Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1874-11-26
HAMPTON ROADS CONE ERENoE

The Assistant Secretary of War OF tho
Confedcracy Upon that His
toricnl Episode. 1I VIC 5J
From the Southern Magazine for November
BAnrfIoRB, -Ang.: 81 1874. i j
My DEAR S1R-The inclosed papers
will serve to explain n bortion of the
history of the Confederate States, aud
are sent to you for that purpose. Tho
Memoranda of the conver.sation at the
conference in Hampton Roads" was
made shortly after my return from that
place, with the expectation that Messra.
Hunter and Stephens would prepare one
similar. This does not profess to be
full or particular.
In reference, to the origin of that
commission / have no special information.
Mr. BENJAMIN requested me to GO with
him to the house Of the president (lfr.
Davle), and, in going, told me of the
commission and the names of its MEM
bers. At the presidents house we
heard from him detailed, we'll consid,
cred statement of the objects of the
mission, and that we must leave forth
with. My conjecture was that the, ar.
rangements had all been made through
Francis p. Blair. We we're furnished
with letter from President Lincoln to
MIR. Blair, stating that he was willing to
receive overtures of peace from any
person in authority in the Confederate
States, upon the basis of peace in zone
common country" This letter was fur
nished to us as the passport to be re-
cognized, and as adequate to take us
through the federal military lines and
to the federal capital. But our own
commission waste make peace between
two countries" and our instructions
were to make no ngreementiorl treaty
providing for the reconstruction Of the
federal union. Mr.. Benjamin, in his
speech ut the African church at Nich-
mond after our return, stated the fact of
the prohibition correctly. 80 4
The commissioners did not find their
passport available. At Petersburg there
was detention (; SO at City Point, at the
headquarters of Gen. Grant, the mill
tary authorities denying all knowledge
OF the matter and awaiting instructions
from Washington. Finally there came
an officer from the war department. of
the United States, bearing q COPY of
the same letter of President Lincoln to
+. p. Blair, which was handed to us as
passport to Washington, and we were
inquired of whether we were going on
the mission that letter contemplated.
In answer we reproduced the commission
which authorized us 10 make peace
between two countries" The general
commanding (Grant) and the officer de-
cided that the discrepancy was fatal,
and that we fcould not 90. In this con.
ditlon Gen. Grant sent telegram to
the president advising reception to
the confederate commissioners, and on
the following day we were sent to
Hampton Roads, where'we found Pres
ident Lincoln and Secretary Seward.
There are some facts in relation to
this delay which came to our know
ledge afterwards. The commission was
appointed and announced the 9th day
Of January, 1865; on the Sd day OF
February, 1865, the conference took
place. In that interval the thirteenth
amendment to the constitution of the
United States passed through congress
10y The requisite vote. In one of the
papers of the time pennsylvania In.
quirer, I think) it was stated that'Secre.
tary Seward and Chief Justice Chase
were on the floor of the house of repro.
sentatives of the United States urging
the adoption of the measure, and that
the secretary said he desired to use i,
at n conference with the Communication.
ers alec that he took the amendment
to Annapolis, procured the governor to
submit it to the legislature, and caused
it to be adopted within an hour, and
then took passage to Hampton Roads tc
meet the commissioners. .4C
It will be seen from "the memo
randa" that President Lincoln disa
vowed all Knowledge of the .obieo
of Mr.. Blair's mission to Rich
mond, and all connection with tha
mission in any form. My information
from other sources is in direct contra
7saksA,1 &c koko o,k