The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-05-25
NO. "a.
TRUTH OF HISTORY.
Facts Ia the Case Of the fiampeoa
Roads Conference.
tRaleigh News and Observer. }


tRaleigh News and Observer)
At the Confederate reunion nj
Charleston last week, the Tennessee
delegation presented a series Of reso-
lutions that were timely. So distin-
guished man as Hon. Henry Waiter
son has been misled by the fable that
at the Hampton Roads Conference the
South declined a proposition made by
Mr.. Lincoln that he would write
Union at the top Of the paper and let
the Confederate Commissioners I'M
derwrite whatever terms OF peace
they desired, and that $500. OOO. 900
would be paid for the slaves.
That story has been told to chill
dren for thirty years. The late Sem
ator Garland, who roomed with Alex
ander Stephens at Richmond. some
years ago gave full account OF the
Hampton Roads Conference as told
him by MIR. Stephens. but it did not
have wide or general circulation. II
gave evidence that the Union" story
was cunningly devised fable.
1t is well that the Confederate Vet
Grams Association should officially
expose the fairy tale once for all.
The resolutions offered are as fol-
lows:
s.WHEREAs. In relation TO this cele-
brated historical event, the false al
legation has been and is being in
dustrious!y circulated that the Con-
federate authorities were remiss 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 as
sumption or assertion as that Presi-
dent Lincoln, OF the United States.
offered to write Union at the top OF
the paper and to allow the Confeder-
ate Commissioners to underwrite
whatever terms Of peace they chose;
and that he proposed to pay $780,
600, 900 indemnity for the slaves OF
the South, for the immediate res
toration Of the Union; now. there
fore,
"ReSotred, That this Convention OF
United Confederate Veterans hereby
deny and set the seal Of our condem-
nation upon both these allegations
as the merest fiction, and as having
no foundation in fact.
The record precludes the POSSIBLE
ity of the truth OF these assertions.
The Confederate Commissioners in
their official report to President Davis
show the utter absurdity OF any such
charge against our authorities. In
their report OF February 9th. 1865,
made two days after the Conference,
they show that President Lincoln re-
fused at the outset to hold any but
the most informal conference with
the Confederate Commissioners; and
| i'm the informal talk that ensued he
gave them to understand 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 peo-
Pile of the South. Not even would a
truce or temporary suspension OF hos
tilities be allowed.
| '.Mr. Lincoln sets forth the same
facts in special message to the
| United States, in which he reports
the occurrences and conclusions OF
the conference.
I'm semi-ofiicial way, Mr.. Seward,
Secretary Of State of the United
States, in q letter TO Nj. Adams, the
United States minister to England,
makes the same report.
"And, besides, on the very face Of
the case the absurdity 80 the assump-
ton is shown. At that time, when
the Federal arms werr IL the full tide
Of success, and final victory was so
near at hand, the Northern people
would not have tolerated either prop
osition for a moment, and none knew
it better than Mr.. Lincoln.
Moreover, the North, nor her rep
resentatives in the great sectional
controversy. had ever manifested any
such disposition toward compromise
or peace as is implied in these alleged
proposals OF Mr.. Lincoln. The truth
OF these assertions would reverse the
relations Of the parties to the great
controversies. IL was the South that
had always been the party OF com.
promise and peace.
1--WE hereby adopt that part OF
Judge Reagan's address to this As
ISOLATION, at Nashville, relating Ia
this subject, and paper prepared by
Capt. VIM. p. Tolley, OF Tennessee.
and adopted by the Tennessee Divis.
ion, published in the Confederate Vet.
eran, July. 1898, covering more fully
the recorded facts in the case, az
embodying the truth Of the history
of this affair, and the correct con-
illusions therefrom.
This Conference was held on the
3rd day OF February. 1868. on board
a United States steamer in Hampton
Roads, Va, between Messrs. Lincoln
and Seward on the one hand, and the
Confederate Commissioners. Messrs
SteDhens Hunter and Campbell or