of the virtues of the
Government north of the Potomac, and all the vices of that on his own
side of the river. Regarding the military questions in hand he
entertained and publicly expressed original opinions, which I will
attempt to convey as accurately as possible. The war was for principles
and rights, and it was in defense of these, as well as of their
property, that the people had taken up arms. They could always be relied
on when a battle was imminent; but, when no fighting was to be done,
they had best be at home attending to their families and interests. As
their intelligence was equal to their patriotism, they were as capable
of judging of the necessity of their presence with the colors as the
commanders of armies, who were but professional soldiers fighting for
rank and pay, and most of them without property in the South. It may be
observed that such opinions are more comfortably cherished by political
gentlemen, two hundred miles away, than by commanders immediately in
front of the enemy.

In July, 1865, two months after the close of the great war, I visited
Washington in the hope of effecting some change in the condition of
Jefferson Davis, then ill and a prisoner at Fortress Monroe; and this
visit was protracted to November before its object was accomplished. In
the latter part of October of the same year Mr. Stephens came to
Washington, where he was the object of much attention on the part of
people controlling the Congress and the country. Desiring his
cooeperation in behalf of Mr. Davis, I sought and found him sitting near
a fire (for he is of a chilly nature), smoking his pipe. He heard me in
severe politeness, and, without unnecessary expenditure of enthusiasm,
promised his assistance. Since the war Mr. Stephens has again found a
seat in the Congress, where, unlike the rebel brigadiers, his presence
is not a rock of offense to the loyal mind.[1]

[Footnote 1: The foregoing sketch of Mr. Stephens appeared substantially
in the "North American Review," but the date of the interview in
Washington was not stated. Thereupon Mr. Stephens, in print, seized on
July, and declared that, as he was a prisoner in Fort Warren during that
month, the interview was a "Munchausenism." He also disputes the
correctness of the opinions concerning military matters ascribed to him,
although scores of his associates at Richmond will attest it. Again, he
assumes the non-existence of twelve-months' regiments because some took