The famous “peace” conference, on board the _River Queen_, in Hampton
Roads, between President Lincoln and Secretary Seward, and the Rebel
commissioners Stephens, Hunter, and Campbell, took place the 3d of
February, 1865. A few days afterward[9] I asked the President if it was
true, as reported by the New York “Herald,” that he told a “little
story” on that occasion?--“Why,” said he, “has it leaked out? I was
in hopes nothing would be said about _that_, lest some over-sensitive
people should imagine there was a degree of levity in the intercourse
between us.” He then went on to relate the circumstances which called
it out. “You see,” said he, “we had reached and were discussing the
_slavery_ question. Mr. Hunter said, substantially, that the slaves,
always accustomed to an overseer, and to work upon compulsion, suddenly
freed, as they would be if the South should consent to peace on the
basis of the ‘Emancipation Proclamation,’ would precipitate not only
themselves but the entire Southern society into irremediable ruin. No
work would be done, nothing would be cultivated, and both blacks and
whites would _starve_!” Said the President, “I waited for Seward to
answer that argument, but as he was silent, I at length said: ‘Mr.
Hunter, _you_ ought to know a great deal better about this matter than
_I_, for you have always lived under the slave system. I can only say,
in reply to your statement of the case, that it reminds me of a man
out in Illinois, by the name of Case, who undertook, a few years ago,
to raise a very large herd of hogs. It was a great trouble to _feed_
them, and how to get around this was a puzzle to him. At length he hit
on the plan of planting an immense field of potatoes, and, when they
were sufficiently grown, he turned the whole herd into the field, and
let them have full swing, thus saving not only the labor of feeding the
hogs, but also that of digging the potatoes. Charmed with his sagacity,
he stood one day leaning against the fence, counting his hogs, when a
neighbor came along. ‘Well, well,’ said he, ‘Mr. Case, this is all very
fine. Your hogs are doing very well just now, but you know out here in
Illinois the frost comes early, and the ground freezes a foot deep.
Then what are they going to do.?’ This was a view of the matter Mr.
Case had not taken into account. Butchering-time for hogs was ’way on
in December or January. He scratched his head, and at length stammered,
‘Well, it may come pretty hard on their _snouts_, but I don’t see but
that it will be “root, hog, or die!”’
“Shortly afterward,” he continued, “a reference was casually made to
Colonel Hardin, who was killed in the Mexican War,--who at one time
was a representative in Congress from Illinois; and this drew out
a story from Stephens. ‘On a certain occasion,’ he said, ‘when the
House was in session, a dispute arose between Hardin and others of the
Illinois delegation as to the proper pronunciation of the name of their
State. Some insisted it was “_Illinoy_,” others as stoutly that it was
“_Illinois_.” Hardin at length appealed to the venerable John Quincy
Adams. “If one were to judge from the character of the representatives
in this Congress from that State,” said the old man, with a malicious
smile, “I should decide unhesitatingly that the proper pronunciation
was ‘_All noise!_’”’”
In the Augusta (Ga.) “Chronicle,” of the 17th of June, 1865, there
appeared a report of this conference, purporting to have been written
out from the lips of Mr. Stephens, so characteristic of Mr. Lincoln,
that I subjoin the following extracts:--
“The three Southern gentlemen met Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Seward, and
after some preliminary remarks, the subject of peace was opened. Mr.
Stephens, well aware that one who asks much may get more than he who
confesses to humble wishes at the outset, urged the claims of his
section with that skill and address for which the Northern papers have
given him credit. Mr. Lincoln, holding the vantage-ground of conscious
power, was, however, perfectly frank, and submitted his views almost in
the form of an argument.
... “Davis had on this occasion, as on that of Mr. Stephens’s visit
to Washington, made it a condition that no conference should be had
unless his rank as commander or President should first be recognized.
Mr. Lincoln declared that the only ground on which he could rest
the justice of the war--either with his own people or with foreign
powers--was that it was not a war for conquest, for that the States
had never been separated from the Union. Consequently, he could not
recognize another government inside of the one of which he alone was
President, nor admit the separate independence of States that were yet
a part of the Union. ‘That,’ said he, ‘would be doing what you have so
long asked Europe to do in vain, and be resigning the only thing the
armies of the Union are fighting for.’
“Mr. Hunter made a long reply to this, insisting that the recognition
of Davis’s power to make a treaty was the first and indispensable step
to peace, and referred to the correspondence between King Charles I.
and his Parliament, as a trustworthy precedent of a constitutional
ruler treating with rebels.
“Mr. Lincoln’s face then wore that indescribable expression which
generally preceded his hardest hits, and he remarked: ‘Upon questions
of history I must refer you to Mr. Seward, for he is posted in such
things, and I don’t pretend to be bright. My only distinct recollection
of the matter is, that Charles lost his head.’ That settled Mr. Hunter
for a while.”
* * * * *
“During the interview it appears that Hunter declared that he had never
entertained any fears for his person or life from so mild a government
as that of the United States. To which Mr. Lincoln retorted that he,
also, had felt easy as to the Rebels, but not always so easy about the
lamp-posts around Washington City,--a hint that he had already done
more favors for the Rebels than was exactly popular with the radical
men of his own party.
“Mr. Lincoln’s manner had now grown more positive. He suggested that it
would be better for the Rebel States to return at once than to risk the
chances of continuing the war, and the increasing bitterness of feeling
in Congress. The time might come, he said, when they would not be
considered as an erring people invited back to citizenship, but would
be looked upon as enemies to be exterminated or ruined.
“During the conference, the amendment to the Federal Constitution,
which has just been adopted by Congress, was read, providing that
neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except for crime, should
exist within the United States, or any place within its jurisdiction,
and Congress should have power to enforce the amendment by appropriate
legislation.” The report says, “Mr. Seward then remarked: Mr.
President, it is as well to inform these gentlemen that yesterday
Congress acted upon the amendment of the Constitution abolishing
slavery.”
“Mr. Lincoln stated this to be true, and suggested that there was a
question as to the right of the insurgent States to return at once and
claim a right to vote upon the amendment, to which the concurrence
of two thirds of the States was required. He stated that it would be
desirable to have the institution of slavery abolished by the consent
of the people as soon as possible,--he hoped within six years. He
also stated that four hundred millions of dollars might be offered as
compensation to the owners, and remarked, ‘You would be surprised were
I to give you the names of those who favor that.’”
* * * * *
“Mr. Stephens came home with a new cause of sorrow, and those who said
he talked of coming home to make war speeches and denounce the terms
offered, simply lied. Before Mr. Lincoln’s death, he thought he was
doing a favor to him not to include that offer of four hundred millions
in gold for the Southern slaves in the published report, for it would
be used to the injury of Mr. Lincoln by those of his enemies who talk
about taxation and the debt.
“Mr. Stephens has frequently expressed no apprehensions should the
fortunes of war throw him into the hands of Mr. Lincoln, and said he
would not get out of the way of a raid were it not for appearances, on
account of the office he held. He spoke of Mr. Lincoln as an old friend
who had generally voted with him in Congress, and who had a good heart
and fine mind, and was undoubtedly honest.”