Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1895-05-06
The TRUTH OF HISTORY,
JOHN TEMPLE GRAVES ANSWERS
HENRY wATTERsoN.
Notable Array OF Facts and Testimony
to Ovcrwhelm the Kentucky Editor
Ringing Letter From John
II. Reagan. OF the Con-
fcderatc Cabinet.


From the lips OF the last living member
or tho Confederate cabinet and from the
most authentic records OF the time. | desire
to refute the assertions In which Henry
Watterson impugns the intelligence OF the
Confederate government ana It's loyalty TO
th. interests committed TO its care.
Since MIR Watterson's highly sensational
lectures in Chicago and Kansas city,
have taken some pains to investigate the
records, which fatty contradict the asser-
tons that give these speeches prominence.
That the editor OF the Courier-Journal
should be answered In this matter, | do
not need to argue. When a man of his
reuute--an eN-Confederate soldier and the
editor OF leading Southern newspaper
makes such startling statements unchal-
leneod. he forges the material which the
compiler viii grcel.ly seize and freely use
70 the letrimcnt OF a Cause which is not
likely at best TO have much OF justice and
sut sgani credit IN the histories which
southern men are not yet allowed to write.
That Mr. Nattcrson can be fairly and
iuuN answered shall leave, TO the i'm
partial Judgment Of those who read the
1t IS proper to give here the paragraphs
N AIR. Watterson's speech to which in
the Interest Of truth and history, l enter
After the formal interview at that fa-
nous Hampton Roads conference. when
Campbell and Hunter had trlversed the
field of discussion with MIR. lincoln. the
Of state, Nr. t.incoin. tR5 friend. stili the
old Whig colleague though cne was now
president of the United states and the 9TH
eracy, took the I'm, pale-fatcd consump-
tive little man, aside, and placing his arm
paper he he held in hll 9'tiS other htni and % said:
stephens, write Union at tie top of that
page Ias ,I.l nna you may write below it whatever
In the preceding conversation Mr.. Lin
coin had intimated that. paJment for the
inent for reunion and peace. He based that
statement upon proposal he already had
in hand, 70 approiriate siO)coO,coO to this
out OF school. | am not here for controver-
sy; but when we are dead and gone the,
what terms Were really offered the confed-
eracy-within ninety days of its total col
lapse-will show that in the individual
Judgment of all OF them the wisdom of the
situation said 'acceEt.'"
II the allegations expressed and implied
in these sentences are true. they nightly
impugn the common sense of the Confed-
crate commissioners and of the Confed-
crate government and reflect with great
interests committed 10 their administra
ton.
! do not share the uneharitable opinion
Of those, who declare that, in these. state;
ments, the editor Of the Courier-Journal
was simply ,seking 70 give, wings and pop
coin and applause Of Northern audiences.
There is nothing in the record of the speak
er to Justify the suspicion. ! cannot per
init myself to attribute motives so un-
worthy TO n genius 20 unquestioned and
reputation so wide. as his And yet. with
of the question, the mind is left cropping in
hopeless conjecture as to the inspiration
for such palpable misrepresentation.
In the first place, these statements are
not new. | have heard them bruited in
less responsible way for years. They have
been exploited and exploded a dozen times
in the public prints and their resurrection
at this late day from the mere gossip and
rumor Of the pas, implies no originality
and no research ON the part of the lecturer.
If they were true. II seems to me- that
Henry Watterson Of Confederate memories
promugation, II they are not true-and |
shall prove this tc the satisfaction of all
honest men-it seems to me that Henry
Watterson, of national character and re-
pute, should make haste to diSaVow an ut
terance which does him no honor ana r.
fleets disCredt on the Lost Cause he served.
Gus conference NJ Hampton Roads. not ore
survives; Lincoln, slain by the mad fanatic
Alexopder stephens, vice president OF the
ness to reunited country, has followed
Hunter and Campbell 70 The Final Assizes'
where all causes are re adindi%cated' % ,o,, ,,or
record any statement which sustains the
Watterson allegations, have yet to see
Campbell-every one of the Confederate
eonfdrrees--ani John. II. Reagan. the last
- ~ R, NJ, =. 'Hi''NTER nE%iEs in.
First-To begin with Hunter:
Upon the authoritative statement OF
Judge Reagan whose appendrd Letter J
shall not further anticipatS MI; Huntefr tfi.
declared this story to be without founda-
ton in fact or incident.
JUDGE CAMPBELL IN REPUTATION.
tn, igf "a,
has been more frequently and shametully
used to the ends of this ridiculous story
than that of Judge Campbell, of Lou!si-
ana, Mir. Hunters assistant, secretary OF
war, an cN-iustice Of the United States
supreme court and one OF the conferrees
has been given as the indorser Of the libel.
l have myself more than once heard him
MIR. stephens himself no man has left in
spoken ana written utterance more ih dei-
mt a8G 1isHT' reviyas 9I ns 5bS
Almost immediately after the conference
at Hampton Roads, and probably on the
steamer which brought the Confederate
commissioners away, Judge Campbell sat
and accurate ''memorabilia' of every Incl
dent of that conference, including the an
ecdotes with which MIR. Lincoln interspersei
it, In the promptness OF It's preparation
and the freshness of its transcription this
is perhaps the most accurate ana reliable
count of II which even Mr. stephens might
have written at this period, This state
ment was temporarily committed to the
keeping of Governor benjamin FitZpa triCk,
of Alabama. an intimate friend Of the
writer Governor Fitzpatrick exhibited 1t
at different times to leading men on the
Confederate side of the war, a majority of
whom have referred TO II and quoted IL i'm
refutatlon of this old story, These recol-
leCtions were afterwards published by
Judge Campbell over his own signature, in
1''Fhe Land We Love" a magazine edited AT
=, ,ft htr, / l.
further contributed by Judge Campbell 10
the Historical Society of Virginia, ana un-
der the auspices of that society published
a second time.
With the unlimited facilities for research
which his position affords, it is very singu-
examine this record which, in its nature
and authorship. is much more authentic
than any or all of the memorabilia which
he adduces in support OF his position.
The statement of Judge Campbell is too
lengthy in detail to be reproduced here 1t
is enough TO say. for the purposes Of this
article, that he puts much stronger and
clearer even than AIR. stephens in his
War Between the States" the fact that
neither Mr.. Lincoln nor Mr.. Seward made
any offer or suggestion which could serve
as the foundation for this Watterson SEN
sation. He distinctly says that before the
conference proper began. Messrs, Lincoln
from the Confederate States that on the
day before the congress Of the United
States had passed a constitutional amend
ment entirely abolishing slavery. and gave
them notice that nothing could be done
on that subject" Judge Campbell made
several efforts to get statement from
Messrs. Lincoln and Seward as TO what
l. 4 a Ia aYtNra avrt.. IL