The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-05
rHr HAMPTON ROADS CONFERENCE

THE HAMPTON ROADS CONFERENrE.
We publish to-day "a letter from Mr..
John Temple Graves, the eloquent Gcor-
eian. throwing light upon come OF the
statements which have been attributed
to Mr. Lincoln, i'm the celebrated Hamp-
ton Roads conference.
Mr. Henry Watterson, In one Of his
lectures, stated tha; President Lincoln
at this conference told Mr. Ste
phens. Vlce-Presdont of the South
crn Confederacy. 10 write Union
az the top Of a page. and then 10 write
anything be pleased below, as Tic terms
of the cessation of hosuliues and the re-
union Of the States. And also That pay
ment TO southcncrs for the liberated
slaves was not outside of possible agree
mcnt for reunion and peace.
The conference il Will Doe remembered
was on the Sd day of February, 1860. on
a steamer in Hampton Roads between
President Lincoln and Secretary Of State
~. II. Seward. ON the Federal side, and
NIce-Prcsidcnt stephens, Senator r.. NJ. i.
Hunter and Judge John 4. Campbell rep
rcscnung the Confederate Government.
Judge Campbell took notes OF what was
said al the conference Immediately after
the event. and prepared the report OF iho
commissioners. There Us nothing in Judge
Campbcns report OF tho alleged PROPOSE
tion of Mr.. Lincoln to Mr.. stephens
about the word Union and anything
else Mr.. Stephens might please TO insert
as the terms OF reunion, bat The follow
ing statement is taken from Judge Camp
bells report, which shows the bent OF
MIR. Lincon's mind, and his wonderful
sense of justice on the question of pay
ing for liberated slaves. We quote yer
batim:
Mr. Lincoln stated that he regarded
the North 10 De as much responsible for
slavery as the South. and that l7e would
be- rejoicei 10 Doe taxed on his little prop
orty for indcmnlties TO the masters OF
slaves.
MIR. Seward remarked that the North
had already paid on that account.
These observations were incidentally
made. and did not seem TO have any
reference TO the general subject. They
were not intended. apparently. as the
ground of any proposition
We have no reason to believe that
Mr.. Lincoln, had the South instantly
surrendered would ever have been able
to get his views on this subject adopted.
Indeed. had he escaped the assassn's
bullet the saddcst and most disastrous
shot that was ever fred-we do not be-
leye Dee could have siemmed the torrent
of hate and political destruction with
which the fanatics Of the North over
whclmcd the hopeless and helpless South.
lIc would have been swept aside.
And as to the suggestion that terms Of
peace could have been made satisfactory
to the North and South. before the final
catastrophe, We think Mr.. Reagan but
fairly states the case when he says, as
far as the South was concerned, it was
impossible.
III any officer or man I'm the Southern
| states had proposed the unconditional sur
render of the ronfederacy. as loue AS
| we had a lighting army. ne would have
been denounced as a traitoy. If at any
| time before the surrender Of the army
commanded by General Lee and that
| coulHldHNtu w ''H' Jpii''""f 'N''''t''
! Davis had announced his purpose TO sur
| render Internationally TO Federal Gov
eminent. the army and the people OF the
| Confederate States would have stripped
| him OF his high authority. and instead OF
/ his name being. as IL Is now. canonized
/ as the synonym of courage purity. pa
! triotism. and virtue. by the people OF the
| late COnfedcracy and by brave and true
men In all civilized and Christian coun-
| tries ne would have been a disgraced and
| dishonored man. and his name would have
gone down 20 posterity as that or a
! coward and a traitor 10 great cause