, 1865-07-12
MR. LIELGLn'S POLICY.
The Hampton Roads Conference,
How pefmfAsf0n to Assemble the
Virginia Legislature was Obtained,
and " by Revoked.

u RiclMpnQ correspondent OF L1e New
Ye,k Hero,d, protesting to gtre Judge John
:. Campbc1l's narration Of the Hampton
Roads conference lin which the Judge WAS q
rebel Ct mmissacnes). concludes that portion
Of his letter a. folloWs: ..
On their return yoyage TO Richmoud-ft
Is Btatkd bT one Of hem-the insurgent com.
e:on Of the Interview. Judge Camphen
aflms that he was satisfied With tho inter-
rlew, and felt willing to make Peace On the
basis Of the late Pres;deurs ultimatun.
Several days after their arrival In Richmond
Mr. Hunter became convinced OF the hope
lessness Of looking Or fighting for anything
better, and yielded his adherence 70 Jadga
Campbell's opinion. ME. Stephens thought
that 4 longer delay might be more fsvora3le
to The South, but On the eve before his do
pa1ture fer Georgia, which took place on the
day before the public meeting At the African
Church, he assented substantially 70 TIE
conclusions Of Judge Campbell and Mi.
Hunter.
On one point the Commissioners were fnl1y
pgreed from the outEet- They Wers opposed
10 any ef1crts to jnfiame the pobllc mind to
apy grfnteE s1tent against the general Gov
c1nntnt. To this end they waited upon JET.
Davis, Bepjsnin and other nember5 OF The
meeting at the African chnr.h. They used
every argument and enreaty IN vain. aud
ttemselves positively refused 10 bt present ut
ttat meeting, or countenAnce It in any way.
The statement that Mr. Stephens hsd gone
to Georgia to canvass his state IN favor u 3
P:olot CATION Of the war, vas entirely yolna.
By Influential men to do 90, but positively
refused, giving 1t as hls, purpose TO 60 home
and remain there in quIeiuess until the cad
shculd come. On bis arrival In Georgia h.
was further impo1tuned TO take the stump,
but 20 persistent1y declined that many of his
best Southern friends deserted him.
On Tueeday, the 4th Of April, Mr. lincoln
btirg at Richmond, Judge Campbell Was ad-
u1itted to zee him. Tie HeralTs correspond
ent Ea3S:
1t this Interview Campbell was permitted
to be the Spokesman. What t1ausptred has
this city. Campbell expressed great desire
tor peace, End seemed anxious that virginia
should be taken back into the Union, hoping
thereby to make her the stepping stone for
the restoration Of 1he other States. His
ideas, howeser, were too strongly Southern,
sui mite Eundry sche mes and arguments to
Mr.. Lincoln, bearing upon the t:9ce question,
ard at the sane time suggs s;ed plan tos the
assembling Of the leading men Of Virginia
at Richmond.
view Of what hsd been said, he would re-
masn mill the next day, and then dtsm ssed
Campbell with 3 request that be would bring
some reaidents Of the city to see him Ia the
Il or1!pG.
In tie cabin Of the Malvetn, On board which
vessel the President had retained bis quar-
tcrs. The President WAa attended only f,T
Gen, Weitzel. Campbell brought Nj b him
Mr. Gustavns a. Meseft, former prominent
merchant OF this city, tho only gentleman o1
standing, In fhe 1lnIted time allowed him,
that Campbell could find to accompany him.
Afler some general conv versatson, NJ: Lncoio.
fouh, less referring to the proposition OF the
1rrvinns erfnIrg. eaid q I have been co1sfd-
FF1;nr a Dian {of re assembling the Virginia
f.epfelatnre. deem 1t OF the greatest I'm.
nn1tapce that the tafne organization tnat mas
been casting the influence and support 9! tae
Stats 10 the rebels should bring tho Stats
bsrk into the Union. III can work II ont In
nv own mind, will let yeu know"
In iustice to Gen. Weitzel. whom the pub
! lie has CHARGED With .ranscena,ng his author
I liz in permitting the cali for the assembling
| Of the Virginia Legislature to be made, thts
point Is important. The pEoposaton tn1H
vene the public and l.adlng statesmen o.
Virginia without reference to thelt omctal
etation, and to settle with them the terms
| Aad mode Of Reorganization. aud to Obtain
their aid In composing and ttanquilIzlnE the
| people. On the following day the President
1ddresscd note to Gen. We1tze1 from Clty
Point authorizing him to permit the conye-
ming Q. the Leglalature, and directing that
the note bo shown TO Judge Campbela- Ga
that authority the call for the reconyenine
Of the Legislature was prepared and sub
nItted to Gen. shep1ey for approval. den'
Shepley msao some alterations In Its ToIu'
Ing, and then permitted It to be printed.
III the meantime The late President return.
| I'd to Washington, where, 1t would seem, tne
| actien had was made the topic Of discussion
and because Of revelations hereinafter Dc
failed, the President was led to revoke tnt
action be bad taken. He theEeupon address
I'd note to Gen. Weltzel directing that tn
permission for the rcassenb,i1E Of the VI
pin1s Legislature be revoked and all th'
Ttpers that had passtd in the premises b
withdrawn.
Il ID most probable, Rs slated On emlnea