Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-07-14
4 PIECE OF HIsroRY.
The Peace Conference al Hanpton Road

The Peace Conference at Hampton Roads.
! The Augusta Georgia. Chronicle and
| Sentinel has published detailed account of
the conference held off Fortress Monroe last
/ January, between President d4ineoln and
Secretary Seward on one side, and the three
| rebel commissioners on the Sther There
seems good internal and other evidence for
believing that this statement was prepared
at the instance of Mr.. Alexander E. Ste
| phens, who is cited as authority by the pa
per. An inside view OF the affair, which
has been constantly misrepreFnted and en-
veloped in mystery, tka article IS an exceed
ingly interesting one,
Mr., Stephens says that
Mr. Davis sent for him 70 communicate
the information that Mr.. Blalf desired con
ference between the authoritiss Of the Uni
ted States and the Southern Mates upon the
subject of peace, and his advice was asked
He promptly replied that il -, Blair spoke
by authority of President Lincoln, he most
earnestly advised the conference, but that,
as the terms of peace, if favorable TO the
South, would awaken anEry debate from the
radical men of the North, and failure to
get terms but dishearten alr own people, he
recommended, first, that the strictest secre-
ey be used; second, that the parties to the
conference be President Lincoln AMI Mr..
Davis and that Generals Grant and Lee be
the only ones to even know ef the meeting T"
This advice was disreg&ded however,
and the committee of three ewas appointed.
Mr.. stephens gives an account Of the inter
view mainly like that given to the public by
the Union authorities. The following Incl
dent ofthe conference has not got into print
before
MIR, Hunter insisted that the recognition
OF Davis power to make a treaty was the
first and Indispensable step to peace, and re-
terring to the correspondence between King
Charles the First and his Parliament as a
reliable precedent of constitutional ruler
treating with rebels.
Mr.. Lincoln's face then wore that indie
seribable expression which generally prece-
ded his hardest hits, and he remarked.
Upon questions of history must reeryou
to Mr. Seward, for he is posted in such
things, and [ don't propose to be bright.
My only distinct recollection of the matter,
IS, that Charles lost his head. That settled
Mr.. Hunter for a while, =
During the interview it appears that
Hunter declared that he had never enter
tanned ans fears for his person or life from
50 mild a government as that of the United
States. To (Which Mr. Lincolnretorted, that
he also had felt easy as to the rebels, but
not always so easy about the lamp posts
around Washington city-a hint that be had
already done more faEors for the rebels than
was exactly popular with the radical men of
his own party.
The amendment to the Constitution abol-
ishing slavery was discussed Mr. Lincoln
suggested that there was a question as to
the right Of the insurgent states to return at
once and claim a right to vote upon the
amendment, to which the concurrence of
two-thirds of the States was required
He stated that it would be desirable to
have the institution Of slavery abolished by
the consent Of the people as soon as posi-
ble-he hoped within six years, He also
stated that four hundred millions Of dollars
might be offered as a compensation to the
owners, and remarked, You would be sur
prised were | TO give you the names of those
who favor that
''Mr. Hunter said something about the
inhumanity Of leaving so many poor old ne
groes and young children destitute by en-
couraging the able bodied negroes to run
away, and asked, what are they-the help
less-to do?
Mr. Lincoln said that reminded him of
an old friend in Illinois, who had a crop of
potatoes and did not want TO dig them. So
he told a neighbor that he would turn in
his hogs, and let them dig them for them
selves. But. said the neighbor, the frost
viii soon be in the ground, and when the soil
is hard frozen, what viii they do them? To
which the worthy farmer replied, Let EN-
rootI
Mr.. Stephens said be supposed that was
the origin of Root, Hog, or Die, and a fair
indication of the future Of the negroes.
Mr. Stephens came home, says the
Chronicle, with a new cause of sorrow, and
those who said he talked of coming home to
make war speeches and denounce the terms
offered simply lied Before Mr.. Lincoln $
death he thought he was doing favor to
him not TO include that offer of four hun
dred millions in gold for the Southern slaves,
in the published report, for it would be
used to the injury of Mr.. Lincoln by those
of his enemies who would talk about taxa
ton and the debt.
Mr. Stephens has frequently expressed
no apprehensions should the fortunes of war
throw him into the hands of Mr.. Lincoln,
and said he would not get out of the way of
raid were it not for appearances, on ac-
count of the Office he held. He spoke of
Mr.. Lincoln as an old friend who had gen
orally voted with him in Congress, and who
had good heart and fine mind, and was
undoubtedly honest.