The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-09
He Never Advised That Further
Resistance Would Be Useless.
LINCOLN OFFERED NO TERMS
She Veteran Statesman Dcuies That the
confederate Commissioners touIi Have
Ended the War Upon conditions hat
Hou d iiave Been Satisfactory
and creditabIs 30 the
Southern People.

Hon John Goode president of the Con-
butudonal Convention, one Of the few
survivors Of the Confederate sConsI ess,
has, at the request of Lee Camp. Con
iederatc Veterans, furnished that body
with a paper that is q most valuable
contribution 20 Confederate history.
Some time ago in addressing the Camp
Gir Goode stated that he wished to cor
rect two errors Of history. One was that
General Lee, shortly before his surren-
der, advised the Confederate authorities
that further resistance would be useless,
and the other was that at the so-caIled
peace conference in Hampton Roads the
Confederate commissioners, If they had
displayed real craftsmanship, could have
secured terms by which the war could
have been ended on terms satisfactory
and creditable TO the Southern people.
Mr.. Goode was requested to write out
his TecollcctionS as to these matters for
publication. He shows conclusively that
General Lee. not very long before the
surrender, manifested and expressed his
Intention 70 carry on the war. Mr.. Goode
also makes it very plain that Mr.. Lin
coin did not offer any terms to the South
which our people could have even thought
Of accepting.
Mr. GOODIES PAPER
The very interesting paper prepared by
sdr. Goode is as follows:
In compliance win inc request Of the
Il. e. Lee Camp of Confederate Veterans.
give my personal rccoGecuon as TO two
matters, which have recently engaged 10
some extent the public attention:
First. 1T has been asserted that Gen
eral Lee a short time before the COLI
lapse of the Confederacy, advised the Con-
auce was useless, and that he recommend
ed a cessation Of ilostiiitieS upon the best
terms that could be obtained. am salts
lied from my own personal knowledge
! =
a few days before The final adjournment
of the Confederate Congress, on the 18th
OF March, 1855, received a message from
President Davis through Colonel Lubbock
q member of his staff, that he desired 10
see mo on important business al his Office
responded at once. and upon my arrival
: found Mr. Davis and General Lee III
consultation. After an exchange OF sal
11tations, Mr.. Davis said he had sent for
me TO request my opinion as TO the will
inGness of the people or Virginia to sub
init 10 further demands upon them for
supplies of food and clothing which We're
absolutely necessary 10 maintain the
army in the field
After some general conversation, in
which General Lee said but little. re-
piled to the inquiry Of the President by
saying that while l believed the people
of Virginia were prepared to make sun
further sacrifices in support OF the cause
They held SO dear, preferred Ilat the
other representatives from Virginia
should be consulted and suggested that
they should be invited TO The conference
This suggestion was adopted, and al! the
Virginia Representatives, fifteen in num-
Der, by the invitation OF the President
met him, his Cabinet and General Lee, in
The afternoon of the same day at o CLOCK
AT this meeting there WAS q 1llIl ant. Tree
juteTchangc of opinion, and al! the repre-
Gentatives concurred IN SAYING that ~
ther opinion the people OF Virginia would
he found ready ana willing 10 meet any
demand that might be made upon them IN
The same spirit OF loyalty and deNouon
that had characterized them since inc
rOnlmcnce cement OF the struggle. During
q into y,GE
situation fully from military stand
point. lie referred to the length or the
line he was obliged to defend, to the num-
Der of effective men. and the great scar
city of food Tor his soldiers ana forage 10Y
his animals; but he did not say nor dld
ne intimate in any manner whatever tllat
jn his opinion the cause Was lost, and that
tle time for surrender had come
1t will be remembered that two or three
weeks after the interview above referred
10 he said in q note to General Grant
that the time Tor the surrender OF ms
army had not arrived. de was soldier
and doubtless felt that II was not ms
province to volunteer ADVICE to the poill-
cal department of the government. but TO
make the best tight he could with the
THE SECOND QUESTION.
Secondly. 1t has been charged by some
that If the Confederate authorities had
exhibited real craftsmanship an arrange
rncnt might have been made by which the
s;lave-owners would have been pald Ior
their slave property, ard that such an OF,
fer was actually made by the United
States authorities in the he famous H IA mp.
ton Roads conference. This is also, III my
opinion. great mistake
AS is we'll known, President Lincoln and
Secretary Seward on the morning OF ths
steamer at Fortress Monroe MeSsrS
Alexander II. Stephens, r. NJ. I: Hunter
and John A. Campbell who mad been i ap-
lointed commissioners OT president Ia
Wis. The object OF the conference was to
ascertain upon what terms and in what
way the war could be terminated. AS is
well known, the conference was :: failure
Upon the return of the commissioners to
Richmond, l heard two OF thenl-Mr
stephens and Mr.. Hunter-discuss the in
cidents of the conference with members
Of Congress at the Capitol. and they oio
not intimate that any proposition what
ever had been made TO pay the owners
OF slaves for their properly, Ny reeoiiec-
ton on this point is very clear. ana II Is
supported by the officia: report signed by
ell three of the commissioners the mes
sage of President Davis communicating
that report TO the Confederate Senate ana
House of Representatives. the message OF
President Lincoln TO the House OF Rep-
resentatives Of the United States. when
he returned to Washington and by pup.
lished statement MADE within I,d the ias 81
Texas who was a member Of the Confed-
crate catsnet They all SHOW eoneII"4 ni,e
Etates authorities refused to enter into
negotiations With the Confederate States
or any OF them separately. and that no
krrce or arTnIstice would be granted With
put satisfactory assurance in advance
! of the complete restoration oil the au-
thorIty of the United states. IN other
nnconditionai Surrender on the part Of the
Confederate authorities. II is true an ,,
In the course OF the f me si ~,
Mr. Lincoln said that as an in6ivlaua',
he would be in favor or paving n la' III, III.
dcrnnty TO the owners hor te Jose a pa rcd
,nrhaficaily that he cpu-d give no aSSnr-