CHCWRT Meeting, Mark Tooley will discuss the Washington Peace Conference of 1861

Mark Tooley joins us to discuss the 1861 Washington Peace Conference, the bipartisan, last-ditch effort to prevent the Civil War, which nearly averted the carnage that followed. In February 1861, most of America’s great statesmen—including a former president, dozens of current and former senators, Supreme Court justices, governors, and congressmen—came together at the historic Willard Hotel in a desperate attempt to stave off Civil War. Seven southern states had already seceded, and the conferees battled against time to craft a compromise to protect slavery and thus preserve the union and prevent war. Participants included former President John Tyler, General Winfield Scott, and future Treasury Secretary, Salmon Chase—and from a room upstairs at the hotel, Lincoln himself. Mark will explain that no matter the shared faith, family, and friendships of the participants, ultimately no compromise could be reached.

Mark is president of the Institute of Religion and Democracy and editor of their foreign policy and national security journal, Providence. Previously, Mark worked at the Central Intelligence Agency and is also a graduate of Georgetown University. His books include Methodism And Politics in the Twentieth Century and The Peace That Almost Was: The Forgotten Story of the 1861 Washington Peace Conference and the Final Attempt to Avert the Civil War. In addition, his work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Weekly Standard, National Review Online, Human Events, The Washington Times, The Chicago Tribune, and The New York Post. You can follow him on Twitter at @markdtooley.

Cost

The presentation is free of charge. While a donation to help defray costs is appreciated, it is not required. Dinner

Join us at 5:30 pm in the John Cosgrove Members' Lounge (formerly known as the Game Room). The National Press Club menu will challenge your palette and the very capable Club staff will be able to meet any libation request. Please bring cash or checks for payment.