Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-05-13

INTO INC OOnloQeTaIe OODBTeSS, MI. LII
coin being extremely anxious to bring
about q peace, honorable alike to both
sections Of the cosntry, and fcreseeing,
and wishing to avoid, the political conse-
quences of the military subjugation of
the South, sent him Mr.. Blair to Rich,
mond to confer with Mr.. Davis, and learn
what arrangement of the difficulties
could be made. He was passed through
the lines of the contending armies, and
conducted to Mr.. Davis house in Rich-
mond. ..
cater a long conversation with Mr..
Davis and other prominent gentlemen for
whom Mr.. Davis sent, and for whom Mr..
Blair inquired, Mr.. Davis said that he
had no proposition to make. Mr.. Blair
then proposed that Gen. Lees army be
marched into Mexico against the French;
that Gen. Grant would follow and sup
port the movements that the united ar
mics would drive out Macmillan and
then the Southern States should name
their own terms Of Reconstruction, every>
thing short of independence being guar
anteed. At Mr.. Davis's request this
proposition was made in writing, and,
after some consultation and reflection,
was signed and accepted by him.
Mr.. Blair returned to Washington, and
Mr.. Lincoln was highly delighted with
the success Of the negotiation. 1t was
in hope of consummating this arrange>
ment that Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Seward
met the peace commissioners, Hons. Ste
phans, Hunter and Campbell, at Fortress
Monroe; but there, to Mr.. Lincoln's
chagrin, the committee declared that
they had been instructed by Mr.. Davis
to insist upon the independence of the
South, and would listen to no other pro.
posal. And thus the whole affair came
to most lame and impotent conelu,
sion.'" 4 .
The report of the Hampton
Roads conference sent to Mn
Adams, the United States Minister
at Londonr by Mr.. Seward, gives
some FEASIBILITY to a part of the
statement Of Mr.. McMullen. He
wrote as follows ..ali
During the conference, which lasted
four hours, the several points at issue
between the government and the in
surgents were distinctly raised and dis.
cussed fully, intelligently, and in an
amicable spirit. What the insurgent
party seemed chiefly to favor was al
postpOnement of the question Of separa-
ton upon which the war is waged, AMI
a mutual direction of the efforts of the
government, as well as those Of the in
Surgents, to some extrinsic policy or
scheme for a season, during which paSs
sions might be expected to subside, and
the armies be reduced, and trade and
intercourse between the people of the
two sections be resumed. 1t was sug-
gested by them that through such post
ponement we might now have immediate
peace, with some not very certain pros;
pect of an ultimate satisfactory adjusts
ment Of political relations between the
government and the States, nation or
people now engaged in conflict with If.
The suggestion, though deliberately con-
sidered, was nevertheless regarded by
the President as one of armistice or
truce, and he announced that we can
agree to no cessation or suspension OF
hOStilities, except on the basis OF the
disarmament of the insurgent forces, and
the recognition Of the national authority
throughout all the States in the Union
An account of the Hampton.
Roads conference, said TO have been
prepared by Mr.. Stephens, one of
the Southern Commissioners, says
that Mr.. Hunter made a long re
ply to Mr.. LincOln's statement
that "the only ground on which he
could rest the justice of war, either
with his own people or with foreign
powers, was that it was not war
for conquest, but that the States
had never been separated from the
Union in which he insisted that
the recognition of Mr.. Davis TO
make treaty, as President of an
Independent nation, was indispen~
sable, and clted the correspondence
between King Charles l. and his
Parliament as a precedent. The
report proceeds: .t'
"Mr Liricolns face wore that in-
describable expression which generally
preceded his hardest hits, and he re-
marked Upon questions of history |
must refer you t. Mr. Seward, for he is
posted 10 such things, and ! don't pros
TESS to be Ny only distinct recollection
of the matter is that Charles lost bis
head. This settled Hunter for while
A correspondent of the New York
Times thinks Mr.. McMulIen mast
be in error III the part which be
attributes to Mr.. Lincoln, and de-
clares that "the dispatch Of Mr..
Seward and the statement Of Mr..
McMullen differ so widely that
they cannot be recOnciled." The
correspondent Of the Times displays
an eagerness to discredit Mr.
McMullen, and certainly goes be
yond what the statement and dis
patch will justify, AS will be seen on
careful comparison. The statement
of Mr.. McMullen has raised a very
interesting question, and it is sus,
of solution. Mr. Blair is
still alive, and his statement would
at once set the mootcd point at |
rest. The part that Mr.. Lin
coin is made to play in this |
affair, as represented by Mr.. Me- |
Mullen, is so characteristic of the |
man, Of his cagerncss to bring the |
rebellion to close and restore the
Union, that thGgG,js Il strong dis.
position to credit the McMuAen:E
version Of the affair. 1t -Mouldl
form a very interesting chaptar il
tho history of the .Eebellion could |
these secret negotiations be fully |
and authoritqtively set ferths::>s7F he
actors in these stfQssss at am .''s'e:.
commodation," should do tits be~ |
fore it is toe late. "' So, '''':