Recollections of Alexander H. Stephens

RECOLLECTIONS OF Alexander H. Stephens HIS DIARY KEPT WHEN A PRISONER AT FORT WARREN, BOSTON HARBOUR, 1865; GIVING INCIDENTS AND REFLECTIONS OF HIS PRISON LIFE AND SOME LETTERS AND REMINISCENCES EDITED, WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL STUDY, BY MYRTA LOCKETT AVARY PORTAGE PUBLICATIONS Portage Publications, Inc. Colorado Springs, Colorado www.portagepub.com © 2000, 2003 by Portage Publications, Inc. Portage Publications believes the underlying text in this document is in the public domain. Master created December 11, 2003, 11:15 pm. Except for correction of minor typographical errors in the text and reformatting the document to better suit modern output media, this book is an unabridged republication of the version whose publication information follows on this page. This information is provided for historical reference purposes only: NEW YORK DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY 1910 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THAT OF TRANSLATION INTO FOREIGN LANGUAGES, INCLUDING THE SCANDINAVIAN COPYRIGHT, 1910, BY SUNNY SOUTH PUBLISHING COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1910, BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY PUBLISHED, OCTOBER, 1910 CONTENTS PART I INTRODUCTION Mr. Stephens’s parentage—Childhood and youth—Edu- cation—Law student and lawyer—His account of his political life to 1859—In the Legislature—In Congress—On slavery, expansion, imperialism—Compromise of 1850 and Missouri Compromise—Dred Scott case—Retires from Con- gress—A summing up of his character, activities, benefac- tions—Advocate of progress—Father of Weather Bureau— Personal appearance—Effect as a speaker—Social charm— Ambition—“Union Speech”—Toombs in opposition—Corre- spondence with Lincoln—Stephens and Lincoln—Seces- sion—Vice-President—Stephens and Davis—Differences with Confederate administration—Lincoln’s administration—Stephens’s peace missions—Liberty Hall—Fraternal love—The Journal—Motive and aim of his political life—In prison . .14 PART II PRISON JOURNAL OF ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS CHAPTER I Mr. Stephens is arrested—Toombs’s escape—Upton’s headquarters—Crawfordville—A parting scene—Davis party—The Clays—Other prisoners—A homeless black CONTENTS 5 boy—Meets Mr. Davis—On the Clyde—Discusses state of country and his “Union Speech” with Federal officers—“Jeff and Jimmy”—Table etiquette and Mr. Davis—Hampton Roads—Farewell to Davis—Other partings—With Reagan on the Tuscarora—Captain Frailey’s attentions—Boston Harbour. .81 CHAPTER II Fort Warren—Good-by to Reagan—In a cell—Money— Ration—Newspaper misrepresentation—Letter to General Dix—Sutler’s bill—Library—Davis in irons—Greeley’s book—Mental agony—Lieutenant Woodman—Jackson and DuBose—Appeals again to Dix—Proclamation of Amnesty—His position—His slaves—Emancipation— Threatened with illness—Lincoln anecdote—Cannot eat ration—Opinion of Greeley’s book—Will write memorial of the war—His case and Lafayette’s—Comments on report of what Davis said of Lincoln’s assassination . .101 CHAPTER III Lincoln’s assassination—A family gathering—Fast day for Lincoln—Last Sunday at home—Last sight of Linton— Last talk with his negroes—Departure from Richmond— Desired welfare of both sections; no prejudice against the North—Considers applying for amnesty—“Loyalty,” “Disloy- alty”—Oath of allegiance—Sutler’s bill—Glimpses Reagan— Improved attention?—Stared at—Expenses—Governor Joe Brown—Permitted to write home—His custom about prayer—Letter to Linton—Mails—Sunday—Inconsistencies in religious practice and profession—Dogma of equality— Golden Rule—Walk with Woodman . .111 CHAPTER IV Matutinal singing—Letter-writing—Court-martial in Washington—Collapse of the Confederacy; the reason for— Lincoln and Davis—“Cornerstone Speech”—A cup of tea— No nervous dread of death—Sustained by conscience—Sol- 6 RECOLLECTIONS OF A. H. STEPHENS diers’ and Negroes’ fare—Use of liquor—Meals from sutler—Canadian mission—Davis’s speech—“Mental comets”—Peeped at . .127 CHAPTER V Letter from home—Curious gazers—Makes application for amnesty; no confession of guilt; reviews his course; recites his principles; never disloyal to Constitution; love for the Union; his motive; “Continental Regulator”; slavery; efforts for prisoners; accepts issues of war; would help to restore peace and order . .144 CHAPTER VI Ill—Woodman and the surgeon—Race riot—Forebod- ings—Racial inequality—His Negroes—Wants fair trial for new system—Gerrit Smith—Dinner from sutler—Views Boston from bastion—First view of ocean, in 1833—Choice of “Masters”—DuBose’s letter—Surgeon’s visit—Opinion of Greeley—Last advice to his servant, Harry; “Harry’s bot- tle”—Misquoted by Botts—The only justification for secession—“Doom of Treason”—Wants trial—Can meet death, but not exile! . .157 CHAPTER VII His Dalton speech, 1860—Boyce’s speech—Secession- ists freed while he is held—The meerschaum—Ewell’s humour—Health exercises—Constant fire—Geary atten- tive—Mitchel and O’Brien—No letters—Wonders if he is forgotten—His mercy to the unfortunate; aid to youths seek- ing education—Discusses Spanish history—Overthrow of constitutions cause of Spain’s decline?