The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-04-30
Hampton Roads Conference
and What Took Place There
Capt Ashe Can Find no Evidence Support the Statement
That Lincoln Offered to Pay Southern People
For Their Slaves
For Their Slaves,

| terrain the proposition of a return to the
Union, he persisted in asserting that ne
could not enter into any agreement upon
this subject, or upon any other matters
of that sort with parties in arms against
the Government.
Mr. Hunter, after this, went into sort
of decentralization Of the subjects talked
over in the interview, and the conclusion
that seemed to be logically deduclble
from them, which amounted to nothing as
d basis of peace, in his judgment but an
unconditional surrender on the part or
the Confederate States and their people.
There could be no agreement, no treaty,
nor even any stipulations as to terms
nothing but unconditional submission. a
good deal of force was given to the points
in this summation by the tone IN Whlch
the whole was expressed
"Mr. Seward promptly replied by insist
ing that no words like unconditional SUD
mission had been used, or any importing
or justly implying degradation, or hu-
initiation even, to the people of the Con-
federate States He wished this TO De
borne in mind
"Mr. Hunter repeated his view OF the
it? No treaty; no stipulation no agree
ment. either with the Confederate states
Jointly or with them separately, as to
their future position or security! what
was this but unconditional submission TO
the mercy of the conquerors
'.Mr. Seward said: They were not con-
euerors further than they required obedi-
ence to the laws The Southern
people and the Southern States would be
under the Constitution of the United
States, with all their rights secured
thereby, in the same way and through
the same instrumentalities as the SINH
lar rights of the people of the other
States were
"Mr. Hunter said But you make no
agreement that these rights will be so
held and secured.
''Mr Lincoln said that so far as the
confscation acts and other penal acts
were concerned, their enforcement was
left entirely with him, and on that point
he was perfectly willing to be full ana eX-
plicit, and on his assurance perfect re-
lance might be placed He should eXer-
else the power Of the Executive with the
utmost liBerality He went on to say
that he would be willing to be taxed to
remunerate the Southern people for their
slaves. He said he knew some who were
in favor of an appropriation as high as
$500 ,OO0. 600 for this purpose. ] could men
ton persons, said he, whose names would
astonish you, who are willing to DO THIS,
if the war shall now cease without further
EXPENSE and with the abolition of slavery
as stated But on this subject he sald
he could give no assurance-enter INTO
no stipulation. He barely expressed MS
own feelings and views, and what he be-
lieved to be the views of others upon the
subject
The account from which the above is
taken. Mr.. Stephens says, is as full and
as accurate as he could make it, and tax
ing it to be true, did Mr.. Lincoln offer
sLet me write Union, and you may write
any thing else you may choose
No. certainly not
Did Mr. stephens ever say so? | can
not believe it.
What is the substance Of what Mr. Lin
coin said?
There can be no peace until you write
Union on this page; until you lay down
your arms and submit to the Federal au-
thoritv.
What then?
will make no terms whatsoever but
you may rely on my doing the best can
for you, in my department. But judicial
questions and questions belonging to Con-
gress will have to be settled by the
courts and by Congress.
1t was suggested to him by Mr.. Hun
ter and insisted on by Mr.. Stephens, that
if. as a war measure. he could issue ms
Proclamation of Emancipation, ,he could
as a measure for putting an end to the
war-or through a military convention
make some stipulation but he told the
anecdote about Charles the First losing
his head, and waived aside the subject.
Now, l am very far from criticising
Mr.. Lincoln for either what he required
or for not making the offer in question.
[ only assert that all the evidence shows
that he made no such offer, and that
there is not particle of evidence to sus-
tain the proposition. S. A. ASHE