The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-07-15
JUDGE REAGAN SPEAKS OUT
of HIS NASHVILLE SPEECH
RECENTLY DELIVERED.
LINCOLN OFFERED MONEY 70 No ONE
nj the Hampton Ronds Conference.
His UItimatum Was the I'M
conditional Surrender of
the COnfcderacy.

quito g controversy as result OF his
able speech at the Tennessee Centennial
on Confederate day, and the subjoined OK
tremey able defense of his speech upon
that occasion is written the Nashville
American in reply TO criticism in that pa
per and a copy Of it was given the state
siress yesterday:
Austin, Texas, July I, 1897.
10 the American, Nashville, Tenn:
In note on the 10Th of June ! said to
the American that, as soon as | could get
time after reaching my home in Texas,
would furnish TO il n statement of some of
Ihe authorities on which | made the state
ment in my address before the confederate
reunion. that no offer Of SiOO.OOO,O0O was
ever made by President Lincoln at the
Hampton Roads conference, to pay for
zbe slaves as n means of bringing the war
TO close. | submit the following paper
IN obedience to that promise, and hope
room may be found for it in the Americana
Did President Lincoln, at the Hampton
Roads conference. January 3. 1863, pro
pose 70 Messrs. Stephens, Hunter and
Campbell that the United States would
pay $500, 100000 for the slaves on condi-
zion that the eonfcderatcs would abandon
In my address at the reunion of eX-con-
fcderates at Nashville. Tenn, on the 22nd
Of June 1897, among other things, ! said:
II wish 10 assert most sOlcmnly that no
such offer in any form was made"
The Nashville American newspaper of
the Goth of June published friendly crit
icism. made by Mr.. II. II. Baker, of my
statement in nm article headed Judge
Reagan in Error" And to show that
4. q. ha NkFh M
pnrports TO be conversation between
President Lincoln and Vice President
Stephens in which Mr.. Stephens quotes
President Lincoln ms follows: 'lIe Gin
coln) went on to say that he would be will
ing 20 be taxed to remunerate Southern
people for their slaves. He believed the
people of the north were as responsible
for slavery as the people of the south, and
If the war should then cease with volln'
tary abolition of slavery by the states, ne
should be in favor, individually, OF the
government paying fair indemnify ior
the loss 20 the owners. He said he be-
lieved his feeling had an extensive eX-
istence in the north. He knew some who
were in favor of an appropriation as high
as S400,O00,00O for this purpose. i could
mention persOns,' said he, whose names
would astonish you, who are willing to DO
This if the war should now cease without
further expense, and with the abolition OF
slavery as stated But on this subject
he said he could give no assurance, enter
into no stipulations. He barely expressed
his own feelings and views and what ne
believed to be the views Of others on the
subject"
Ii will he observed that it is suggested
Inv President Lincoln that this compensn-
ton might be made if the war should
cease at that time, coupled with the volun-
tary abolition of slavery. And III that
conference he said congress would nave
TO decide on such questions. TO put IL
plainly, his suggestion was for the confed-
pracy TO abandon their cause and free the
slaves as n condition precedent and trust
80 congress for compensation.
have quoted all that Mr.. Stephens said
on this subject See the War Between
the States" by Alexander Stephens, Vol.
=, d. 81 Mr.. Baker quotes the same
but from another book, in order to prove
that | was mistaken in saying that no Of
fer was made by President Lincoln ut the
Hamilton Roads conference to pay SlOO,-
600. 900 for the slaves of the south II the
{, confederates would abandon the war ana
return to the Union. Accepting as true
Ill that Mr.. Stephens reports Mr.: lhhcoih
10 have said, il in no wise conflicts WIN
nv declaration that no such olfer was
made. Mr.. Lincoln merely Expressed MS
nriyatc personal views, and his opinion rs
10 tho views of others, and expressly
stated that "he could give no assurance
enter into no stpulations' ON TINS SUD
iect, adding that she barely expressed ms
own feelings and views, and what ne I'VE,
Dieyed to be the views of others upon the
subject"
This being the only authority quoted,
and no doubt all that could be quoted, to
nroye that President Lincoln offered TO
nav $500 OOO,OOO for the slaves II the con,
federates would abandon the contest ana
return TO the Union, it would seem to De
unnecessar to offer other evidence 10
show that no such offer ever was mace
Rut this false story has been so often told
and repeated by persons who had been ieu
TO believe it was true, that l shall, at the
risk of taxing the patience OF those WHO
may read this paper, quote ehousn
of indisputable evidence 10 pu.
This story at rest, and also to show the
absurdity of other and kindred state
ments, such ms that Mr.. Stephens said
that President Lincoln told him that II
ne would allow him Q4incoln) to write
the word Union ut the bottom OF II
sheet of paper, he (Stephens) might write
any terms he pleased above it looking
10 terminating the war.
] prefer to call Vice President Stephens
as the first witness to prove that all such
statements are false. In his history of
''The War Between the States volume
.. page Coz, he quotes President Lincoln
as saying at the Hampton Roads CON
ference. that 1.-THE only basis on which
he would entertain Il proposition for Il
settlement was the recognition and re-
establishment Of the national authority
throughout the land"
On page Cos of the same volume, Mr..
Stephens quotes Mr.. Lincoln M saying
'He could not entertain a proposition for
an armistice on any terms while the
great and vital question of reunion was
sIndispesed Of"
And on page 600 of the same volume
Mr.. Stephens says: Judge Campbell
now renewed his inquiry how restora-
ton was TO take place, supposing the
confederate states were conscnting to it,
Mr.. Lincoln replied: BY disbandinG
their armies and permitting the national
authorities TO resume their functions.
MIR. Seward interposed and said that
Mr.. Lincoln could not express himself
more clearly or forcibly in reference tC
this question than he had done in his
message TO congress in December before
and referred especially to that portion il
these words: In presenting the aban
donment of armed resistance to the ma
tional authority, on the part of the in
surgents, as the only indispensable con