Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-05-17
with regard to certain stories in refer
ence to the famous Hampton Roads
conference that have gained currency {:

ence to the famous Hampton Roads
conference that have gained currency:
Whereas, in relation to the celebrated
historical event, the false allegation has
been and is being industriously circulated
that the Confederate authorities were re-
miss in not improving the opportunity at
this conference to secure terms of peace
much more favorable than those that
finally befell our arms; and
Whereas, there is no authority in the
official record for any such assumption
or assertion that President Lincoln, of the
United States, offered to write Union at
the top of the paper and to allow the
Confederate commissioners 10 underwrite
whatever terms of peace they choose and
that he proposed to pay $400, 900 900 indem-
nifty for the slaves of the south, for the
immediate restoration of the Union; now,
therefore,
Resolved, That this Convention of
United Confederate Veterans hereby deny
and set our seal of condemnation upon
both these allegations as the merest fiction,
and as having no foundation and fact.
The record precludes the possibility
of the truth of these assertions. The
Confederate commissioners in their OIL
cial report to President Davis show
the utter absurdity of any such charge
against our authorities. In their re-
port of February 5, 1865, made two
days after the conference, they show
that President Lincoln refused at the
outset to hold any but the most in
formal conference with the Confederate
commissioners and in the informal
talk that ensued he gave them to un.
derstand that no terms of peace would
be offered or entertained by him other
than those of unconditional surrender,
absolute submission to the authority of
the United States by the armies and
people of the south. Not even would
truce or temporary suspension OF
hostilities be allowed.
Mr.. Lincoln sets forth the same facts
in a special message to the United
States, in which he reports the occur
rences and conclusions of the confer
ence.
In semi-official way, Mr.. Seward,
secretary of state of the United States,
in letter to Mr.. Adams, the United
States minister to England, makes the
same report.
And, besides, on the very face of the
case the absurdity of the assumption
is shown. At that time, when the
Federal arms were in full tide of sue
cess, and final victory was so near at
hand, the northern people would not
have tolerated either proposition for
moment, and none knew it better than
Mr.. Lincoln.
Moreover, the north, nor her repre-
sentatives in the great sectional contro-
versy, had ever manifested any such
disposition toward compromise or
peace as is implied in these alleged pro-
posals Of Mr.. Lincoln. The truth OF
these assertions would reverse the re-
lations of the parties to the great con-
troversies. 1t was the south that had
always been the party of compromise
and peace.
We hereby adopt that part of Judge
Reagan's address to this association, at
Nashville, relating to this subject, and
paper prepared by Captain VIM. P.
Tolley, of Tennessee, and adopted by
the Tennessee division, published in
the Confederate Veteran, July, 1898,
covering more fully the recorded facts
in the case, as embodying the truth of
the history of this affair, and the cor
rect conclusions therefrom.
This conference was held on the Sd
day of February, 1865, on board a
United States steamer in Hampton
Roads, Va, between Messrs. Lincoln
and Seward on the one hand, and the
Confederate commissioners, Messrs.
Stephens, Hunter and Campbell, on
the other.
The resolution looked as if it was
going to be defeated, or excite much
debate, and so General Carwile sug-
gested that it be referred to the COM
mittee on history, which was agreed
to.