the day of the confederacy-第22部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Department　went　so　far　as　to　have　the　man's　character
investigated；　but　the　report　was　unsatisfactory。　He　was　not
paroled　and　died　in　prison。　This　episode　Stephens　now　brought
forward　as　evidence　that　Davis　had　frustrated　an　attempt　of　the
Northern　peace　party　to　negotiate。　Davis　contented　himself　with
replying；　〃I　make　no　comment　on　this。〃

The　next　step　in　the　peace　intrigue　took　place　at　the　opening　of
the　next　year；　1865。　Stephens　attempted　to　address　the　Senate　on
his　favorite　topic；　the　wickedness　of　the　suspension　of　habeas
corpus；　was　halted　by　a　point　of　parliamentary　law；　and　when　the
Senate　sustained　an　appeal　from　his　decision；　left　the　chamber　in
a　pique。　Hunter；　now　a　Senator；　became　an　envoy　to　placate　him
and　succeeded　in　bringing　him　back。　Thereupon　Stephens　poured　out
his　soul　in　a　furious　attack　upon　the　Administration。　He　ended　by
submitting　resolutions　which　were　just　what　he　might　have
submitted　four　years　earlier　before　a　gun　had　been　fired；　so
entirely　had　his　mind　crystallized　in　the　stress　of　war！　These
resolutions；　besides　reasserting　the　full　state　rights　theory；
assumed　the　readiness　of　the　North　to　make　peace　and　called　for　a
general　convention　of　all　the　States　to　draw　up　some　new
arrangement　on　a　confessed　state　rights　basis。　More　than　a　month
before；　Lincoln　had　been　reelected　on　an　unequivocal
nationalistic　platform。　And　yet　Stephens　continued　to　believe
that　the　Northerners　did　not　mean　what　they　said　and　that　in
congregated　talking　lay　the　magic　which　would　change　the　world　of
fact　into　the　world　of　his　own　desire。

At　this　point　in　the　peace　intrigue　the　ambiguous　figure　of
Napoleon　the　Little　reappears；　though　only　to　pass　ghostlike
across　the　back　of　the　stage。　The　determination　of　Northern
leaders　to　oppose　Napoleon　had　suggested　to　shrewd　politicians　a
possible　change　of　front。　That　singular　member　of　the　Confederate
Congress；　Henry　S。　Foote；　thought　he　saw　in　the　Mexican　imbroglio
means　to　bring　Lincoln　to　terms。　In　November　he　had　introduced
into　the　House　resolutions　which　intimated　that　〃it　might　become
the　true　policy　of。。。the　Confederate　States　to　consent　to　the
yielding　of　the　great　principle　embodied　in　the　Monroe　Doctrine。〃
The　House　referred　his　resolutions　to　the　Committee　on　Foreign
Affairs；　and　there　they　slumbered　until　January。

Meanwhile　a　Northern　politician　brought　on　the　specter　of
Napoleon　for　a　different　purpose。　Early　in　January；　1865；　Francis
P。　Blair　made　a　journey　to　Richmond　and　proposed　to　Davis　a　plan
of　reconciliation　involving　the　complete　abandonment　of　slavery；
the　reunion　of　all　the　States；　and　an　expedition　against　Mexico
in　which　Davis　was　to　play　the　leading　role。　Davis　cautiously
refrained　from　committing　himself；　though　he　gave　Blair　a　letter
in　which　he　expressed　his　willingness　to　enter　into　negotiations
for　peace　between　〃the　two　countries。〃　The　visit　of　Blair　gave
new　impetus　to　the　peace　intrigue。　The　Confederate　House
Committee　on　Foreign　Affairs　reported　resolutions　favoring　an
attempt　to　negotiate　with　the　United　States　so　as　to　〃bring　into
view〃　the　possibility　of　cooperation　between　the　United　States
and　the　Confederacy　to　maintain　the　Monroe　Doctrine。　The　same　day
saw　another　singular　incident。　For　some　reason　that　has　never
been　divulged　Foote　determined　to　counterbalance　Blair's　visit　to
Richmond　by　a　visit　of　his　own　to　Washington。　In　attempting　to
pass　through　the　Confederate　lines　he　was　arrested　by　the
military　authorities。　With　this　fiasco　Foote　passes　from　the
stage　of　history。

