The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-31
The sEMIWEEKLY MESSENGER: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 81, 1897.

situate 50 near this little city. There
was probably more OF consequence IN
the final capture OF the Fort than is
generally understood. It is quite GER
tain that the present generation needs
a thorough, well written, fairly con-
ceived history OF the great war, giving
not only the movement OF armies, and
the results following as to victory or
defeat and losses, but what were the
conditions at the time as to the fate
Of the confederacy and the conse-
quences following the battles. TAX
Fisher for instance. There was much
practical Importance attaching to the
conflict there Upon victory hung
much Importance for the south. An
intellectual. we'll informed gentleman.
who writes to us privately and not for
publication throws light upon Fisher at
this very point. We omit his name OF
course, but are glad to reproduce the
following concerning the possibilities
involved at the fierce battle on our river
below the city:
Lincoln nae let Blair come to Rich
mond to prOpO an armnistice-wfth
the understanding that the result of
the armnistice would be, that n
southern states would after some
breathing spell agree to restore the
Union-each acting separately.
He was apparently prepared to offer
| payment for the negroes, and other
concessions that would have led to a
| restored union. Our cause being then
| so desperate, Mr.. Davis and Mr.. Stew
| n assented and the Hampton Roads
| conference was held. But in the inte-
| rim Fort Fisher fell! The situation
was so altered by that confederate dis
| agree to any terms except
| al submission. And so when he and
| Seward met Mr.. Stevens and Judge
| Campbell and (Mr. H~unter?), all that
| Mr. Lincoln would say was that il the
| south could stop the war then, there
was a party at the north that would be
in favor of paying for the slaves a
sum equal to what the north would
otherwise have to expend to carry on
the war to a final termination, and
that he himself you'd be lenient in re-
gard to pains and penalties. This
change of front on Mr.. Lincoln's part,
was beyond question caused by the fall
Of Fort Fisher. Had the attack failed
the probabilities are that the armistic
would have been agreed upon and the
doctrine that "a American sovereign
| commonwealth had the right to deter
mine it's course woul have been as
scented to. The slaves would have been
paid for, and the union would have
been restored without the reccnstruc-
ton measures.
A little later Mr.. Lincoln changed
front in a similar in regard to
calling together the Virginia cOnfeder-
ate legislature. After the fall of Rich
mond he agreed with Judge Campbell,
that the Virginia Legislature should
meet and take measures to restore V1r-
ginia to the union, recalling all Virginia
troops from Lees army. Safe pass
ports were issued, and the call conven-
ing the legislature was promulgated.
But Lee surrendered, and Lincoln re-
voked the safe passports, and would
no longer recognize the confederate
| legislature as a rightful body.
1t was very similar to the Hampton
! Roads affair.""
Vii is really of much value, n it
I will be news to many. Some of our
readers may be informed, but the great
majority will find what they have not
known.