In politics I am growing indifferent - I would like it, if I could now return to my planting and books at home

Let no guilty man escape, if it can he avoided. . . . No personal consideration should stand in the way of performing a public duty.

I read the story and reread the story, but I still could not find the universality that the little Irishman had spoken of. All I saw in the story was some Irishmen meeting in a room and talking politics. What had that to do with America, especially with my people? It was not until years later that I saw what he meant ... I began to listen, to listen closely to how they talked about their heroes, to how they talked about the dead and how great the dead had once been. I heard it everywhere.

I suppose this work is part of the devil that is in us all.

The cause of the great War of the Rebellion against the United Status will have to be attributed to slavery.

The natural disposition of most people is to clothe a commander of a large army whom they do not know, with almost superhuman abilities. A large part of the National army, for instance, and most of the press of the country, clothed General Lee with just such qualities, but I had known him personally, and knew that he was mortal; and it was just as well that I felt this.

The distant rear of an army engaged in battle is not the best place from which to judge correctly what is going on in front.