Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-05-29
81 A YEAR IN ADVANCE
PAYMENT FOR SLAVES.
Lincoln's Part in the Hampton
Roads Conference.
new Account of War Incident by Col.
Evan p. Howell,

~ saN huuhbd
adds an interesting chapter to the con.
troversy over what occurred at the
Hampton Roads conference between
President Lincoln and Alexander Fl.
Stephens, Vice President of the Con.
federacy. 1t will be remembered that
Mr.. Watterson recently stated that at
that conference President Lincoln pre-.
sented sheetof paper to Mr.. Stephens,
saying, VI will write the word Union
at the top and you may write what you
please on the other,n statement
which is taken as meaning that Mr..
Lincoln was ready and willing to pay
the South for the slaves.
Col. Howell's letter gives the details
OF conversation he had with Alexan.
der d. Stephens on the subject under
discussion. Shortly after Mr.. Stephens
was inaugurated Governor of Georgia,
in the year 1882, he spent day as the
guest of Col. Howell at his home. At
ter dinner the talk turned to the Hamp.
ton Roads conference, and Mr.. Howell
asked Mr. Stephens if he ever had any
hope that the conference would turn
out differently from the way it did.
Mr.. Stephens said he had great hope
when the question was first agitated
about the conference. II was always
in favor of settling the war and pre-
venting further bloodshed, and when
the conference was suggested by Mr..
Blair and others l took very active
part in pushing it. There was very
bitter opposition to it OH the part Of the
friends of President Davis in the Con.
gress, but finally it was authorized and
commissioners were selected to attend
the conference. Much to my regret
these commissioners were given specific
instructions, which prevented them
negotiating for peace on any other ba.
sis than that which guaranteed the in
dependence and autonomy of the Con.
federate States"
HAMPERED BY INSTRUCTIONS.
Mr. Stephens went on to tell Of his
conference with Mr.. Davis in which he
urged that the commission be not
hampered with instructions. but he
got no encouragement; on the other
hand the day the commissions left they
were pointedly informed that no set.
tlement could be considered that did
not recognize the independence of the
Confederate Government. Mr.. Steph.
ems told of the meeting between Mr..
Lincoln and his associates and the cor.
diality of Mr. Lincoln's greeting of the
representatives of the Confederacy.
After we had returned to the saloon
OF the steamer" continued Mr.. Steph-
ems, Mr.. Lincoln was very talkative
and pleasant with all of the commits
sions. He seemed to be in splendid
humor and excellent spirits. After
while Joined him and we went apart
from the others and sat down at
small table where there was writing
material. This was before any formal
discussion had commenced. He broach.
ed the subject of the conference and
expressed special pleasure at the fact
that was one of the commissioners.
de said to me with great earnestness:
:" l believe you and l can settle this
matter know you and you know me.
l have confidence in your integrity and
believe you have in mine. l do not
think you would ask me to do anything
improper, and would not require your
consent to anything which believed
unjust Picking up a piece of paper,
and pushing it toward me he said: I
will write one word at the top of this
sheet of paper, and that word will be
Union" and with that as a basis, you
may write out the terms of settlement,
and on that will use all my influence
to have Congress settle as we agree
PRESIDENT LINCOLN DISAPPOINTED.
II then told him what our instruc-
tions were from President Davis, and
when did cloud came over his face,
his chin dropped to his breast, and for
several minutes he did not say word.
After pause he raised out of his seat
and said to me, with hands uplifted:
Then, am not responsible for any
further bloodshed. had hoped the
war would end with this conference,
but it is impossible to make any settle.
ment with the instructions by which
you are bound. trust you will con.
slider confidential what has occurred
between u.s..
IF he had been empowered to nego.
tiate settlement with the preservation
of the Union as basis, the South
would have been paid for its slaves and
we would have got any just and reason
able recognition at the hands of Mr..
Lincoln. OF course our instructions
binding us to recognize only the inde-
pendence Of the South prevented our
accomplishing anything, for at the
threshold of Mr.. Lincoln's desire for
peace was his determination that 1t
must be based upon."
"These are the wordsas near as can
remember which Mr.. Stephens spoke
at my residence" says Col. Howell.
with the exception of my family the
only person present was the late Mark
Johnston, an intimate friend of Mr..
Stephens since boyhood, and neigh
Dor of mine. whom I had invited over