Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-28
Tho Uampton.Roads Peace Confer
enC0.

tempted denial 10y DR.. j. William
jones' of the fact that has been gene
rally acknowledged for more than
twenty years-that Mr.. President Davis
was responsible for the failure to nego-
tiste terms Of surrender and secure in
demnity for the slaves of the Con-
federacy by the commission which met
in Hampton Roads in February, 1865.
DR.. Jones, after stating, " 1t seems
really strange that gentlemen will rely
on their memory Of what they heard
twenty years ago." and giving only two
solitary extracts, seems to have forgot
ten himself so far as to intrude his recot-
lectiOnS of the events, for he says fur
ther on, in speaking of an incident and
giving his own recollections Of the Afri-
can-o hurch meeting: 81 quote from
memory, but the whole scene was
burned into my mind and heart, and l
think give the exact Words" &c.
endorse his recollections as perfect
~ accurate as to the part of Mr.. Dayis's
speech which he quotes; but he seems
to be forgetful of that part Of the speech
which bore directly upon the question
in issue. 1t was this land quote from
memory, as did DR.. jones': Mr.. Davis,
after telling his audience candidly that
he was not there to bring good news of
battles fought and victories won; but,
on the contrary, that the chances of
success were not hopeful, nor the pros
poets bright, turned to the Hampton
Roads question and said: "They
blame me for the failure to negotiate
terms of peace by the Confederate and
Federal commissioners recently as
sembled in Hampton Roads. They
say that gave .hem so many
instructions that they were hampered,
and thereby prevented from making
terms that would have been highly adj
vantsgeous. / gave Them" said ho,
"but one instruction, and that was
tuo Countries" and. after stating his
utter repugnance to any terms looking
to a united country, he made the state
ment in the very words quoted by DR..
Jones, and then said that if beaten in
the open field they would retire to the
mountain Businesses, where 1t would be
difficult for the enemy to pursue them,
and where the Confederates, from their
superior knowledge Of the country,
would have great advantage, and
could continue the war for an indefinite
period"
Mr.. Davis refused to listen to any
terms that were not predicated on the
independence Of the Confederacy, and
his one instruction, it will be seen, UNI
fortunately prevented the consideration
of the terms that were offered, and the
Confederacy went down, and with it the
slave property was irrevocably lost.
1t is true that Time, with his old
scythe, flies fast and cuts down right
and left, but it seems improbable that
he has in so short time gathered in
all who were then alive and intimate
with those who composed the commits
sion on the Confederate side and the re-
collections Of those gentlemen, whoever
they may be, will be accepted by the
people Of Virginia as conclusive Of
what was the fact. Among those likely
TO know the FIJI Of the transaction, |
mention the name Of Ex-Governor Will
liam Smith. lie was then in Richmond
and dlire to what was going on.
The terms " involved the uncondi-
hondl surrender of the Confederate
cause, cause that Mr.. Davis believed
had still some slight hope in it, and he
was, therefore, unwilling to trust the
enemy so fully in so momentous ques-
ton. lie refused, and the South lost.
! do not write this with any view Of
assisting in making a " scape-goat" Of
Mr.. Davis-far from it /; nor do believe
that there is any one in Virginia who
does. believe he has the love of the
people Of the South, and those who have
talked Of the question or Written Of il
simply question his .judgment-nothing
more. When the offer was made it was
clear to the masses that the authorities
were at their wits end, and that the
Confederate Government was tottering
to its fall.
| do hope that DR.. Jones will repres:
his " feelings of indignation " if say
that subsequent events have clearly
proven that not only was Mr.. Davis's
judgment in error when he rejected the
overtures, but that he was equally in
error as to the fact Of the southern PEG.
pie being the masters " of Mr.. Lin.
coin, and that l dare to differ in opin-
ion with his learned professor and say
that | would not give one idea of hon.
est. sober, intelligent recollection, giver
even fifty years afterwards, for a tor
of balderdash made at the time eitl
the riew Of misleading the public anC
egging on brave but ill-starred peopl.
to bloody strife and pain and poverty
The meeting at the African church
was truly enthusiastic, IS nearly all o
the southern public meetings are whs,
: addressed by able and eloquent men
IL was gotten up at the Capitol to boos
+ the Confederate cause, which wa
known to be waning, and esery effor
, was made TO make it big success.
was there for the first time in my lif
that saw nearly all Of the clergy o
the city present and assisting in
public meeting. Everything was don
: to get up q big feeling, and sucl
T a feeling was in fact gottel
up on grand and satisfactor,
scale. But the feeling so manufac
tured was sphemeral and volatile, 70
those who remember it will, | bslieve
agree in the recollection that two day
had not elapsed before the feeling sub
sided, and the cool temper Of the PEG
pie would have agreed to almost AM
reasonable terms to secure peace.
! am, gentlemen, yours truly, &C.,
Q. s. MAURICE.
Manchester, "a, July 25, 1885.