Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-05-23
Lincoln and Stephens nj Hampton
Roads.
COL. EVAN L. HOWELL OF TIE At
LASTA CONSTITUTION THROWS
LIGHT UPON TIE HIS
TORIC CONFERENCE.


TORIC CONFERENCE.
Colonel Evan p. Howell, of the
Atlanta Constitution, adds an inter
esting chapter to the controversy
over what occurred at the Hampton
Roads conference between President
Lincoln and Hon. Alex. III. Steph-
ems, Vice President of the Confed-
eracy.
1T will be remembered that Mr..
Watterson recently stated that at
that conference President Lincoln
presented sheet of paper to Mr..
Stephens, saying, "I will write the
word union at the top, and you may
write what you please on the rest of
it'. "a statement which is taken as
meaning that Mr.. Lincoln was ready
and willing to pay the South for its
slaves. In the Constitution recently
John Temple Graves endeavored
to show that Mr.. Lincoln made
no such proposition, and he quotes
from Messrs. Stephens, Reagan,
Hunter and Campbell to sustain him
in the issue thus made.
The Philadelphia Times, in an edi-
torial written presumably by Colo
mel Mcclure, throws additional light
on the subject, claiming that Mr..
Lincoln would have proposed to pay
the South four hundred million dol
lars for her slaves, but did not make
the proposition simply because Mr..
Stephens had stated at the outset
that he could not entertain any
proposition that did not embrace the
perpetuity of the COnfedcracy.
Colonel HOWell'S letter gives the
details of q conversation he had with
Alexander II. stephens on the sub
Ject under discussion. Shortly after
Mr.. Stephens was inaugurated Gov
ernor Of Georgia, in the year 1882,
he spent Il day as the guest of Colo
mel Howell, at Howell's home. At
ter dinner the talk turned to the
Hampton Roads conference, and
Mr.. Howell asked Mr.. Stephens if
he ever had hope that the confer.
ence would turn out differently from
what it did.
Mr.. Stephens said: 81 had great
hope when the question was first
agitated about conference. | was
always In favor Of settling the war
and preventing further bIoodshed,
and when the conference was sug-
gested by Mr.. Blair and Others
took very active part in pushing
it. There was very bitter Opposi-
tion TO 1t on the part of the friends
of President Davis in the Congress,
but finally it was authorized and
commissioners were selected to at
| IN
commissioners were given specific
instructions, which prevented them
from negotiating for peace on any
other basis than that which guar
anteed the independence and au-
tonomy of the Confederate States"
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 commission
ers left they were informed that no
settlement could be considered that
did not recognize the independence
of the Confederate Government.
Mr.. Stephens told of the meeting
with Mr.. Lincoln and his associates
and the cordiality Of Mr.. Linc0ln's
greeting of the representatives, OF
the Confederacy.
"After we had turned to the sa
loon Of the steamer" continued Mr.
Stephens, "Mr. Lincoln vas very
talkative and pleasant with all Of tn,
commissioners. He seemed to be il
: splendid humor and excellent spir
70 I ini
we went apart from the others anC
sat down at a small table, wher,
D there was writing material. Thi
Q was before any formal discussion haC
r commenced. He broachcd the sub
= ject of the conference, and expressed
= special pleasure at the fact that
\ was one of the commissioners. III
I said to me with great earncstnesS
= Il believe you and Can settle thi
8 matter. | know you and you know
! me. l have confidence i'm your in
t tegrity, and believe you have il
. mine. / do not think you wOul,
a ask me to do anything improper
o and i would not require your consen
r to anything which | believed III
, Just"
Picking up piece of paper an
k pushing ii towards me, he said: {"
II will write one word at the top OF thi
z sheet Of paper, and that word wi
4 be union and with that as a bas
you may write out the terms of Sc
4 tlement, and on that l will use a
my influence to have Congress settl
az we agree"
!. 81 then told him what our il
t structions were from President d.
;. Wis, and when 1 did a cloud cam
over his face, his chin dropped
o his breast, and for several minute