—James Johnson, Governor of Georgia; his classmate; incidents of graduation; estimate of Johnson—Andersonville; Confederate Govern- ment and its prisoners; his advice to Davis; why it could not be followed. .166 CONTENTS 7 CHAPTER VIII A vigil; thoughts of home—Report that Seward has his application—Summer solstice and Mr. Davis’s prophecy— The President flooded with appeals for Amnesty— Ximenes’s mop—An incident—Geary “like home folks”— Pardon and exile—Watch-mender’s kindness—Bostonian offers aid—Chain-gang—News of Confederate leaders— Mrs. Seward’s death—Heartsick—Writes an imaginary interview with himself: South’s darkest hour; a talk with Bishop Elliott recalled; slavery; Radical policy of equality; his imprisonment; amnesty; South should conform to new order; faith in the people; progress and war; the country’s future. .180 CHAPTER IX A mile-walk—Flood of tears—Dreams—Man a triune being—Spiritual communications—Ominous press statement—Linton and Cambridge—Ill—Kindnesses—Cicero’s “true religion”—A Mexican sage—Hampton Roads Confer- ence—Guards on the beat—Reconstruction—Negro suf- frage; his plan—Omens—Asks Major Allen to publish a correction—Letter to Linton; outlines remarkable plan for representative government—The Conference again; mis- statements—Perplexed about application—New moon— Unlucky—Examination for college. .194 CHAPTER X Imaginary interview; why he did not publish statement of Peace Conference at the time; why he allied himself with the Confederacy—Medical Inspector’s visit—News from home—Withdraws application—“O that I were as in times past!”—Reminiscence of school-days—Judge Bingham’s argument no answer to Reverdy Johnson’s; the Constitution made for war as well as for peace; “life and soul of the Nation”—Geary refuses draft. .211 8 RECOLLECTIONS OF A. H. STEPHENS CHAPTER XI Reading Cicero and Job—Cicero’s love for Quintus and his love for Linton compared—“Fancy” interview; discipline of himself; humour; the Government’s inconsistency; his application—Huzzaing; “mustered out”—Raspberry tea . .222 CHAPTER XII Fourth of July—Incongruity between celebration and facts—McKinley Anecdote—A Biblical analogy—St. Paul’s defence—A charade—Stared at—Farragut and Anderson— Elder Lincoln—Reverend Jacob Manning’s speech—Preach- ers as jurors—Defect in priestly character—Naturalization: State and United States citizenship—A habeas corpus case—His home and servants—St. Paul and athletics—Let- ter from Linton!—Balloon ascension—Jackson released . .229 CHAPTER XIII Sunday at Fort—Rights without securities—Negroes tortured—Redfield-Saxe anecdote—Exchanges bows with Reagan—A soldier’s courtesy—Water-carriers—Pauline Epistles—Advises Linton concerning visit—Aristotle on slaves—Fears serious illness—Bewails physical frailty— Inequality of his situation with his services to mankind— The Golden Circle—Misquoted again . .240 CHAPTER XIV His estimate of Jefferson Davis—Truth about Southern Cause—Southern people led to believe secession the only way to save the Constitution; loyal to principles of 1776; Davis at first at head of united people; sympathy of ene- mies—Lincoln’s usurpations—Davis’s—Effects—Southern leaders—South’s degradation—“Falling from grace”— Toombs’s secession speech—A Cabinet decision—Stephens writes Governor Johnson of Georgia—Incorrect versions of his speeches—Lincoln and a Cabinet position—Linton and secession. .246 CONTENTS 9 CHAPTER XV Dream visits—Pauline Epistles—“Garbled extracts” from Bible—Suggestion for preachers—Ideas about dreams—Friendship—Judge Collamer’s story—Woodman leaves soon—Mr. Stephens saddened—More distortion of his speeches—Charlotte speech a warning—General Lee’s movement into Pennsylvania; Morgan’s invasion of Ohio— “Reconstruction”—Peace mission of 1863—Cotton Loan— Opinion of Joe Brown—Andrew Johnson’s speech in 1861— Strange spectacle: brother fighting brother for same object. .259 CHAPTER XVI Letter from Linton—Solitary confinement—Ewell and aide released—Seward’s reported remark—First hand- shake in prison—“Fancy” interview—Grows weaker—Held for “political speculation”—Peculiarity of apostolic letters— Reminiscence: admission to the bar—Talk with Woodman— Breaks down, weeping—Seaverns’s hospitality; Mrs. Seav- erns and little Annie—The Dictator—Grief at Woodman’s impending departure—Letter to Seward; pleads feebleness, former acquaintance; requests interview; etc.; Hampton Roads Conference—Writes trivialities to preserve sanity— Flowers through the bars . .267 CHAPTER XVII “Row with bedbugs”—More bad luck—Smoking ameni- ties—Cicero on “slaves”—Glad

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