Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/653

Rh part of the talking on the part of the South, and to all his remarks Mr. Lincoln simply came back to one statement that no armistice could be allowed except upon the condition that all resistance to the Union cease at once. Mr. Lincoln said &quot; with earnestness,&quot; says Mr. Stephens, &quot; that he could entertain no proposition for ceasing active military operations which was not based upon a pledge first given for the ultimate restoration of the Union. &quot; Judge Campbell then interposed an inquiry that supposing this pledge be given, what would be the proceedings to re-establish national authority. This pertinent question was asked in pursuance of an understanding among the Confederate commissioners that if Mr. Lincoln would not consent to any armistice they would endeavor to learn the terms on which the war might cease. But Mr. Seward quickly asked that any reply to this question should be withheld until Mr. Stephens had spoken further on his propositions, and after that was done the secretary controverted Mr. Stephens theory as impracticable, and on a renewal of the question by Judge Campbell, President Lincoln s reply was again the same, disband the armies and let the national authorities resume their functions. Judge Campbell still insisted that some intimations should be given as to the course of the government on the disbanding of the Confederate armies, but the only reply was that the courts would adjust all legal difficulties. No pledge would be made that the States would be at once restored to their former relations, or that property in slaves would be regarded. Judge Campbell appears in this critical interview to have been specially desirous of obtaining some intimation from President Lincoln that the States would be restored to their former relations without being subjected to either delay or degradation. His purpose, and possibly that of the whole commission, was to secure some terms on which they could make a report that would result in peace and reunion of the States. But the conference ended without a word of