The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-16
AND FORGET HER PATRIOT
Lincoln's Attitude Toward the South
Misrepresented,
He CARRIED OUT THE ENDS OF HIS PARTY
HAS Tyranny and Oppression Ever Since Cain
Lifted His Hand Against His Brother
Had or Sought Other Plea
Than Necessity 2"
Than Necessity 2

member of the Pennsylvania Legislature
during the War for Southern Indepen-
dence. is publishing in the Philadelphia
Record his "reminiscences of the war and
past war period. These "reminiscences
have been widely copied, some of them
appearing in papers of this State. Touch
ing as they do on at once the most i'm
portant and picturesque events in Am
erican history, they have had many read
ers. An apparent fairness of tone has
given them far more weight than they
are entitled to. For in fact they arc
specious characterized by much reckless
ness of statement and the impression
that they convey is often utterly at
variance with the truth.
Take, for instance, late instalment
of the colonels "reminiscences, that rela-
ting to the reconstruction period at the
South. In this the magnanimity of Presi-
dent Lincoln is quite overshadowing.
Hero worship, while it may be good for
the people at large, in the historian or
even chronicler is sure to make against
the Just proportion of men and events
portrayed. President Lincoln l do not
wish to decry, but he was not possessed
of the superhuman will and force Of
character which Col. Mcclure, by impli-
cation at least, ascribes to him. Never
was man happier in the time of his TAX
ing off. He was fortunate enough not to
survive the period of united Northern
endeavor, nor to see and feel the strife
and dissension that beset the conquerors
in great war. Those whom the gods love
die young.
Let us see as to his magnanimity and
friendliness for the South. Not dwelling
on the Southern overtures for peace
made after Hooker's defeat at Chancel-
louisville and which were apparently we'll
received at Washington until the
battle of Gettysburg gave the Federal
Government holiness and arrogance,
and passing over the Southern overtures
made from Canada, in 1864, through
Horace Greeley, we come to the persis-
tently misrepresented Hampton Roads
conference.
This conference was brought about by
Mr.. F. P. Blair, who at his own instance,
but with Mr.. Lincoln's consent, went to
Richmond and proposed that an armistice
be proclaimed and that the North and
South unite in maintaining the Monroe
Doctrine against the Macmillan cou-
quest of Mexico. At the second visit to
Richmond Mr.. Blair arranged for a con-
ference, which took place on shipboard
in Hampton Roads in February, 1866.
There President Lincoln. accompanied by
Secretary of State Seward, met the
Southern commissioners. Vice President
Stephens, Judge Campbell and Mr.. R. NJ.
T. Hunter.
President Davis has been most unjustly
blamed for the failure of these negotia-
tions By an adroit arrangement of Sc
ward, which enabled him to give to the
world his own construction of the fail
ure of the conference, no secretary was
admitted and no records kept. But Vice
President Stevens, in his history written
soon after the close of the war, gives q
clear and full statement of the terms Of
fered. Judge Campbell corroborates Mr..
Stevens account. The concise joint re-
port of the commissioners, made on their
fahto, 5shingtonuntiltehWs tina ia
return to Richmond, while refraining,
according to agreement, from particular
ity of statement, bears out what Ste
phens and Campbell have said.
1t is not necessary for me to go into
the details of the conference. Any one
can read them ia Stevens history The
Southern commissioners, well aware OF
the desperate straits of the Confederacy,
were perforce willing to accept any terms
short of dishonor.
Now, what were the terms offered.
Divested of unmeaning words, they were,
as has we'll been said, the Identical
terms offered by Major Pitcairn to the
patriots at Lexington, 'Disperse, ye reb-
els Throw down your arms and dis
perse!'
Let us come to President Lincoln's of
fer to the Virginia Legislature through
Judge Campbell soon after the fall of
Richmond. Col. Mcclure makes much Of
this and throws the burden of failure
upon Judge Campbell. The extent OF
Judge CampbelIs offending was that he
understood that the Legislature for the
meeting of which he had obtained Presi-
dent Lincoln's consent was to consider
and adjust the relations of Virginia to
the United States. This Lincoln prompt
ly vetoed stating that in aceeding to
Judge Campbells request he only sought
to gain a military advantage: the with
drawal of the Virginia troops from Lees
oil my ny legislative dCLIOn. Lee sur
render rendering this unnecessary the
permission for the Legislature to meet
was at once withdrawn, and the Federal
officer in command at Richmond was
ordered to arrest any who persisted in
meeting.
Now, ii President Lincoln was so de-
sirous for the rehabilitation of the South
ern States. what time was more auspi
cious than that, and what mode more
likely to succeed than that of allowing
Virginia, under proper guarantees, to
quietly resume her place in the Union.
Having refused to allow this what rea-
son is there to presume that he would
have allowed to stand the convention be-
tween Gems. Johnston and Sherman,
which would have restored North Caro-
lima to her place in the Union.
The facts are that Lincoln, while great