty l owe to
myself to make a candid and firm
vindication of these misrepresenta-
tions, specially where | am reported
as making disparaging remarks and
insidious comparisons between my
husband and other Confederate
officers. A few weeks since the
editor Of the Philadelphia Times
solicited me to write some sketches
for his paper, whose columns he
had thrown open to Southern wri-
ters for contributions to "Annals
Of the War" In view of his liberal
offer, and the advantages the South
might gain from it, some of my
friends urged me to engage in the
work. 1t has long been my inten-
ton to write out my personal recol-
lections Of my husbands life, for
the sake of his child, and after full
consultation with judicious friends,
it was decided that there could be
no impropriety in furnishing a
suitable sketch to the Times. How
ever, my promise was only a condi.
tional one, that, if l succeeded in
doing the work satisfactorily to
myself and friends, then only would
! consent to its publication.


The Times reporter came unex-
pectedly to me, sought an inter
view, and being a Southern man of
kind and pleasant manners, and
protesting to have come for the
purpose Of encouraging and assist
ing me in the selection of popular
items, was incautiously led into
answering too freely the multitude
of questions with which Twas piled.
! hadn't the most distant idea that
l was talking for the public, al
though l must do him the justice
to say he told me he intended pub
fishing an account Of the interview.
Still, his kindness and gentlemanly
manners disarmed me of all fear
that he would say anything inap-
propriate. | told him expressly
that | did not intend to publish a
deprecatory word of any other pub
lie officer; that my husband was a
model of prudence, and never dis
paraged those even Of whose policy
he disapproyed, and it would be
extremely indelicate for me to do
SO. l did say that General Jackson
believed in bold, swift, untirihg
action, but it was no reflection upon
Others to say this, and the expression
that he wanted to press on "blindly,
furiously, madly," never came from
my lips, and such words are totally
at variance with his clear-sighted,
calm and rcsolutc mode of action.
am also represented as "being
fully impressed with the belief that
if General Jackson had lived, or if
his policy had been vigorously pur-
sued, the war might have had a
different ending" The gentleman
certainly forgot that this expression
Of opinion came from himself, and
my reply was that the same remark
was frequently made to me by
Others. No man was ever more
free from petty jealousy and detrac-
tion Of his fellow-ofIicers, or more
submissive to superior authority,
H.. 4