Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-03-27
l7l-E QRAVESS RERLT TO WATTERgON.
Cites Authority for Denial that Lincoln Offered
Indemnity to Southerners,

/
make; that the South must lay down
their arms, ETC., Mr.. Hunter in an
animated manner declared that
nothing but submission was offered
by Messrs. Lincoln and Seward !;
they refused any treaty, refused to
make any stipulation or agreement.
"Then Mr.. Lincoln said that SO
far as the confiscation acts and other
penal acts were concerned, their
enforcement was left entirely with
him, and on that point he was per-
fectly willing to be full and explicit,
and on his assurance perfect reliance
might be placed. He should exer-
else the power Of the executive with
the utmost liberality.
FAVORED FAIR INDEMNITY.
''Ile went OH to say that he per-
sonally would be willing to be taxed
to rcmunerate the Southern people
for their slaves. He believed the
people of the North were as respon-
sible for slavery as the people of the
South, and if the war should then
cease with the voluntary abolition of
slavery by the States he would be in
favor, Individually, Of the govern
ment paying fair indemnity for the
loss to the owners. He said he be-
lieved this feeling had an existence
at the North. He knew some who
were in favor of an appropriation of
as high as s400,00O0,000 for this pur-
pose. But upon this subject he said
he could give no assurance-enter
into no stipulation. He barely ex-
pressed his own feelings and views"
Mr.. Stephens declares that he only
gives the substance of conversations
without claiming to be verbally ac-
curate. lie makes it perfectly plain
that Mr.. Lincoln merely stated his
personal opinions and convictions
which were known at the time to be,
and subsequently, proven to be almost
solitary in their liberality toward the
South. The most conspicuous idea
in his narrative of the conference is
that MIR. Lincoln and Mr.. Steward
utterly and pcrsistently refused to
treat with the South as in any sense
a party to an agreement. The South
was told to submit Internationally
and "trust TO clemency." 1--WE pro-
mise you nothing"
OFFERED ONLY SUBMISSION.
On the night of the return of the
Confederate conferces to Richmond
Mr.. Stephens told his friend, Senator
James l.. Orr, of South Carolina, that
the conference was "fruitless and
hopeless because Mr.. Lincoln offered
the Confcderacy nothing but uncon-
ditional submission" That is of
record.
On February 8, 1865, it is of record
in the diary of Congressman James
b. Sexton, of Texas, that Mr.. Steph-
ems told Congressman Sexton and
Clifford Anderson, of Georgia, in the
Confederate House of Representa-
tives at Richmond that Mr.. Lincoln
"offcrcd nothing but unconditional
submission )" that it was utterly i'm
possible to effect any peaceful nego.
tiation with him, as he offered no
terms at all but the laying down of
arms and the "trusting entirely to
clcmcncy."
Between 1865 and 1870 a noted
controversy arose between two prom
incnt Texans over this same gossipy
story that the Confederate Congress
and administration had possible
opportunity to end the war in its
last stages by laying down their arms
and securing liberal payment for
their slaves. One of these men, Col.
5. w. Blount, one of the signers Of
the Texas Declaration of Independ-
cncc, and friend of Mr.. Stephens,
wrote lctter to Mr.. Stephens and
referred the question to him for deci-
sion.
pROFFERED NO INDEMNITY.
And Alexander Stcphens-over
III, own signature, mark you-in a
published letter, which is of record,
promptly declared that it was not
true that Mr.. Lincoln had ever made
possible or probable any payment
for the slaves i'm case of submission,
and added, "that the only element
Of truth in reference to the slave
payment was so mixed and infused
with falschood as to make the entire
assertion false"
The men who are quoting Mr..
Stephens in private conversations
contradictory to these statements
arc making the Vice President of
the Confcdcracy stultify and falsify
his own official records, in which
case he would be disoredited as a
witnns oltooot hor Eo, h., o,,ou,