The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-07-15
are covered by the proclamation. And

are covered by the proclamation. Ant
then he adds:
"And by virtue of the power and TO
the purpose aforesaid, | do order ant
declare that all the persons held as slave
within said designated states and part
of states are, an henceforward shall be
| free. and that the executive government
of the United States, including the mill
tary and naval authorities thereof, shall
recognize and maintain the freedom o
said persons"
| And these proclamations, Presiden
Lincoln told the confederate commission
ers, in the Hampton Roads conference
| he still adhered to. Adhering to hi
message and to these proclamations
which, on the theory of the federal gov
eminent, made the slaves all free, why
should he have offered $4OO,OO0,000 t
purchase their freedom?
The Hon. William III. Seward. the
secretary of state of the United States
who was associated with President Lin
| coin at the Hampton Roads conference
on the 7th day of January, four days
after the conference wrote to Mr.
Adams, then the minister of the United
States at the court of London, England
giving him an account of what occurred
mt that conference. See McPhersOn's
History of the Rebellion, pages SOL.
In this account Mr.. Seward says that
President Lincoln announced to the con-
federatc commissioners that we can
agree to no cessation or suspension of
hostlities except on the basis of the dis
bandment of the insurgent forces and the
restoration of the national authority
throughout all the states in the Union,
thus showing that instead of an effort
t, h,tx, hn ont Il ii
unconditional surrender as the basis Of
peace.
And Mr.. Seward. in his letter to Mr.
Adams. added: "Collaterally, and in
subordinaton to the proposition which
was thus announced. the anti-slavery
policy of the United States was reviewed
in all its bearings, and the president de-
manded that he must not be expected
to depart from the positions he had
heretofore assumed in his proclamatiOns
of emancipation and other documents,
as these positions were reiterated in his
last message" (The message of Decem-
Der s. 1864
And that: at was further declared
by the president that the complete res
tOration of the national authority every
where was an. indispensable condition to
any assent on our (his) part to whatever
form of peace might be proposed"
Following the submission of the report
of the confederate commissioners, the
call was made for the great public meet
ing which was held in the Broad Street
African church in Richmond. and which
was addressed by President Davis, by
Mr.. Benjamin, the secretary of state,
and by number of the members of the
confederate senate and house of repre-
sentatives. in which the people were ad-
vlsed that nothing remained 10 theill;
after That conference Dut uhcondltlohas
surrender or 10 hght on Ill the nope OIL
bctter result. MS SHOWS tne seise
III Whlcn that report was IeCei'eu ny ,he
authofitics ana people Oh the cohleuer-
acy.
l nave maze !he foregoing Quotations
ana statements, III tne nrst pl'ice W shoM
the authority l nad l3r soylhs: Ill my
address at NaShVliie: that no oH9T was
made by PRESIDENT l1ihcolh Ut tne lamp
ton ROADS conference, 10 pa! @foO,ooV'-
OOO Tor the slaves Ill Order 10 emu the
war or as a means Oh restoring peace,
ana In the second place !hey are maze
TO put at rest three questions, Which, TO
u greater OF Tess extent nave aHecleu
tne Illnds ana views OF tne southern peo-
PIE since the war. Inc nrSt or THESE Is
That there never was any, foundation. IN
truth' Tor the statement that the cohfed-
crates We're o1ered S4OO,OOoOUO by
PRESIDENT Lincoln or any 0ther sum; 70
secure the termination OF the war Inc
second Is. to SHOW that the statement.
pretended to be made on the authority
OF wee PRESIDENT stephens, that iresi-
Icnt Lincoln sac TO Mr.. stephens, "Al.
low me to WIRE 'Union at the bottom OF
II sheet OF paper. and you may write any
conditions you please above that to end
the war. Is as baselcSS IN fact as 1t is
ludlcrous ana fake. Third Is, to show
that at the tlma OF the Hampton Roads
COM renee no other conditions for end
ing ne war were offered or could be OBJ
tanned by the c0nicderates than uncondi-
tlonal surrender.
The foolish and false statements which
have here controverted, had their origin
soon after the Hampton Roads confer
encc. among the unpatriotic malcOntents
in the confedcracy, who were great pa
triots while the confederate cause had
a chance of success. but who, as mis-