Pres. Lincoln and Alec Stephens Agreement at the Hampton Roads Peace Conference

[David Lockmiller]

(04-08-2017 05:39 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  I found this in a February 15, 1865, letter from Charles Sumner to John Bright:

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"P. S. Did I mention, as showing the good nature of the peace conferences, that after the serious discussions were over, including allusions on the part of the rebels to what was gently called 'the continental question,' Mr. Stephens asked the President to send back a nephew of his, a young lieutenant, who was a prisoner in the North? The President said at once, 'Stephens, I'll do it, if you will send back one of our young lieutenants.' It was agreed; and Mr. Stephens handed the President on a slip of paper the name of his nephew, and the President handed Mr. Stephens the name of an officer of corresponding rank. This was the only stipulation on that occasion; and the President tells me it has been carried out on each side."

Thanks for that information, Roger.

“Curiouser and curiouser!” Cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English).” In my post yesterday at 4:15 PM, I transcribed exactly what was written by James B. Conroy of the conversation between the two men on board the River Queen on this subject in his book at page 198. Mr. Conroy makes no reference to "the President hand[ing] Mr. Stephens the name of an officer of corresponding rank."

And, Alec Stephens makes no reference to such an occurrence in his book "Recollections of Alexander H. Stephens." If there had been such a specific agreement term, it would seem likely that Mr. Stephens would have made arrangements for the release of this specific Union officer in anticipation of President Lincoln keeping his part of the agreement. Mr. Stephens retired from the government of the Confederacy shortly after the Peace Conference and began his return journey to Georgia for a "perfect retirement" on February 9. President Lincoln penned his note addressed to A.H. Stephens on February 10.

Interestingly, the title of Chapter 18, the chapter describing the events and conversations of the actual conference on the night of February 3, 1865, are Lincoln's words following the four hours of discussion and introducing the topic of what he might be able to do personally for Mr. Stephens. The title of the chapter is "There Has Been Nothing We Could Do For Our Country." However, when I checked the notes for this particular chapter this morning, there is not a single entry specific to page 198. However, at the beginning of the notes listed for the chapter there is an extremely long list of references covering the entire chapter.

At the end of this list, Mr. Conroy writes the following: "The foregoing accounts are remarkably consistent and are woven together in this chapter with little need to weigh one against another. The sequence of the conversation is also recoverable with reasonable accuracy if not with precision."

With regard to the February 15, 1865, letter from Charles Sumner to John Bright, Mr. Conroy writes in his notes: "Lincoln or Seward must have passed on to Charles Sumner the references to the conference in Pierce, vol. 4, p. 205."