Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-07-23
The Hampton Roads Commission.

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Hon. A. s. Colyar, of Tennessee, VIII
was a member of the Confederate Con
gress, supplies an item of history in re
gard to the Hampton Roads commits
sion. The letter is dated Nashville
Tenn, January 8, 1877, and, which ha
just been made public, is addressed t.
Hon. r. M. T. Hunter, of Virginia, an,
is as follows:
| Dear Sir: I have just read your lette
in the December number of the South
ern Historical Society Papers. q die
not see the other letter nor Mr.. Davis's
reply.) But the subject is one abou
which L have often had occasion tt
speak, and as matter of history wan
to give you my distinct recollection
| about the Hampton Roads commission
was, as you may remember, in tht
House of Representatives, and on init
mate terms with Col. John B. Baldwin
of Virginia. Some time in the latter par
of the year 1864, 0 cannot remember
the exact date, but probably in Novem.
ber, at the close of night session
Mr.. Baldwin asked me to take a walk
with him, saying, when we got out on
the capitol grounds, that crisis had
come, and something must be done
"but," said he, 'for the first time in my
life l lack moral courage to do my duty.'
He then went on to say that deter
mined stand ought to be made for peace,
but, knowing Mr.. Davis as he did, he
feared nothing could be done with him.
Said he, II have seen Gen. Lee, who
gave me to understand distinctly that
the cause had to fall" Col. Baldwin, as
you remember, was during the first year
of the war in the army, and under Gen.
Lee, and was on most intimate terms
with him.
Upon consultation it was agreed that
Mr.. Baldwin should the next day intro
duce in the House, in secret session,
resolution for the appointment of COM
mittee to inquire into our resources and
ability for carrying on the war. This
he did, and the committee was appoint
ed. Mr.. Baldwin was chairman, and I
was pnt on the committee. This COM
mittee took much proof-mainly officers
of the army-and, among others, we
examined Gen. Lee. Isuppose his dep
osition can be found at Washington
He proved that his army was daily be-
ing reduced, and that Gen. Grants ar
my was daily being strengthened, and
that 1t was only question of time as
to giving up Richmond, and when he
did retire his army could not be sustain
ed for lack of supplies. Col. Baldwin
put the question to him direct, if he
could make 10 suggestion for strength
ening the army, and his answer, with-
out qualification, was that he could not.
The facts, fully confirming what Gen.
Lee had told Mr.. Baldwin, were reported
to the House. Thereupon L drew a set
of resolutions looking to peace confer
ence. The resolutions, as l drew them,
named Hanter. Stephens and Campbell
as the commissioners. In company with
Hon. J. D. C. Atkins I took the resolu-
tions to Mr.. Stephens, who had just az
rived in Richmond. Just what time this
was do not remember, but it was in one
or two days after Mr.. Stephens arrived,
after long absence, and after the COM
mittee had taken much time in taking
the proof. Atkins and myself had a
free talk with Mr.. Stephens, who fully
realized the situation. We left the res
olutions with Mr.. Stephens with the
distinct agreement that he should make
such changes as he thought proper, but
not to change the commissioners. He
rewrote the resolutions. and it was
agreed that the first effort should be to
get them approved by the committee on
foreign affairs, of which Mr.. Rives was
chairman. Atkins had the matter
greatly at heart, and Gov. Foote hav-
ing resigned his place on that committee
we managed to have Atkins appointed,
and he got the resolution approved by
his committee. They were reported to
the House, and, in secret session, were
debated several days, Mr.. Davis's par
ticular friends opposing them; but at
length it was said to those of US who
were trying to get the resolutions thro'
that if we would not press the resolu-
tions any further Mr.. Davis would ap-
point the three men named in the reso-
lutions. OF course we stopped at once,
and Mr.. Davis did appoint the com
missioners. To the great establishment
of all of US, who had the matter at heart,
we learned for the first time, after the
commissioners returned, that they had
been clothed with no power except to
treat ON the basis of independence,
which most of us regarded as entirely
hopeless, predicating our belief on Cen
eral Lees testimony mainly. This is
substantially the truth of history.
Very truly, A. 8. COLYAR.