Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-03-27
cAMrBELL's ACCOUNT ACCURATE.

In the promptness of its prepara-
tion and the freshness of it's tran
scription, this is perhaps the most
accurate and reliable history of
that conference in existence, ante
dating by some months at least any
account of it which even Mr..
Stephens might have written at that
period. This statement was tempo
rarily committed to the keeping of
Governor Benjamin Fitzpatrick, of
Alabama, who exhibited it at differ
ent times to leading men in rcfuta-
tion of this idle story. These recol-
lections were afterwards published
by Judge Campbell over his sigma
ture in "The Land We Love-" a
magazine edited at that time by
Gen. d. II. Hill, and the files of
which, by the way, are preserved
within reach of Mr.. Wattcrson's
hand in Louisville. The statement
was afterwards contributed by Judge
Campbell to the Historical Society
of Virginia, and was published a
second time under the auspices of
that society.
The statement of Commissioner
Campbell is too lengthy in detail to
be reproduced in this article. 1t is
enough to say that he puts it much
stronger and closer than even Mr..
Stephens III "The War Between the
States" that neither Mr.. Lincoln nor
Mr.. Seward made any offer or sug-
gestion which could servo as a
foundation for this Wattersonian
story.
MADE NO PROMISES.
He distinctly says that "before the
conference proper began Messrs. Lin
coin and Seward informed the COM
missioners from the Confederate
States that on the day before the
Congress of the United States had
passed constitutional amendment
entirely abolishing slavery, and gave
them notice that nothing could be
done on that subject.
This disposes cffectually of the
dramatic incident described between
Lincoln and Stephens.
Judge Campbell made several cf-
ferts to get a statement from Mcssrs.
Lincoln and Seward as to what would
be done, and what guarantee the
Southern States would have if they
should agree to end the war then.
He was uniformly met with the
answer that "nothing would be prom
ised; no guarantees would be given.
The South must cease hostilities and
trust to 'clemency.'"
He says nothing whatever as to
any interview between President
Lincoln and Mr.. Stephens, private or
aside from the other commissioners.
The only difference between the
statements of Judge Campbell and
MIR. Stephens is in the greater clear
ness and detiniteness of detail with
which the former destroys the rumor
that Mr.. Lincoln made any PROPOSE
ton to pay for the slaves or to settle
the war upon any other terms than
absolute submission on the part OF
the Confoderacy.
REPUTATION FROM STEPHENS.
Alexander Stephens, Vice Prcsi-
dent of the Confcdcracy, and Com
missioner to Hampton Roads, has
been quoted by Mr.. Wattcrson and
by other gentlemen recently as hav-
ing sustained in private conversation
the details Of this sensational nara
tive. lIe is the strongest and most
convincing witness in refutation.
AS to Mr.. Stephens When VIC
remember that the Vice President
was not on cordial terms with tho
President Of the Confcdcracy-that hat
he was Union man and an unwill.
ing convert to secession--and that
although he went into the war earn
estly and Loyalty, he soon lost hope
of it's favorable issue and as earnest
ly desired peacc-it does not seem
possible that iic would have failed To
eagerly receive and advocate any
proposition SO enticing as the alleged
offer of Mr.. Lincoln, or that, if such
a proposition had been made and re-
jccted, he would have failed to re-
cord it in his book for his own vindi.
cation and for the truth Of history
On the contrary, he furnishes the
strongest rcfutation of this irrcpres.
sible canard.
LINCOLN IS QUOTED.
In his "War Between the States
(vol. 9, pages Gl6-Gl7 Mr.. Stephens
describes the conversation in which
Mr.. Lincoln, broad, catholic, Just,
and loving the Union suprcmcly,
expressed his merely personal feel