The　doings　of　Blair；　however；　continued　to　be　a　topic　of　general
interest　throughout　January。　The　military　intrigue　was　now
simmering　down　through　the　creation　of　the　office　of　commanding
general。　The　attempt　of　the　congressional　opposition　to　drive　the
whole　Cabinet　from　office　reached　a　compromise　in　the　single
retirement　of　the　Secretary　of　War。　Before　the　end　of　the　month
the　peace　question　was　the　paramount　one　before　Congress　and　the
country。　Newspapers　discussed　the　movements　of　Blair；　apparently
with　little　knowledge；　and　some　of　the　papers　asserted　hopefully
that　peace　was　within　reach。　Cooler　heads；　such　as　the　majority
of　the　Virginia　Legislature；　rejected　this　idea　as　baseless。　The
Mercury　called　the　peace　party　the　worst　enemy　of　the　South。　Lee
was　reported　by　the　Richmond　correspondent　of　the　Mercury　as　not
caring　a　fig　for　the　peace　project。　Nevertheless　the　rumor
persisted　that　Blair　had　offered　peace　on　terms　that　the
Confederacy　could　accept。　Late　in　the　month；　Davis　appointed
Stephens；　Hunter；　and　John　A。　Campbell　commissioners　to　confer
with　the　Northern　authorities　with　regard　to　peace。

There　followed　the　famous　conference　of　February　3；　1865；　in　the
cabin　of　a　steamer　at　Hampton　Roads；　with　Seward　and　Lincoln。　The
Confederate　commissioners　represented　two　points　of　view：　that　of
the　Administration；　unwilling　to　make　peace　without　independence；
and　that　of　the　infatuated　Stephens　who　clung　to　the　idea　that
Lincoln　did　not　mean　what　he　said；　and　who　now　urged　〃an
armistice　allowing　the　States　to　adjust　themselves　as　suited
their　interests。　If　it　would　be　to　their　interests　to　reunite；
they　would　do　so。〃　The　refusal　of　Lincoln　to　consider　either　of
these　points　of　viewthe　refusal　so　clearly　foreseen　by
Davisput　an　end　to　the　career　of　Stephens。　He　was　〃hoist　with
his　own　petard。〃

The　news　of　the　failure　of　the　conference　was　variously　received。
The　Mercury　rejoiced　because　there　was　now　no　doubt　how　things
stood。　Stephens；　unwilling　to　cooperate　with　the　Administration；
left　the　capital　and　went　home　to　Georgia。　At　Richmond；　though
the　snow　lay　thick　on　the　ground；　a　great　public　meeting　was　held
on　the　6th　of　February　in　the　precincts　of　the　African　Church。
Here　Davis　made　an　address　which　has　been　called　his　greatest　and
which　produced　a　profound　impression。　A　wave　of　enthusiasm　swept
over　Richmond；　and　for　a　moment　the　President　appeared　once　more
to　be　master　of　the　situation。　His　immense　audacity　carried　the
people　with　him　when；　after　showing　what　might　be　done　by　more
drastic　enforcement　of　the　conscription　laws；　he　concluded：　〃Let
us　then　unite　our　hands　and　our　hearts；　lock　our　shields
together；　and　we　may　well　believe　that　before　another　summer
solstice　falls　upon　us；　it　will　be　the　enemy　that　will　be　asking
us　for　conferences　and　occasions　in　which　to　make　known　our
demands。〃



