Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-06
WAR HISTORY.
REV. J. WIN. JONES REPLIES.


What MIR. Lincoln PrOposod-ResolutiOns
OF the Confederate Congress.
To the Editor Of The Dispatch:
Absence from home has delayed my
reply TO the article Of Mr.. C. S. Maui
rice in your issue Of last Tuesday.
And even now | do not think it neces-
sary to enter further into the contro-
versy than to recall distinctly the ques-
ton at issue, Was "Mr. President
Davis responsible for the failure to ne
gotiate terms Of surrender and secure
indemnity for the slaves Of the Confed-
eracy by the commission which met in
Hampton Roads in February, 1865 ":
took the negative Of that PROPOSE
ton, and quoted from the official mes
sage of Mr.. Davis and the official report
Of the commissioners (Mcssrs. Hunter,
Stephens, and CampbelD, to show that
no terms rhafeUer rere offered by Mr..
Lincoln and Mr.. Seward /; that they re-
fused to treat with "rebels," and that
they demanded the absolute submission
and unconditional surrender ofthe Con-
federacy, with no guarantee whatever
Of paying for slaves emancipated by Mr..
Lincoln's proclamation, or of relieving
"rebels " of pains and penalties in
Cured, except an indefinite promise by
Mr. Lincoln that there would be "a
very liberal use of the power confded
to him to remit those pains and pen
alties if peace be restored"
While deemed it necessary only TO
quote from these official reports, said
that ! had just read carefully the de
tailed statements of Messrs. Hunter,
Stephens, and Campbell, and that they
fully sustain the reports on this point.
If the DispGtch has space to repub-
lish these statements | will gladly fur
nish them, or if Mr.. Maurice desires to
see them they are very much at his ser
vice; but, as he seems to think the re-
collection of other gentlemen, after
lapse Of twenty busy years, would be
more valuable testimony, ! presume
that he does not care for them.
AS for his twitting ME with intro
ducing my recollection Of Mr.. Davis's
African-church speech, would say that
it was only to show public sentiment
at the time, and that | quoted from
memory land so stated only because |
had no official report of the speech. If
it were necessary to multiply proofs,
have before me the message Of Mr.. Lin
coin to the United States Congress, and
the report Of the debate upon 1.-THE
dispatches of Mr.. Seward to his minis
tors at foreign courts, and the COM
mentS Of a number of northern news
papers-and they all 20 to show
that Mr.. Lincoln offered no terms
INT unconditional surrender and aJs0-
Rte submission, and that so far from
there being any offer to pay for the
slaves. our commissioners had their
special attention called TO the fact that
the emancipation proclamation " had
been reinforced by acts Of Congress
passed only few days before, looking
to a constitutional amendment abolish
irg slavery without compensation to
their owners. by the way, it seems
to me that all shadow Of doubt on the
question Of compensation for slaves is
removed by reference to the simple fact
that owners Of slaves, even loyal "
owners, in Maryland, Missouri, Ken
tuckJ and Delaware. which were claim
ed to be " Union " States, never re-
ceiyed a dollar for their slave property
But Mr.. Maurice blames Mr.. Davis
for not submitting to unconditional
surrender on the return Of our COM
miSSioners. lie foTgets that even if he
had so doaired tho President had no
power to make treaty Of peace with
out the "advice and consent Of the
Senate" and that in promptly sending
the report of the commissioners to Con-
gress Mr.. Davis put the responsibility
where it properly belonged. If the
army and the people had been willing
to Internationally surrender, the Con-
federate Congress would have acted in
accord with this sentiment; but the
truth is that this body reflected the
popular will when they adopted
series Of resolutions which, after re-
citing the failure of all previous
efforts Of the Confederate Government
to obtain terms Of peace, and the fall
ure Of the recent "peace commission
resolved " that, while Congress regrets
that no alternative is left the people of
the Confederate States but contnu-
auce Of the war or submission to terms
Of peace, alike ruinOus and dShOnora-
BILE, it accepts in their behalf the issue
rendered them by the United States
Government, and solemnly declares
that it is their unalterable determine
ton to prosecute the war with the
United States until that power shall de-
Sist from its efforts to subjugate them
and the independence Of the Confede-
rate States shall have been established. y
Surely, then. if any one was to blame
in not submitting to unconditional sur
render, it was not Mr.. Davis alone, but
the Confederate Congress-thc army
and people. who flooded the Presi-
dent with resolutions Of the
strongest character, urging the Wig
orous prosecution Of the war.
by the way. if Mr.. Maurice found
in the army or among the people at that
time any who desired unconditional
surrender, he was more unfortunate in
his associations than ! was, a. min
glcd every day with our brave boys in
the trenches around PeterSburg.l
For my part honor President Davis
for the firm stand he took and the cla-
non notes he rang out in that memora-
bic crisis. honor General Lee for
saying in his general orders, assuming
the chief command Of the Confederate
armies several days after the confer
ence II rely for success upon the
courage and fortitudc of the army, sus-
tanned by the patriotism and firmnesS
Of the people, confident that their united
efforts, under the blessing Of Heaven.
will secure peace and independence. - ]
honor the noble band of patriot SOL
GierS who. against such fearful odds.
fought 1t out to the end, and wrestei
from the enemy at AppomattOx far bet
ter terms than were offered at the
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