Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1909-04-30

-" S~tttHt FStHtatlon OF 14iH~
coin mstter will be found an interest
'ng discussion between the Nashville
American and Henry watterson of the
Lon sviile, tky.l Courier-Jeurnal.
lhe Nashville American said: ssHenry
Maiierson, IN his contribution to the
''os mopolitan Mssazine, giving an es-
innate Of Lincoln. rerests bis former
sseriicn that at the famous Hamp-
en Roads conference Lincoln took
Se slim, pale-fsced, consumptive man
side, and, pointing TO sheet of paper
hsd in his hand, said: sStepbens,
me write Union st the top OF the
sc and you may write below what
YER yfu please. This assertion made
MIR. Watierson some wears ago
reused some spirited discussisn and
70 strongly controverfed ~ leading
ccnfedefsies. The late Judge Rea-
y Of Texas, the then surviving mem.
q the Confederate cabinet, who
rs IN position to have heard Of this
msfkable proposition il it had been
nade, wss confident that nothing OF
the kind had ever occurred On what
uthoriiy Mr.. Watterson persists in
bis statement Is not clear, and it ID
not taken as history by those most
familiar with the times and coudi-
lions when il is reported TO have oc-
CURED. The Hampton Roads confer
ence was abortiye because the confed-
crate commissioners went with m
structionsli 10 accept no terms not based
on the recognition Of the confederacy
and Mr.. Lincoln was. equally deter
mined to insist ON maintaining the
union. This antagonism prevented any
serious discussion, and though the
picturesque Incident Mr.. Watterson
insists upon was entirely possible, it
was not reported at the time and can
hardly be accepted without better au-
thority than has been produced to sus-
tam it. Mr.. Stephens lived for some
time after the civil war and rote, but
he did not mention such an incid ent
There is no doubt that Mr.. Lincoln
was prepared to offer liberal terms at
the Hampton Roads conference the
southern commissioners had been en-
powered to receive them. In the fight
of subsequent events it is regretiable
that some agreement had not been
reached; but for the sake OF accurscy
Mr.. Watterson shorld produce some
substantial. evidence that bis pretty
Lincoln story is authentic
Replying TO the American ar. Wat
!efson said; ut is simply shocking
that an Intelligent newspaper should
make such publication as this Mr..
Watterson did publish his authorize
ton abundsntly and repeatedly, He
got,the story originally from Mr.Steph
ems himself. 1t was directly corroborat.
ed by at least four credible wines ses--
| General John b. Gorden, Mr.. Stephens
close friend and neigbbor; Mr.. Felix
u. de Fontaine, the famous southern
war correspondent, with whom Mr..
stephens passed the night in Rich
mond after he came up from Hampton
Roads; the Rev. DR.. Green, for many
years Mr.. Stephens pastor, and the
Hon. Evan P. Howell, of Atlanta TO
each and all of hom-as to very
MANY others Mir. Stephens related it.
Inc testimony Of these gentlemen, cou-
pied with the joint resolution to be
Passed by congress appropriating $780,
100000 to be paid the south for the
slaves, which still stands in Mr.. Lin
coins band writing, Mr.. Watterson
published in answer to the attacks
made upon him having nothing but
negations to support them, and yet
the American-the Courler-J journals
next door peighbor --forgets every
thing except Mr. Reagan's statemen
i that MIR. Stephens did not tell hint
and demands that Mr.. Watterson
| shall produce some substantial eyi.
denee that his pretty Lincoln story Ii
authentic Such a gratuitous buttipg
into closed incident and chapter
seems about as far as the means and
litigious historic spirit can go, short of
| personal and professional defamation.
| Mr.. Watterson never made an issue of
veracity in Ills life, nor statement of
fact he was not prepared to prove be-
fore court Of law. The American
owes him an apology. - Exchange.