Chapter 10: Peace movements.--Convention of conspirators at Montgomery.
- Assembling of the Peace Convention at Washington City, 235. -- Sincerity of the Virginia politicians suspected -- instructions to Massachusetts and New York delegates, 236. -- other delegates instructed -- John Tyler President of the Convention, 237. -- Mr. Guthrie's report, 238. -- other propositions, 239. -- adoption of Guthrie's report, 240. -- Reverdy Johnson's resolution -- proposed articles of amendment, 241. -- action of Congress on compromises, 242. -- the people and the failure of the Peace Conference, 243. -- Tyler's treachery -- General Scott's desire for Peace indicated, 244. -- his letter to Mr. Seward -- Professor Morse's plan for reconciliation, 245. -- meeting of conspirators at Montgomery, 248. -- policy of South Carolinians -- a Confederacy of “seceded” States proposed, 250. -- a Provisional Constitution adopted, 251. -- South Carolinians rebellious -- Jefferson Davis elected “President,” and Alexander H. Stephens “Vice-President” of the Confederacy, 252. -- Stephens's speeches -- committees appointed, 253. -- action of the Convention concerning a flag for the “Confederacy,” 254. -- first assumption of Sovereignty -- South Carolinians offended, 256. -- Davis journeys to Montgomery -- his reception and inauguration, 257. -- Davis's Cabinet, 258. -- sketch of Davis and Stephens, 259.--“Confederate” Commissioners sent to Europe -- Stephens expounds the principles of the New “Government,” 260.
On Monday, the 4th of February, 1861, the day on which Slidell and Benjamin left the Senate, a Convention known as the Peace Congress, or Conference, assembled in Willard's Hall, in Washington City, a large room in a building originally erected as a church edifice on F Street, and then attached to Willard's Hotel.
This Convention, as we have observed,1 was proposed by resolutions of the Virginia Legislature, passed on the 19th of January,
1861. |
The Legislatures of most of the States were in session when the proposition went forth, and the response was so general and so prompt, that delegates from twenty-one States--fourteen of them Free-labor and seven of them Slave-labor States--appeared in the Convention.2 When they were not
