Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-27


would have taken high rank II he had
been In the convention with Washington.
Franklin Madison. Roger Sherman, and
the great men who made our Constltu-
ton. With him from Virginia was n
great lawyer. Mr.. Russell, man OF quiet.
dlgnifed manner, but of great power. lie
and Mr.. Baldwin both died soon after the
war Virginia. l trust, Is taking care
OF their memories. No truer men ever
came to the defence of q great cause.
Among the many valuable men In the
House, there were none more respected
and. indeed. none truer to the great
cause than Tennessees two much-re-
spected. stili-llving citizens, DR.. Thomas
Menees and j. ID. C. Atkins. They were
intelligent, faithful TO the cause. and had
the conference.-the entire conddence-ot
the House.
Mr.. Matchen, who recently died in west
ern Kentucky, was man much beloved
and much esteemed as most Valuapie
member The two Bruces, from heh-
lucky, were also valuable members. one
Of them, II. w. Bruce, who was, pa-
lieve. the youngest member OF the House
still lives, and, as far as l know, is the
only living member Of the Kentucky dele
cation. He lives at Louisville. IS much
esteemed, and is In charge Of the legal
business Of the Louisville and NASHVILLE
railroad.
As an active, working, and intelligent
member of the House. L must not omit
the name Of Mr.. Sexton, of Texas. 1 be-
lieve he is still alive. 1t is not enough
to say of Humphrey Marshall that he be-
longed TO the great Marshall family. AS
an intellectual power he was an ornament
even to the name. He was an immense
man, weighing perhaps 325 pounds. lie
had what we called, for the want or a
better name. the sleepy disease. lie slept
a great deal Of the time. but he had the
wonderful faculty OF sleeping through the
entire speech Of an adversary ana linine-
diately following and answering all the
points made with n clearness and power
which scarcely any other member could.
Mr. Marshall was a great eater. AT the
opening of one Of the sessions he and L
reached Richmond quite early in the
morning and stopped at the same hotel.
preparatory to securing permanent board
ing places 1t happened 10 be a new
house. opened on the European plan, the
first | had ever seen. We went TO break
fast together, and while / was aware of
the new style. Mr.. Marshall was not. We
took our breakfast and went to the clerks
desk to pay our bill When 1 asked for
my bill it was given at $3.50. Thereupon
Mr. Marshall handed out a s. bill and
asked for the change, but the clerk IN
formed him that his bill was more, and
upon the plan of the hotel being explained
10 him-that a man called for what he
wanted and paid for it-he then asked
what his bill was, when the clerk cooIly
told him it was $3.50, which he paid up
with the composure that a Kentuckian
would pay a bet on a hOrse-race.
Duoh IF Alaba ma then n cOmpara-
lively young man, and one Of the clearest
minds In debate the House had. Judge
Chiffon was an older man, and was look
upon as a great lawyer and magnificent
debater. His high character as a Chris
tian gentleman added greatly to his worth
as a member.
Bocock. who was retained as Speaker OF
the House through the several Congresses,
has perhaps, had no superior at any time
I'm the House Of Representatives at Wash
ington. Men who have served in both
bodies are Of the opinion that neither
Randall, Blaine, or Carlisle was his SUI
perior.
1t would be a pleasure to continue this
analysis Of the character of the members
OF the lower house. and which l may do
at some time, but / am already extending
the letter beyond what 1 had intended.
In the Senate, the President. K. NJ. r.
Hunter whose sad and sorrOwful life. 50
pregnant with pity. after all that lost
cause meant came upon him, was modest
and quiet, reserved in manner, gentle in
speech, with character az spotless "a
the cleanest leaf, but with a reserved in
telectual force, which IN the United
States Congress. as well as in the Con-
federate States Congress. places him
among the great men OF that great State
which produced Washington, jefferson,
Madison, Monroe, Marshall. and Lee.
Ben Hill and Wigfali were the two
greatest debaters in the Senate, and
among the ablest debaters the country
has produced.
As orators. no one in the Senate was
regarded as superior TO our own senators,
Henry and Haynes.
The Hampton Roads affair has been the
subject of criticism for many years.
Whether the commission originated with
Congress or with the President, and what
the exact instructions were have caused
some acrimonious criticism and occa-
sionally fiat contradictions Of some who
\ ought to know the facts. These contra
dictions have come from men who know
nothing personally. and would not take
the pains 10 collect from reliable sources
the facts as they are.
The first question. as TO the origin OF
this commission, is not a matter Of spe-
cial historic interest But the second
question. as to what the instructions
were. and what took place when our COM
Observation-Disclosures. Stevens and Camp
bell-met Mr. Lincoln and Mr.. Seward at
Hampton Roads, are matters of deepest
historical interest Many versions Of this
affair have been given. Mr.. Watterson,
in one of his lectures, gave what some
people called startling facts, and elected
newspaper criticisms, and a gentleman OF
high standing, who died within the last
few years gave TO the press i'm Atlanta
an interview. which he said Mr.. Stevens
gave him before he died, which has been
severely criticised by those who had
formed opinions without Investigation.
What l am going to cay about this af-
fair IS simply my recollection Of it, back
ed up by an examination of what MIR.
Davis and Mr.. Stevens have said in the
works which they have left as truthful
history for future generations. While this
evidence does not bear upon all the de-
tails which l shall give. it does bear upon
and ought to settle for all time the facts
which ignorant scribbiers have denied.
In giving my recollection of details and
OF conversations, l can only claim sub
stantial truth.
The close of the year 1864 and the begin
ming Of the year 1865 brought 10 the mem
bers OF Congress much more OF dread than
they were willing 10 confess 10 each other.
The odds against US and the wasting away
of our small armies had caused 10 settle
upon the face Of every true man q cloud
which told more tian his words. After a
secret night session some time early in
the year 1885 Mr. John b. Baldwin asked
me TO take a walk with him. and while
walking he disclosed 10 me that he had
that day had Il talk with General Lee
he had been a colonel under Lee during
the first year Of the warm which Gene
raj Lee had said TO him in the most posi-
tfya ,napnar that tina war bnH IN end