Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-05-01
Hon. BENJAMIN III. IliIl-His Reply
To MIR. Stephens.
ATLANTA, Ga. April 81. 1874,

ATLANTA, Ga, April 81, 1874.
Editors Constitution:-On my re
turn from Twiggs Court, I find tn
letter from Hon. Alexander H. Steph
ems, dated April 11th, and being No.
of a promised series, purporting t,
review the address delivered by m,
before the Southern Historical Socie
ty. With the bad temper and wors,
language of this letter, [ do not nov
propose to deal; nor will I allow nv
self to initiate either, except to fl
upon the gentleman his own epithets
MIR. Stephens tenders a-direct issue
OF veraclty upon facts, and, leaving fol
the present all other questions involv
ed, d.. L adv advance promptly and accept
He quotes from the address as fol
lows: ''The full history of the Hamp.
ton Roads Commission and Conference
has never been written. I will not
attempt to give that history now.
Much has been said and published or
the subject which is not true. I know
why each member of that commission,
on our part, was selected. I received
from MIR. Davis own lips, q full ac.
count of the conversation between him
and the commi issioners, before their
departure from Richmond"
After making his preparations Mr..
Stephens proceeds to his main charge
in Barere's favorite style, thus:
''The shamelessness, impudence and
recklessness of this statement could
not possibly have been exceeded by
Barere. x It is utterly impos-
sible that Mr.. Hill could have known
what he says he knew, or received from
Mr.. Davis what he says he received
from him. Mr.. Hill was not in Rich
mond during the time the subject of
the Commission, or the appointment
! of Commissioners was under consider
ton by Mr.. Davis. He had left that
city before the conference of Commits
sioners had been determined upon by
Mr.. Davis.
Mr.. Hill, at that time, was
in Georgia, and did not return to Rich
mond before the general surrender
| With what amazing effrontery, then
does he now affirm as historical
truth that he knew "why each member
OF the commission, on our part, was
selected, and that she received from
Mr.. Davis own lips a full account
of the convers otion between himself
and the commissioners, before their
depal t Ire from Richmond"
Well, if Mr.. Stephens has told the
truth [ plead guilty of the most
amazing etfrontery. [ will ask no
mercy, and accept no pardon
When 1 delivered the address 1 did
not know Mr.. Davis had left for
Europe. [ expected he would see, at
least. an account OF the address in a
few days. And if. in public speech
on such an occasion, and on such a
subject, [ have made false statements
OF fact-af especially have represent
ed myself as having had conversation
with MIR. Davis, which [ did not have,
which [ conld not have had, and when
he was in Richmond, and I was in
Georgia, then, in the language of one
city, 'Mr. Stephens has foored his an
tagonist" and 1 will confess that 1 am
liar and the truth is not in me-"
But if Mr.. Stephens has not told the
truth, what then? Who, then, shall
wear the epithets shamelessness.
''impudence,' sseffrontery," ssshame
less-facedness, etc. Who. then. has
exceeded Barere and Munchausen
combined? IF he has told the truth.
[ accept infamy. If he has told false
hood he must take the same penalty.
VIII not a truth-loving people say this
is fair, equal and just Now, I stand
before the public responsible, on pain
of lnfamy, to make good the following
statement of facts
L was not only III Richmond during
all the time ''the subject of the COM
mission and the appointment of the
commissioners was under considera-
ton by Mr.. Davis" but Mr.. Stephens
knew L was there, saw me almost daily,
talked with me, knew the interest I
took in the commission, and could not
have forgotten these facts unless he
has become imbecile indeed. [ was
at the mans Groom and told him that I
should insist on hIs appointment OF
the Peace Commission.
1t was at my earnest instance that
Mr.. Davis consented to his appoint
ment, and this was all done before Mr..
Hunter notified him of Mr.. Davis de-
sire to see him at u O'Clock NJ, on the
27th of January. Still further, had
promised to go to Georgia, on a special
mission and at Mr.. Davis special re-
quest. For this very mission Mr..
Davis deemed it important that
should know all about the progress,
prospects and results of the commits
sion.
Tie Commissioners left Richmond
on Sunday. the 29th of January. I re-
malned IN RlchmOnd, before leaving
for Georgia, to ascertain if our Com
missioners would be received by the
0 her side, and at what place, and to
confer with whom. On Friday morn
ing, the Sd of February, Mr.. Davis re-
celved dispatches making known that
our Commissioners were going to
Hampton Roads, and not Washington,
and tnat Messrs. Lincoln and Seward
would meet them. I spent much of the
morning of Friday, the Sd, with Mr..
Davis, and received from his own lips
all that L have stated in the address,
and much more preparatory to leaving
for Georgia. And then, with the as
surance rom Mr.. Davis that he would
himself send me Il tele gram to Macon
announcing the result of the con-
ference, took leave of him and came
to Georgia, and received the promised
telegram on my arrival at Macon. The
conference, in fact, took place on the
3D., and L heard the result through the
press before getting to Macon Mr.
Stephens has made more boastful pre-
tensions to accuracy than any public
III III LIS lldlGGTtIS
are all tutored like parrots to repeat
these pretensions. He is, in truth. the
most artfuliy inaccurate and unfair
man [ eve 7 met or heard in discussion.
On this particular issue of veracity
which lie has chosen to make on me,
and to repeat with a real "carmagnole''
of epithets, [ raise the black flag, and
will neither give nor take quarter. If
the public incline to think press Mr.
Stephens too heavily, my reason is,
that there is a purpose, scope and NAL
ice, IN the Issue of veracity made upon
me which the public do not suspect,
but which fully understand. It has
also public signi fcance which time
will develop.
But for the present I address my
self to this issue of veracity in the
most positive form in which it has
been made, and L meet the accredited
leader OF the slanderous tribe at the
very threshold, and charge back upon
him the guilt of falsehood in fact, he
so vannt:ngly prefers against me, and