, 1865-04-26
A CHAPTER of RECENT
HISTORY.
President Lincoln and the virginia
r. sbelx-Secretafy Se1vardss Ccnui-
tton-Pfctldent Johnsou-1'he pivt
Of tfle AkAuhSinB,



The following Is the history OF the authori.
ty REG nifty. given for the assembling OF the
rebt.l Legislature Of Virginia:
10 While President Lincoln va. In Richmond.
l he =, vas waited upon by Judge John A. Camp.
Bepjamin and Breckir ridge Just before thrT
lett, and said to them: The military power
Of the Copfederacy is broken. Its indepen-
dtnce is hopeless. II only rcmnlus for us to
make The best terms We can. The trouble
Is, the President Of the United States cannot
enter into negotiations with you; bat he does
recocnize the States, and eau confer with
Of State Rights, 80 universally held in tho
South: the troops from Virginia Confed-
crate Government being d fugitive-wTll re-
cogntze the right Of the Virginia Legislature
to control them.' If you, Mr. Lincoln, will
permit that body to convene. It will doubt
lees call them from the t1eld.''
many and spec1ous. The President was A.
tuated By his absorbing desire for peace to
listen attentiyely; but he eaid:
Judge Campbell, let US hare no mts1n-
delstandlng: will give you once more, In
black and white, my only terms" And he
amm1sonfely wrote the same propositions
H3mpton Roads Conference:
IT.: l. ihe territorial integrity Of the Rcpub-
II. No .rctracuon Of Executive or Con.
IL No sSses ae1lGa on the subject of slavery
To these he added fourth condition the
If leading Confederates still persisted in I'll The
VET, ROW 1t lad become so utterly hnns1ess
catd.
Campbell prayed for N Notification Of the
third article, but the President WAS immoy-
able. He said: :
ave will not negotiate With men as long
as thcy are fighting against us. The last
election established this as the deliberate de.
termIna lon Of the country"
On the steamboat which brought Mr.. Lin
coin down the James river he W'fote this or
der to Gen. Weitzel:
themselves the Virginia Legislature to con-
venc tn Richmond for the purpose Of with
drawing The Virginia troops from the rebel
army, but you will not allow them to use any
treakonable language, or adopt any treasona-
WITHOUT consulting with any person what
ever, Or advising any one of Its contents, hs
sealed this document, and sent 1t to General
Neitzel bY United States Senator.
But, on the very day Of his death, he re-
ccIyed letter from Judge Campbell, tinged
with the usual rebel iusolence, ignoring alto.
gethcr the proposition which the President
Ind made to him in writing, and urging:
at is true that the military power of the
Conlcdeiscy is destroyed, but the spirit Of
the Southern people still remains uubroken.
II 5cu wsnt to conci1iate them, It will be
WIG for you to gfnnt an nr1nistice, and ncces-
sa1y for you e treat lenienuy their leading
public menA A seek their assistance!''
This was ~ much even for a1r LIncoln's
Geod nature. &c Characterized Mr. Camp
bela's course as ungratetul and outrageous.
Meanwhile, the capltu]atlon Of General Lee
obv'ated the necessity Of converting the rebel
legislature. and be sent an order counter.
1nuDdiLg the call.
One Of the Presidents last official acts WIS
| deed of mercy toward his enemies. He ex-
pressly stated that he meant to give tue load
Ing cont derafes m opportunity to leay. the
| to Washington: --.--.:,: ~.
"Deyesly Tucker apd 3peoh Thompson vll