The National tribune., 1901-10-17
THE HAMPTON ROADS CONFERENCE.

One of the most momentous chapters il
our history is being recalled in some o
the Southern papers, by publishing tn
"reminiscences of Justice John A. Camp
bell. Of Alabama. who resigned from tn
Supreme Court of the United States T.
join the rebellion. and became Assistan
Secretary of War.
The kind heart of Abraham Lincoln wa
bitterly torn by every day the war lasted
ami while clinging to the restoration of tn,
Union with adamautinc tir1nnesS, he wa.
constantly and eagerly watching for tn,
least overture on the part of the rebei,
toward peace.
In the Winter of 1863 Francis =. Blair
ST.. of Maryland. came to the conclusion
that if he could visit Richmond he could
induce jeff. Davis to agree to something
that would make for a restoration OF
peace. The so-called Southern Confed
eracy was then in a very bad way. Lin,
coin had been reelected, which testified
that the loyal people were determined to
prosecute the war to finish; the rebel
army in the West had been almost annihi-
lated by Gen. Thomas, before Nashville;
| Sherman had made his wonderful March
| to the Sea, taken Savannah. and was then
sweeping through South Carolina; Sheri-
dan had destroyed the rebel forces in the
Shenandoah Valley, and was going VIII Their
he would through Virginia: while Gen.
Grant was holding Lee in Petersburg, and
daily hammering him toward utter de-
molition. 1t seemed that jeff Davis
would recognize that his cause was hope
less, and seek for terms.
President Lincoln gave Mr.. Blair pass
| through our lines, and he reached Rich.
mOnd. He was given no authority 20
speak for our Government, but secured
from Jeff. Davis a note in which he said
that he desired peace. and would be will
| ing to send a commission, whenever he
supposed it would be received. or to re-,
ceive commission from the United States.
for conference to secure peace TO the two
countries"
President Lincoln thereupon wrote the
following letter TO Mr.. Blair:
Washington, d. c., Jan. IS, 1865.
+. p. Blair, esq.
Sir: You having shown me Mr.. Davis's
letter to you of the 18th inst, you may
say to him that | have constantly been
| agent whom he or any other influential
person now resisting the National authori-
ty may informally send to me with a view
of securing peace to the people of our one
common country.
A. LINCOLN.
The result of this was the appointment
of commission by Davis, consisting of
Vice-President Alex. H. Stephens. Sena.
tor X. NJ. Il. Hunter and Assistant Secrc,
tary ]. A. Campbell. Lieut.-Gen. Grant
was instructed to admit them into his lines
which he did, and entertained them at mis-
headquarters, until President Lincoln and
Secretary Seward came down to meet
them. Gen. Grant was ordered not to al
low their presence, or anything that was
transpiring to in any way interfere with
his plans or movements. The conference
took place Feb. 3, 1865, on board the
steamer River Queen, in Hampton Roads,
and lasted four hours. Judge Campbell
says of it, as reported by Rev. E. NJ.
Green. in the Louisville Courier-J Journal:
The occasion of that conference was
the statement made by Gen. Lee to the
President that it would be impossible for
him with his comparatively small force to
HDlu Out al great Wnllb aPaIIlNJ the
overwhelming numbers of Gen. Grant.
His line of defense was so extended that
it was, of course, very thin. and Grant
could break through at any point at which
he might choose to mass his forces. He
could maintain q show of defense for 4
time and expressed the hope that the
President would avail himself of the op
portunity for a cessation of hOstilities.
'Gen. Lee realized that the cause was
hopeless, and so did everybody else who
had any knowledge of the situation, ex-
cept the President, who never admitted
that the case was desperate.
Preparations We're made for the depar-
ture of the commissioners, and before
leaving, Mr.. Stephens called on the Presi-
dent to receive instructions. Mr. Davis
handed him a sealed envelope, on which
was Endorsed these words: Not to be open
ed until you reach Hampton Roads
Handing him the envelope he said: You
will find full instructions in this and with
that dismissed him.
THE commissioners passed through the
Confederate lines and were painfully i'm.
pressed with the general appearance of
things-the soldiers were few and ill-clad
and ill-fed and presented altogether a most
fOrlorn and wretched appearance. They
felt that they were none too soon with
their oYertures for peace.
Proceeding under the flag of truce they
Ecdcileu the feueraI lines ana were con.
Quoted to headquarters. Gen. Grant had
not been Informed of their coming and.
examining their papers. with scant cour-
tesy he waved to them to pass on. Wher-
ever the eyes of the commissioners turned
they were impressed with the power and
might Of the army of invasion. For num-
hers they were like the locusts of the
East-they covered the face of the whole
earth-they were well clothed, well fed
well equipped in every respect. They
reached the water and the wharf was
lined with vessels whose masts were like
a forest, and all laden with food and lux
uries for the comfort and welfare of the
soldiers of the Federal army.
They found their steamer awaiting
them, and were soon on the water and in
sight of the place Of meeting. When they
had reached the point where they were at
liberty to break the seal of their letter of
instructions, Mr.. Stephens said: Come
gentlemen, and let us see what we are 10
DO They gathered around the table, and
Mr. Stephens read: First, you are hereby
instructed to make no treaty of peace with
the Government Of the United States upon
any other condition that that of the rec
IGNITION of the independence of the Con
federate States
Mr.. Stephens read them and said:
Gentlemen, we are on fools Grand
The commissioners looked at each other
in blank amaZement. They had thought
that they were going with full power to
make the best terms possible, and here
they were handicapped by the first item