The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-05-09
SENATOR VEST
C0RRECTS HISTORY.
Authoritatively States That Liz.
coin Did Not Offer South I'm
conditional Surrender.
HAMPTON ROADS CONFERENCE
Venerable Missourian Remarks
That He Expects Soon to Join
His Colleagues in Those
Memorable Negotiations.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Washington, May s.-Mr. Vest of Missouri
rose in the Senate this evening to denounce
as without the shadow of truth the state
ment often made by Henry Watterson IN
lectures and by others in speeches made IN
public print that at the Hampton Hoaus
conference between President Lincoln and
Secretary of State Seward and a delegation
of Confederates headed by Alexander
/ Stevens, President Lincoln handed the Con-
federates a paper. upon which was writ
ten. Save the Union" accompanying II
with the request that the confederates
name their terms.
"As the only survivor of the twenty-five
members of the Confederate delegation"
Mr.. Vest chokingly said, land as one who
is soon 10 ioin his old colleagues, l want
to correct history and to do justice TO my
friends.
Alexander Stevens told me that when
the Commissioners met, President Lincoln
asked what authority the Southerners hdu
and what their orders were.
when told that the South would accept
nothing but recognition of the confed-
eracy, President Lincoln announced that
the conference may as well emu, as ne
would accept nothing but unconditional sur
render.
II further informed them that If the
South would lay down their arms, eXecG-
tive clemency would be extended the iead-
ers and men. AS they We're leaving. Presl-
dent Lincoln said TO Mr.. Stevens: stevens,
you are making a serious error.
Mr.. Vest aGaed that II MI. Lincoln haa
il would have been responsible for the fSar-
full loss Of life that followed. as such terms
would have given the south eEeFytAtAS tHoS
could ask IN reason.
War of Words in Senate.
Discussion of the Philippine bill in the
Senate to-day, while it scarcely abated IN
bitterness. TOOK on an ni.as,;;7 Rra-T made
such a good-natured and yet suCn a sdrcas-
tic arraignment of Mr.. of Tennes-
see that Senators and occupants of the
thronged galleries were CONFUSED with
While. seemingly, considerable temper was
shown by the active participants in the war
of words-Mr. Deliver and Mr.. Carmach'
who cordially shook hands and laughed over
Mr.. Burton of Kansas concluded the
speech which he began yesterday. lie re-
ferred, as instances of atroclous cruelty, 10
the battle of Wounded Knee, to the Noun
tain Meadow massacre and the massacre OF
the Union soldiers at Fort Pillow, and con-
tended that the action of the American
troops In the Philippines was, in most IN
stances. entirely within the regulations OF
civilized warfare.
Protest Against Republican Course.
Mr.. Carrnack delivered a scathing denun-
citation of the conduct of military operations
in the Philippines and denounced Genera!
Smith, branding him as a ~"scounqrel, ana
murderer who had dishonored the Amer
lean army and had done nothing but butch
er a whole people.
Mr.. Carmack then entered a protest
against the revival of sectional animosities.
He said he presumed that the Republicans
were acting under Instructions from the
White House in the hope of breaking the
force of the disclosures which were belnS
brought out regarding the Philippines. Mt.
Carmack said the South had a problem TO
deal with and all 1t asked was TO be let
alopo IF tho RepubliCanS nrOyeu all the
outrages they alleged in the South 1t would
not Justify the policy in the Philippines