Chapter　XI。　An　Attempted　Revolution

Almost　from　the　moment　when　the　South　had　declared　its
independence　voices　had　been　raised　in　favor　of　arming　the
negroes。　The　rejection　of　a　plan　to　accomplish　this　was　one　of
the　incidents　of　Benjamin's　tenure　of　the　portfolio　of　the　War
Department；　but　it　was　not　until　the　early　days　of　1864；　when　the
forces　of　Johnston　lay　encamped　at　Dalton；　Georgia；　that　the
arming　of　the　slaves　was　seriously　discussed　by　a　council　of
officers。　Even　then　the　proposal　had　its　determined　champions；
though　there　were　others　among　Johnston's　officers　who　regarded
it　as　〃contrary　to　all　true　principles　of　chivalric　warfare；〃　and
their　votes　prevailed　in　the　council　by　a　large　majority。

From　that　time　forward　the　question　of　arming　the　slaves　hung
like　a　heavy　cloud　over　all　Confederate　thought　of　the　war。　It
was　discussed　in　the　army　and　at　home　around　troubled　firesides。
Letters　written　from　the　trenches　at　Petersburg　show　that　it　was
debated　by　the　soldiers；　and　the　intense　repugnance　which　the
idea　inspired　in　some　minds　was　shown　by　threats　to　leave　the
ranks　if　the　slaves　were　given　arms。

Amid　the　pressing；　obvious　issues　of　1864；　this　project　hardly
appears　upon　the　face　of　the　record　until　it　was　alluded　to　in
Davis's　message　to　Congress　in　November；　1864；　and　in　the　annual
report　of　the　Secretary　of　War。　The　President　did　not　as　yet　ask
for　slave　soldiers。　He　did；　however；　ask　for　the　privilege　of
buying　slaves　for　government　usenot　merely　hiring　them　from
their　owners　as　had　hitherto　been　doneand　for　permission；　if
the　Government　so　desired；　to　emancipate　them　at　the　end　of　their
service。　The　Secretary　of　War　went　farther；　however；　and
advocated　negro　soldiers；　and　he　too　suggested　their　emancipation
at　the　end　of　service。

This　feeling　of　the　temper　of　the　country；　so　to　speak；　produced
an　immediate　response。　It　drew　Rhett　from　his　retirement　and
inspired　a　letter　in　which　he　took　the　Government　severely　to
task　for　designing　to　remove　from　state　control　this　matter　of
fundamental　importance。　Coinciding　with　the　cry　for　more　troops
with　which　to　confront　Sherman；　the　topic　of　negro　soldiers
became　at　once　one　of　the　questions　of　the　hour。　It　helped　to
focus　that　violent　anti…Davis　movement　which　is　the　conspicuous
event　of　December；　1864；　and　January；　1865。　Those　who　believed
the　President　unscrupulous　trembled　at　the　thought　of　putting
into　his　hands　a　great　army　of　hardy　barbarians　trained　to
absolute　obedience。　The　prospect　of　such　a　weapon　held　in　one
firm　hand　at　Richmond　seemed　to　those　opponents　of　the　President
a　greater　menace　to　their　liberties　than　even　the　armies　of　the
invaders。　It　is　quite　likely　that　distrust　of　Davis　and　dread　of
the　use　he　might　make　of　such　a　weapon　was　increased　by　a　letter
from　Benjamin　to　Frederick　A。　Porcher　of　Charleston；　a　supporter
of　the　Government；　who　had　made　rash　suggestions　as　to　the
extra…constitutional　power　that　the　Administration　might　be
justified　by　circumstances　in　assuming。　Benjamin　deprecated　such
suggestions　but　concluded　with　the　unfortunate　remark：　〃If　the
Constitution　is　not　to　be　our　guide　I　would　prefer　to　see　it
suppressed　by　a　revolution　which　should　declare　a　dictatorship
during　the　war；　after　the　manner　of　ancient　Rome；　leaving　to　the
future　the　care　of　reestablishing　firm　and　regular　government。〃
In　the　State　of　Virginia；　indeed；　the　revolutionary　suggestions
of　the　President's　message　and　the　Secretary's　report　were
promptly　taken　up　and　made　the　basis　of　a　political　program；
which　Governor　Smith　embodied　in　his　message　to　the
Legislaturea　document　that　will　eventually　take　its　place　among
the　most　interesting　state　papers　of　the　Confederacy。　It　should
be　noted　that　the　suggestions　thrown　o