The Washington times., 1902-05-09
Facts Regarding Interview
Between Lincoln and
Southern Leaders.
CoNTRADICTs Mr.. TILLMAN
Venerable Senator Listened to Attent-
ively-Contradicts Account Which De-
clares Lincoln Offered Confederacy Its
Own Terms to Return to Union.

| Mr.. Vest. the last survivor of the Con-
/ federate Senate. yesterday. to silent and
| attentive chamber. told new story of
1 the momentous interview at Hampton
! Roads in 1854 between President Lincoln
and the civil leaders of the Confederacy.
Tumuit filed the entire day In the Sem
ate except for the few minutes in which
Mr. Vest paid his tribute. the tribute of
last witness. to the memory of a dead
cause
When he arose. frail and wan. and said
that he. too. must soon follow his twenty
| five comrades in that senate 10 the grave
and that he must tell his story before
that time. the hot conflict over the Philip
pine bill ceased and gave place to
touching. strangely eloquent. quiet.
There has not been a moment quite the
same since the present season began. per-
haps not for many years. Mr.. Vest will
not make many more speeches In the
Senate. and he and all his colleagues
realize this.
Mr.. Carmack Gives Place.
The incident occurred late in the after
noon. Mr.. Vest and Mr. Carmack rose to
address the Chair together. Mr.. Carmack
Immediately took his seat again.
No rap of the gavel was necessary to
secure attention.
This is the way that the venerable Sem
ator told his story:
"Mr. President. do not rise for the pur
pose OF participating in the present debate.
which. am sorry to say. has degenerated
somewhat into a sectional discussion.
II see. however. in the Congressional
Record of this morning a statement by
my friend. the senior Senator from South
Carolina (Mr. Tillman). made yesterday.
which feel compelled to notice. in JUS
ticc to both the living and the dead.
The Current Account.
..It seems from the Record that the Sem
ator from South Carolina made the state
ment which has been found in the public
press and upon the lecture platform for the
last three years, that at the historic con-
ference in Hampton Roads during the year
1864. between Abraham Lincoln and Will
liam H. Seward. President and Secretary
Of State of the United States, and Alexan-
der H. stephens, vice president OF the
Confederacy; r. NJ. T. Hunter. formerly
United States Senator. and John A. Camp
bell. formerly justice OF the Supreme
Court of the United States. Mr.. Lincoln
wrote upon blank sheet of paper the
words Save the Union and then handed
the paper to Stephens, saying to quote
the lang Iage Of the Senator from South
Carolina: Alec. take this paper and fill
up for yourself the conditions Of peace be-
tween TIE two countries
This remarkable assertion IIas called
to NJ attention some two years. ago in a
lecture delivered by that eloquent and very
distinguished gentleman, Col. Henry Wat
terson, of the Louisville Courier-Journal.
when ke paid the highest tribute to the
life and public services of Abraham Lin
coin Colonel Watterson, beyond any
question, believed the statement to be
true. and said that ii came from a neigh
Dor Of Alexander II. Stephens. who had the
incident from Mr.. Stephens own lips.
Hon John Fl. Reagan, some few years
ago member OF this body from the
State of Texas, and the last surviving
member of the Confederate cabinet. hay-
ing been postmaster general for four
years, in an open letter to Colonel wat
terson denied the truth of this statement
upon information derived from the COM
themselves.
Incident Without Foundation.
'Mr President. know personally, with
out having been present at that celebrated
interview, that the incident Is without
the slightest foundation. II true it would
place the government and officers of the
Confederate States in the category of
ho
eracy was offered all that it ever de-
manded In the widest hopes of the most
extreme partisan of that war. II they
would only return to the Union.
I'm other words, to show how absurd
the statement is upon analysis. it would
mean that the Confederacy could have
placed upon that open or blank sheet OF
paper perpetual establishment OF
extreme demand that had ever taken 10
cality even in the dreams Of any Con-
federate.
II happen to know from the lips of two
of the commissioners. Alexander III. Ste
phens and r. NJ. T. Hunter. that no such
incident ever occurred between the rep
resentatives of the United States and OF
the Confederate States at Hampton
Roads. Upon the return of :he commits
sioners of the Confederacy | heard their
official report as Mr.. Reagan heard it.
being a member of the cabinet while was
a member of the Confederate senate. and
/ am today the only surviving member of
the twenty-six gentlemen who acted as
senator's.
The Truthful Interview.
what did happen at Hampton Roads
beyond question was this: When the COM
missioners, ii 1 may so term the Presi-
dent and the Secretary of State of the
United States, met the commissioners Of
the Corfederacy. Mr.. Lincoln. addressing
himself to r. NJ. 7. Hunter, whom he
(Contiuuad or Savcntb pnua