The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-05-29

An Event concerning Wnicn many
Incorrect Statements Have Been
Made-The Popular Understanding
of the Incident Erroneousand Does
Gross Injustice to Jefferson Davis
The True Facts as Given in "A Con-
stitutional View of the Late War
Between the States" by Alexander
II. Stephens.
Baltimore Sun.
IL is strange that men like Col.
Henry Watterson and Senator Till
man should publicly make inaccurate
statements about the celebrated
Hampton Roads Peace Conference,
held toward the close of the Civil
War, when the truth is so easily ac-
cessible. 1t is also strange that Sen
ator Vest should have relied upon
verbal statements to sustain his ac-
count of the affair which he gave the
other day in the United States Senate,
when all the official documents Of the
conference have been published and
are in every library. In addition 20
this there is the report of the Confed
crate Commission and accounts of
the meeting of the two chief partici-
pants, namely President Lincoln and
Mr.. Alexander ii Stephens. Not
withstanding the fact that Senator
Vest relied upon his memory of the
event gathered in conversations with
MIR. Stephens and Mr.. X. Nj. +. Hun
ter, the interesting recital of the
story by him in the Senate seems to
be accurately correct. The popular
understanding of the incident is al
ways erroneous and does gross in us
tice to jefferson Davis. A most in
teresting history OF the conference APP
pears in "A Constitutional View Of
the Late War Between the States" :"
by Alexander ii. Stephens. A briefer
and documentary account was given
by President Lincoln in special
message to the House OF Represents-
tives in February, 1865.
According to Mr.. Stephens, early
in January, 1865, MIR. Francis +.
Blair, ST., whom Mr.. Stephens styles
1.-The master spirit, the real Warwick
Of the party then in power in Wash
ington," mysteriously appeared in
Richmond. His arrival created SEN
sation, but he came and went. and
came and went again, and no one but
the President of the Confederacy knew
t he object of the visit. Out of this
visit the Hampton Roads Conference
originated. Mr.. Blair suggested to
Mr.. Davis a course by which sus-
pension of hostilities could be reached.
This was to be done by secret mill
tary convention between the North
and South, embracing another object,
which was tho maintenance Of the
Monroe Doctrine, in the prevention
of the establishment of the then pro-
lccted empire in Mexico by France.
Mr.. Blair's opinion was that At such
a convention an agreement between
the North and South could be reached
by which the Union could be restored
upon terms satisfactory to the South.
After MIR. Blair's departure from
Richmond Mr.. Davis sent for Mr..
Stephens and consulted him. The
latter was anxious for Davis and
Lincoln to have a personal confer
ence, but Mr.. Davis would not enter
tain this. Instead he sent the com
missioners, A. IL. Stephens, r. NJ. +.
Hunter and Judge John A. Campell.
At this time General Grants head
quarters were at City Point, near
Petersburg. On January goth the
Commissioners went TO Petersburg.
From there they wrote to General
Grant asking permission TO pass his
lines. Grant replied promptly, in
viting them to his headquarters to
await instructions from Washington.
They had to wait two days. and dur
ing that time they were Hospitality
entertained on one Of the dispatch
boats. They were impressed with
the anxiety Of General Grant for
peace. Finally a reply came from
MIR. Lincoln fixing Hampton Roads as
the place for the Conference, and the
Secretary of State, MIR. Seward, was
sent down to meet the Commission
ers. After his departure Mr.. Stanton
received a dispatch from General
Grant saying that he regretted Mr..
Lincoln could not meet the Commits
sioners in person. as their inten-
tions are good and their desire sin
cere to restore peace and union" "
This dispatch changed Mr.. Lincoln's
purpose and he set out at once for
Fort Monroe, and on the night Of
February 2nd he reached Hampton
Roads. The next day he received
IL l.
Mr.. Lincoln informed them that to
end the war three things were indis-
| pcnsabIe:
| First-The restoration Of the Ma
tional authority throughout all tho
| States.
Second-No receding by the Execu-
| tive Of the United States on the
slavery question from the position
| assumed thereon in the late annual
message to Congress, and in The pre-
ceeding documents.
| Third-No cessation Of hostilities
/ short Of an end OF the war and the
disbanding of all the forces hostile TO
the Government. All propositions Of
theirs, he informed the Commission
| CT >, uOk Win liEst "Ddli
be considered and passed upon in a
spirit Of extreme liberalitv.
Mr. Stephens hinted at Mr. Blar's
plan. but Mr.. Lincoln said that Mr..
Blair had no authority for making
any such suggestion. The discus
sion lasted four hours, but as the
| Commission understood that Mr..
Lincoln's ultimatum was for a prac-
tically unconditional surrender, and
they had no authority to treat upon
such terms. the conference ended
| without results. The account Of Mr..
Stephens Of the whole discussion IS
full and most interesting, and the in
cident is one Of the most notable and
| one Of the most misunderstood Of the
| Civil War.