The age-herald., 1897-09-07
An Interesting Controversy.

Hon John 1T. Reagan and Edi or Henry Watterson have been discussing Lhe Hampton Roads conference for sev- eIal months and ne.iher seems disposed to yield an inch. Editor Watterson de- clares that Mir. Lincoln offered the s9u,h compensation for her slaves, il she would return 70 tine union, and MT. Rea- gan derfes the EtHemenlt point bbank-
 x-AttoInleys General Garland takes a hand in the controversy, and say that his friend, President Stephens, gave him in substance this account of the meeting:
 An the outset when they (uhe par ties) met and our side stated their ob- ject ard purpose, Mir. Lincoln said he could net remain and confer with them as commissioners or agents of any ex- iEi ing legal authority but he was will ing to talk eGs individuals merely; and before anything like official talk could be had the south must lay down her arms-EuIrender. This was the abso- lute condt.om Personal conversation then proceeded on several subjects. An armstice was suggested by our side, With "a view of agreeing on some com mon understanding ats to the Monroe
 
 soon come Into practical no-fce, on &C., count of what was them going on in Mexico, but the idaa recsived no favor with MT Lincoln, and he put it aside. Then .he proposed thirteenth amend ment was discussed, and The views of the different gentlemen given as to its effect, etc., and MT. Lincoln said if he were Mir. Stephens he would go 10 Geor gla and urge the calling of the legisla- tura to adopt Lhcs amendment, and gen. tn to1 ctN ,fl restore tfbe union; and then the sug- gestion was made that if .he southern states were to come back then They could defeat the adoption of the amend ment.
 Mir. Llrcoln's previous proclamation as to emanc, patton was referred to and dis cuSsed. Some conversation then took place as TO the status of West Virginia 1n the union, and as to the confscafion ao.s and opinions were freely exprs sead and in the enforcing of tlrese acts MT IiDcoln said they might be assured lle should exercise the power of the exeeu- tive most 1iberally; and them came the subJec. of raying flor the slaves, and MT. Lincoln remarked that he would be W1ldngly taxed ito remunerate the south ern people for their slaves; he was sat ished the people of the north were as much responsible for the institution as Llhe south, and if the war would then end With slavery abolished and the resltora-
 
 individual, the government paying a fatr price for them-4and he thought this feeling was strong i'm uha rronth he knew some who favored $40O, 900, ,0oO to pay for dha slaves, and persons whose names you would nos suppose would indorse tffs, if the war would then cease, with slavery abolished ard the union restored; but he merely expressed his own feelings | on the subject and what he believed to be the views of others but he could no. make any stipulation nor ener into any assurance.
 This thonoughly reasona ble statement will be generally acepted MT. Garland doubtless heard the true story of the affair from MT. Stephens The trouble with Editor Waterson is that he Is | sentimetnalist and an enthusiast He is hero worEhipper, and his partiality for Lincoln l1as led him to magnify h,s virtues and his deeds. Wfat MT. Lin coin said as an individual the journalist has made rlle mistake of aceping as an official utterance
 Mir. Gsrland's sumary of MT. Stephens talk about the conference makes all this plain, ard If MT. Wattsrson is wise he will drop the matter and turn 1ris riol.- ous imagination loose upon Senori "a C.s- neros, or serne other living picture His tory is ncIt his forte. He might take a fall out of the star-eyed goddess of re- form, or write a treatise on the genar- osi.y of Samuel J. Tilden as a money lender to impoverished newspapers.