Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-01
THE HAMPTON ROADS CONFERENCE.
The South's Bad Mistake at Critical juno
ture.

kuCs
Atlanta Daily News:
At the request Of the Daily News, ]
take pleasure in giving some account OF
a conversation I had with the Hon. A.
H. Stevens in the spring Of 1876,
think it was. I wish I could recall the
exact date.
Rev. l.. B. Fish and myself were con-
Quoting a Sunday school institute at
Crawfordville at that time. During q
walk with the pastor Of the Baptist
church, Rev. Mr. Jennings, he sugges-
ted that we call upon the sage Of Lib
erty Hall.
We gladly acted upon his suggestion
We found Mr.. Stephens at work upon
his department Of Johnson's Encyclo-
pedia, of which he was one Of the edi-
tors. He received US kindly and cor
daily and made us feel at home.
After a general conversation Of ten
or fifteen minutes, I said:
"Mr. Stephens, with your permission,
I would like very much to ask you some
questions?"
He promptly replied:
IT will take pleasure in answering
any questions you may ask me-"
I then said:
II have heard a statement made
that Mr.. Lincoln told the Confederate
commissioners at the Hampton Roads
conference that If the South would lay
down her arms and return to the union
she would be remunerated for the loss
Of her slaves. Is there any truth in the
statement?"
To this he replied:
"No, there Is not. There was no such
proposition made"
He then proceeded to tell me Of the
private conversation between Mr.. Lin
coin and himself. He said Mr.. Lincoln
took him apart from the other commits
sioners and invited him to seat at
table. When they were seated Mr.. Lin
coin said:
Mr.. Stephens, I would not ask any.
think dishonorable Of you, and I don't
think you would ask any thing dishon.
orable Of me. I would like for US tc
talk the matter over and see If there Is
any way by which this cruel war car
be stopped. AS to the restoration OF
slavery, let it be understood that nc
proposition looking to that end will be
entertained. That matter Is settled. l.
Of course, do not know what congress
will do; but If the Southern people will
lay down their arms and return to the
union, I will use all my influence with
congress to have the final emancipation
extended to period, say Of five years. u
Mr.. Stephens, by way Of parenthesis
said to me:
1--WE could have gotten twenty years
I have no doubt"
I do not recall that Mr.. Stephens said
anything about the blank sheet Of pa
per with the word Union" written at
the top; but the distinct impression
made upon my mind by Mr.. Stephens
was that Mr.. Lincoln would have ac-
ceded to any reasonable proposition
made by him that included the laying
down Of arms and the return to the
union.
Mr.. Stephens said that when he
stated to Mr.. Lincoln the fact that the
commissioners had no authority to
make any terms that involved the re-
turn to the union. Mr.. Lincoln bowed
his head, sighed deeply and said:
II am very sorry"
He then went on to tell Mr.. Stephens
how utterly hopeless the cause Of the
South was and that 1t was but ques-
ton Of time, and a short time, when
the South would be entirely overcome.
He said it would be far better for the
South If terms could be agreed upon
and further suffering and bloodshed
averted.
1t will be remembered that soon after
the Hampton Roads conference Mr.
Stephens came home and he never re-
turned to Richmond to take any further
part in the Confederate government
Referring to this, I said to him:
"Mr. Stephens, when you left Rich
mond. did you not know that our cause
was hopeless?"
"Oh, yes, I was suraDof that" he re-
piled. 1 then asked him what my
friends said was an impudent question:
knowing this" said, why did you
not tell us SOP"
IF I had," he replied, "they would
have called me an old traitor"
And some did call him that.
I then asked him if General Lee did
not know that our cause was hopeless.
In reply to this he said:
II had a conversation with General
Lee just before left Richmond about
the matter. said to him:
"'General Lee, how many men have
you under your commando
"'Eighty thousand
How many has General Grant?'
1.-TWO hundred thousand"
"'How long a line have you to de-
fend%
"a line thirty miles long,
"'How long can you defend a line
thirty miles in length with $4,000 men
against 2OO,OOO?'
Mr. Stephens said: His only reply
was a flood Of tears"
finally asked him If President Davis
did not know that our cause was hope