Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/525

 Address Delivered by Governor Z. B. Vance. 519

had requested him to visit me and urge me as Governor of North CaroHna, to take steps for making separate terms with Mr. Lincoln and thus inaugurate the conclusion. That he had agreed to lay their request before me without promising to add his personal advice thereto. I asked who these gentlemen were, and with some reluct ance he gave me their names, chiefly Senators and Representatives in the Confederate Congress. I asked why these gentlemen did not begin negotiations for their own States with the enemy, and if they would come out in the papers with this request to me. He said they cou/d not take the initiative, they were so surrounded at home, and some trammeled by pledj^es, etc., as to render it impossible! I de- clined the proposition, of course, and asked him to say to those gen- tlemen, with my compliments, that in the mountains where I was raised, when a man was whipped he had to do his own hollowing ; that the technical word "enough," could not be cried by proxy. This piece of secret history will serve to show that there was a faint- ness of heart and a smiting together of knees in other parts of the South outside of North Carolina.*

And now, having briefly alluded to the part which North Caro-

ter from an esteemed friend in Hillsboro, North Carolina, who says he had a conversation with Governor Graham on the same subject, and that his recollection is that the proposition made to me was that I should take steps- to withdraw the North Carolina troops from General Lee's army, which would force him to surrender and thus end the war. It may be that my friend's recollection is correct. I am quite sure, however, that substantially I was requested to take separate and independent action to end the contest, and I do not regard the difference between my friend's statement and my own as very material.
 * Note. — Since the synopsis of this was published, I have received a let-

I have also been surprised to learn that this statement was construed by many as a personal reflection, both on Governor Graham and the gentlemen who entrusted him with the message. Surely nothing could have been fur- ther from my intention. It was understood at Richmond, as I learned, that Mr. Davis neither could nor would negotiate any treaty which involved the destruction of his own government and as General Lee would only hold out a few days or weeks longer, it was deemed important by those gentle- men to undertake action by the States separately. I was only indignant that those, who were so lively in the beginning of the fight and reflected so severely on North Carolina for her tardiness, should undertake to make her the scape-goat of defeat. I did not regard it as a treacherous or dishonor- able proposition, but as one which would have put our State in a false posi- tion, if accepted by me.