The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-06-15
"A NEW REVELATION.


A. "A NEW REVELATION.
"a late issue OF TIE Montgomery Mail has
an article in reference TO what really trans
pired at the Hampton Roads conference,
which has not found place in the official
account of that affair, and, pertinent thlre-
to, makes the following statement:
1--WE have our Information from gentle
man of the highest respectability, who had
it from one of the Confederate Commission
ers in person, that the single word union
was written by Mr.. Lincoln at the head of
blank sheet of paper, and that the Confed-
crate Commissioners were told to write
beneath that word their own terms, and
that those terms would be accepted Mr..
Stephens and Mr.. John A. Campbell IA
vored the acceptance of the terms thus
offered, but having been hedged in by in
structiOns that they were not at liberty TO
transgress, the last hope of the South with
cred with the destruction of that compara-
lively insignificant scrap of paper.
This statement disagrees with Mr.. Ste
phens's account of that celebrated confer
ence as given in his great work on the late
war. We doubt the accuracy of the Malls
revelation.
"Wnl not Mr.. stephens respond to
general desire TO know what amount of fact
there is in the above?'
L have not seen the article published in
the Montgomery Mail, to which you refer,
and from which the extract quoted by you
me for information on the subject, | very
promptly. as well as unhesiJatingly say
that there must be some mistake in the new
Revelation. The substance of what occur
red and passed on both sides at the Hamp-
ton Roads conference, is very accurately set
forth, not only in outline, but in detail, m
the second volume of my work on the war,
to which you refer. 1t will be found on
pages 500 and 5l9, inclusive. No PROPOSE
ton OF the character alluded to by the wri-
IN, ha Il
toned, and feel quite confident that none
such was made. Indeed, no word was
written by any one at that conference
Neither pen or pencil was used by any one
of the parties on the respective sides, for
any purpose whatever connected with the
conference during the entire interview
SO there must be q mistake about the wri-
ting of the word "Union."
What Mr.. Lincoln said about the "sfne
qua non" with him of pledge for the ultl-
mate restoration of the Union, as a condi-
ton precedent To his entertaining or con-
sidering the subject matter contemplated by
the Confederate Commissioners I'm asking
the conference, is therein also set forth
very fully in substance. No material word
or idea is omitted.
But in nothing that was said by the
Commissioners, or either of them, was
any reference whatever made TO their in
structions.
will here further state for the informa-
ton of your readers, who may pot have
seen my statement of the facts connected
with this celebrated conference, as well as
to its origin and its objects, as what
| transpired at It about which so many errors
exist in the popular mind-that the Confed-
crate Commissioners had no written In
structions other than what was contained
in their letter of appointment, which has
been extensively published North as well a.
| South. nor had they any verbal instructions
inconsistent with the letter of their appoint.
/ ment.
| All who wish full and accurate inform a.
ton upon the whole subject are referred tC
| the book before mentioned.
Yours truly.
ALEXANDER ii. STEPHENS.