The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-06-28
AN IMPORTANT HISTORY.
HAMPTON ROADS CONFERENCE.
INTERESTING UNPUBLISHED DETAILS
VERSION OF MIR. STEPHENS.

VERSION OF MIR. STEPHENS.
Augusta (Gs) Chronicle and Sentinel, l7thl
We have before stated that Mr.. Davis,
late President of the States engaged in
| the rebellion, had not communicated to
the people, who had elected him and
trusted him, the truth in regard to the
famed Fortress Monroe conference.
| Now that the aforesaid Davis has no
longer power to arrest and cOnfine per-
SONS without the benefit of the habeas
| corpus, or his organs to instigate mobs
of soldiers and irresponsible men to
| threaten the destruction of life and pri-
vate property, or for officials to arrest
persons and suppress papers for publi-
cations without his sanction, it may be
as we'll to let the people know the truth.
We will now give the history of that
convention as nearly as we can remem-
Der it from the statement of Mr.. Ste
phens to us directly after his return.
Mr.. Davis sent for him to commune
cate the information that Mr.. Blair de-
sired conference between the authori-
ties of the United States and the South
ern States upon the subject of peace, and
Mr.. Stephens advice was asked. He
promptly replied that if Mr.. B. spoke
! by authority of President Lincoln, he
most earnestly advised the conference.
But that, as the terms of peace, if favor
able to the South, would awaken angry
debate from the Radical men of the
| North, and failure to get terms but
dishearten our own people, he recon-
mended, first, that the strictest secresy
be used; second, that the parties to the
conference be President Lincoln and
Mr.. Davis, and that Generals Grant and
Lee be the only ones to even know of
the meeting. The advice was taken as
usual in ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS alto
gether-and by officially telegraphing
the news to every corner of the late So
called Confederacy.
Two days later Mr.. Stephens was SUI
prised by the information from Mr.. Ben
jamin that committee of three were to
60, consisting of Alexander HI. Stephens,
Vice President; r. M. IT, Hunter, Sena-
tor from Virginia; and John A. Camp
bell, Assistant Secretary of War. Mr.
Stephens saw at once that to refuse to 60
would subject him to unfriendly re-
marks, and that probably he would have
the responsibility of failure to make
| peace thrown upon his shoulders. So he
went, merely remarking to Mr.. Camp
bell, "that the old story of the monkey
that took the paw of the cat to pull his
chesnuts out of the fire was not with
out some modern illustrations; to
which Mr.. Campbell said that che
thought so too, and did not like it.n
The flag of truce, and the loud and
prolonged cheers of both armies that
gave the lie to the statement of Southern
Administration organs that the veterans
were opposed to peace, and the two days
enjoyment of the hospitality of that
glorious old soldier, Grant, are history
we'll known. Probably but from the
endorsement of the peace wishes of
Stephens and Hunter by Gen. Grant,
the interview would not have been
granted. The reason why the General
did not include Mr.. Campbell in his in
dorsement was that MIR. c. was perfect
ly satisfied that the country was whip
ped then, and prepared to take what he
could get, and, therefore, did not talk /;
while Mr.. Hunter, who was not much
for reconstruction, talked most.
The three Southern gentlemen met
Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Seward, and, after
some preliminary remarks, the subject
of peace was opened. Mr.. Stephens,
well aware that one who asks much
may get more than he who confesses to
humble wishes at the Outset-urged the
claims of his section with that skill and
address for which the Northern papers
have given him credit. Mr.. Lincoln
holding the vantage ground of conscious
power, was, however, perfectly frank
and submitted his views almost in the
form of an argument.
We can best give the facts by giving
the report of the Commissioners, anC
the facts in regard to each statement:
RICHMOND, Jan. 8, 1865.
To the President Of tie Confederate States:
SIR: Under your letter of appoint
ment as commissioners, of the 18th ult.
we proceeded to seek an informal con
ference with Abraham Lincoln, Presi
dent of the United States, upon the sub
ject mentioned in the letter. COnferenc,
was granted, and took place on the 3Otl
December, on board steamer anchored
in Hampton Roads, where we met Pre-
sident Lincoln and the Hon. Mr.. Sc
ward, Secretary of State for the Unitet
States. 1t continued for several hours
and.was both full and explicit.
The only statement of moment IN thi
first paragraph is that the conference,
was both full and explicit.
We learned from that the message o
President Lincoln to the Congress of tn,
United States, i'm December last, explains
clearly his sentiments as to the terms
conditions and mode of procedure by
which peace can be secured to the peO
pie, and we are not informed that they
would be modified or altered to ObtaiI
that end. We understood from him tina
no terms or proposal to any treaty Of
agreement looking to the ultimate settle
ment would be entertained or made by
him with the authorities fthe COnfede
rate States, because that would be re
cognition of their existence as a separate
power, which under no circumstance
would be done. And, for like reasons
that no such terms would be entertained
by him from separate States that mock
tended truce or armistice, as at present
advised, would be granted or allowed
without satisfactory assurances in ad.
vance, of the complete restoration of the
authority of the Constitution and laws
of the United States over all places
within the States of the Confederacy.
The first paragraph of the above simply
means that reconstruction of the Union
was the only basis of peace or of confer
ence, and no desire for peace would be
allowed to override that sine qua non.
| The words which We have italicized
were the principal subject of discussion;
for in Mr., Daviss Instructions to Mr..
Stephens, at the time of his firstattempt
to reach Washington City, Mr.. Davisin-