Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-02-13
Prssidsnt's aessag.--Coneladea.
h8. sEwARD 10 Nh ADAMS
DErT OF STATE, VAsHISGroS. }

Wsr As soon ss 4 var begins there are
cit zsns Rhoare emphaiically negCt asors
OF sace. The advocates Of war after an
agi alton longer or shorter, generally
gain tneir fearful end, though She war
dee Jared IS not subsequently unneees-
sarY aud uuwise. So peace agitators,
in time OF war, ultimately bring about
an abandonment Of the coDfiet. some
tires without securing the advantages
Ehich we're originally expected from
the conflict. The sgitators for var in
tune of peace and for peace in time OF
wsr are not necessarily, or perhaps
ordinarily, unDatriotic in their purposes
or notions; results alone determine
Eh=ther they are wise or unwiss.
The treaty Of peace concluded At
Gaadsloupe Hidslgo was secured BY an
irregular negotiation nnder the power Of
The government Some Of the efforts
which have been made 70 bring about
uegottious With view 70 sud our civil
wsr are known n the Thola world. BE-
caase they have employed foreign as vel
as domestic agents. Others with whom
you have had 70 deal coH6dentially are
known to yourself, although they have not
pua;icly iranspired Other efforts have
occurred here which are known only 70
the persons actually moving in them aud
70 this Government lam nov to give
for your information an account Of an
affair of the same general character
IL has recently received much
attention here, and doubtless
vi excite inquiry aSSoad. A few days
ago, F. P. Blair, Esq obtained from
tee President a simple leave 70 20
through our lines. Without definite views
knoEn to the Government Mr. Blair Wis
tied Richmond, aud on bic return show
I'd the President letter which Jef Davis
hai writtea to Mr. Blair, 10 which Davis
wroia that Mr Blair was St liberty 10 say
10 President Lincoln that he was uow. as
he had always been, willing TO send
Commissioners IL assured they woald he
received, Or % receive any that should be
sent, that be was not disposed 70 6nd
obstacles in forms; thai be would send
Commissioners to confer with the Presi-
dent with q view 20 a restoration Of
peace between the two countries If il
could be assured him they would be
received as such. The President,
therefore, on the 18th Of January,
addressed q note to Blair in which
be, after acknowledging be bad
received the note of Davis, said be vas
and always should be willing to receive
any agent Mr. Davis, or any other infa-
ential man now resisting the authority
Of the Government might send 70 confer
With the President informally With a
view TO the restoration of peace 10 the
people Of our common country.
Mr. Blair visited Richmond with
this letter and then egain came back
10 Washington on the 29th ult We
we're advised from the camp OF Lieat
Gen. Grant that A n Stephens, r NJ.
I. Hunter and J. A. Campbell, we're APP
plying for leave 10 pass through our
lines as peace commissioners, 70 confer
with the President They we're permit
ted by the Lieutenant General to come
20 his headquarters, and there await the
decision Of the President Major Eek-
ert was Immediately sent down 10
meet The party from Richmond at
Gea Grants headquarters The Major
wns directed 10 deliver 10 them a copy
Of the Presidents letter 70 Mr. Blair,
with note 10 be addressed to them
signed BY the Major, in which they we're
directly informed that they should be
allowed 70 pass our lines They would
be understood as coming for On in
formal conference upon the basis
ct the foregoing letters OF the 18th
Of January 10 Mr. Blair II they
should express their assent 70 this IN
writing, then Asjor Ecker, was directed
10 give them safe conduct 10 Fort Mon
roe. where person coming from The
President would meet them. Ii being
thought possible, from the report
Of this conversation Sith Lieutenant
General Grant, that the Richmond party
would Ia this manner accept the eondi-
lions entertained, the Secretary OF
State was charged By the President with
The duty Of representing the Govern
ment Ia tAe expected informal confer
sncs. Tie Secretary arrived al Fort
ress MoHToa "a the night Of the ist Of
February. Mai EckeFt met him on the
morning Of the "a, with information that
the persons who came from Richmond
had not accepted in writing
the conditions upon which be
was allowed to give them
conduct Al Fort Monroe. The Msjsr
had given some information By telegraph
to the President at Washington % re-
ceiving the information. the President
prepared q telegram directing the Sec
Rotary to return 10 Washington. The
Secretary Was preparing at the same
moment u so retarn without wait
ing for information from the Pres
idens, but at this janeture Lieutenant
Gen. Grant selegraphed to the 5ecre-
iary Of State that the Richmond party
had reconsidered aud accepted the con
dtions rendered them through AsioT
Eckert, and General Grant urgently re-
qgested the President to confer with the
Richmond party in person Under these
circumstances the Secretary, By d.
direction Of the President, remained at
Fortress Monroe, and the President
joined him shere on the night of the
"a inst The Richmond party we're
brought down the river in the United
States steamer Transport during the
day, and the Transport vas anchored in
Hampton Roads on the morning Of the
3D. The President, attended By the
Secretary, received Messrs Stephens,
Hunter, and Campbell, on board the
United States transport River Queen
in Hampton Roads The conference
was informal There was 40 attendance
Of secretaries, clerks, or other witnesses.
/ Nothing was written or read. The con
yersAtion was earnest aud tree, and was
/ courteous snd kind on both sides. The
Richmond party approached the discus
sion rather indirectly, and at no time
did they make categorical demands or
tender formal stipuls,ions or absolute
refusal Nevertheless, during .his con-
/ ference, which lasted four hours. the
several points AZ issue between the Gov
/ eminent and insurgents we're distinctly
raised and discussed fully and il an
smicable spirit What the insurgents
seemed chiefly TO favor was postpone
neut Of the question Of separation, upon
which the var is waged, and the mutual
direction of the efforts Of fbs Covsr-