The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-14
Fog tn ATner ani G
Two war Stories.
BY A LAWYER.

Ii VIII be man, YEAR, before a correct
AID complete history oi the war
tween the States Cau be written. IT,
peu ut tie historic" must E cata ~ I
ns.~sonle-s. \ I,luant and dramai
stvle /, permissible. .ut tie mag ua-
ton must be Kept well 70 cheek. IN the
meaatimessby the telling q a tt'e here
and there material tu-u shed ir w-
ture use. The following incidents 10
not rise 10 the di-nty q. hl>tort a ma
terial, yet they are Instructive.
I~n-ls64sthe hopele>Sness'o. thestru--
Gle for the establishment ~ 4 ,rn
Contederacy was apparent e all except
those who can never be GOWN nee! even
bv anv event. \ strong peace PARTY
had arisen in North Carol ma winch re-
suited in the North Carolina Lt4l>la-
ture. in secret session. sending sIX COM
m~issioners to see President Davis on
the subject OF peace. They got to Rich
mond the dav after the President had
sent his three commissioner to the
Hampton Roads Conference. They
called on President Davis aud explain
ed the object OF their mission. The
President informed them that lie had
the day before sent Peace commission
ers to Hampton Roads - meet Mr..
Lincoln. and then proceeded 10 explain
to them his ultimatum about which So
much has been written. said and con-
iectured. 1t was this: peace was To be
declared at once. The United states
was To hold and retain possession OF all
the territory THEN IN possession OF its
armies.
In other words we were TO have a
Confederacv with New Orleans. all ol
Kentucky. Tennessee. the greater part
OF Virginia, etc, etc, lie out.
Judge Person, OF Wilmington. who
was on the commission warmly (r0tts :
ed against the terms. Col. David VI.
Carter. who was also one OF the COM
mjssioners. favored the terms TOR the
reason as he sad. III is better to maze
peace when two cal TALL ond yet some
thing thar To make peace when only
II can talk and get nothing. and aC-
ded he. III this be utIiul little arrange
ment had become known IN tie army.
the war would have euded in an hour
by the soldiers throwing down their
arms and gong home" 80 much for
President Davis famous ultimatum. as
related 10 me by Col. Carter.
The other incident as told in MY
presence was highly dramatic.
In the fali of 1864. or very early in
1865. the Brigadier General OF IA NortE
Carolina brigade received a message
from General 10 Davis, who command.
ed a Mississippi brigade, to come t. hi,
camp. Riding over, the \. G. Brigadiel
found General Davis and a SOuuh Caro-
Ina Genera in consultation. Ailthret
being present. General DAVIS proceeded
to say in substance. Il have Just re.
Curned from Richmond. and am satisfied
from what | saw that it is useless t.
prolorg this slIuggle-the war i over.
Iron being asked If he saw the Pres.
dent (who was lis uncle or brother) ht
declined to say. Upon beng aSket
W athe proposed to do, he sad he
had SEM for the 500 Carolina anC
North Carolina Generals to propose
that they unite with him in stopping the
war, declaring that every drop Of BLOOD
spilled thereafter was murder"
How do you propose to stop the
war" was enCu'rcd next
"Bv marching our briyadcs over {,
Grants army, and surrenderns.' re,
piled General Davis.
To this the South Carolina Genera
replied:
What you say IS doubtless true blu
if every drop Of blood hereafter spille,
is murder, let it be murder. | am no
responsible for It. | shall surrendcJ
when General Lee says 50. and not be
fore. Ii you attempt it. | VIII hdye yoJ
sho..' 10 this the North Caroliuial
agrccJ, and the Conference broke up.
1t is better 50. .AppomattoX wa,
written from the beginning in the bool
Of fate.
There was one time When it was II
the power of the Confederatcs to hav,
broken up the government. When Mr.
Lincoln offered IN lSG2 tt allow the
Southern States to return u the Union
with slavery. giving enc hundred day,
notice Of his intention to issue his eman.
cipation proclamation. the South by &C,
cepting that offer would have destrnycC
the Union: because at that PERIOD the
prejudices of the abolition element were
so strong they would have preferred
and assisted in disunion rather thar
union with slavery.
III Is all over. 1 NDUiU not nave II
otherwise. | prefer the union of ON
fathers to any government that can be
devised. For those who sorrow for 4
cause that is lost. | have ,mpathy pro
found; for those who weep over the
heroic dead, | have tears III a undance
but for my country and my |country>
FLAG | have the devotion and 10y tlty o.
a freeman. The growth and civilization
Of America is unquestIonably the most
wonderful fact Of any age. In reality Z
| diversity Of interests contributes 30 Ill
| tie towards rerictaating the Union.
When the final break up comes the
cause VIII not be sectional. but Il fierce.
passionate and bloody struggle between
the many who are poor and the few
who are rich and powerful.
Before that day arrives | trust that
my body may repose i'll dreamle>s
peace.
An Enthusiastic Endorsement.