New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-11

OFFICE T. s. MILITARY lEiGhAH'
Cinhcr1 WAR DEPARTMENT:
The following telegram. received at WASHINGTON
January 81, 1862 from City Point. Va, W. a. a; 1aa,
To His F1ceIeaey ABRAHAM LINCOLN Pe''a'H'@ nc
me following communication was received here last
Pr1vrsBrra. Va, Jan. 30 1868.
Lieut.. Gen. L. S. GRAM, Comma"dHg A~"' '''''-
SIR We desire 10 pass your lines under sole eonuue.
and TO proceed to Washington TO hou cohlei. ,
with President Lincoln upon the sunv1 ~ ,r,ns
wor ana with view Of asceTtaining upon ma. d
II may be terminated in pursuance 81 Tue cOuIs NJ
Gated by him in his letter to Mr. Blair OF Januny 80
1863 of which we presume you h"ae and 60
we wish 10 see yon IN person. IL coi''"''"
'''-''- Very rospcc fully yours.
ALEXANDER Ii. SlEPIihNs'
RM +. HrSnR.
Theve sent directions 10 receive these gentlemen ana
expect 20 have them at my quarters TINS evening """
ing your instructions - .,o, + <
e. S. GRANT, Lieut.. Gen. Com. Armies L. .
This. II win be perceived, transferred Gen ora
Agency in the matter 70 Gen. Grant resolved now
ever, to send Nal Eckert forward with lis message
and accordingly telegraphed Cen Grant as follows
TO Wit
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON. Jan. 81, 1865
Lielt.- Gen. GRANT, Ciiy Paint. Va
A messenger is coming 20 you on the business con
tanned in your dispatch Detain the gentlemen IL COM
Portable quarters until lie arrives and then act upon the
message he brings as FAR MS applicable u having o.en
made up TO pass through Gen. Oids hanas, anu "heh
Tie gentlemen were supposed to be beyond our INES
4. LINCOLN.
Sent in cipher at $50 p. m.
Wien Maj. Eckert departed he bore with him LET.
ter Of the Secretary of War 10 Gen. Grant as follows
to wit:
WASHINGTON. d. c.. Monday, Jan. 80. 1861
Lie II. Gen. GRANT, Commanding, etc:
GENERAL The President desires that you viii please
procure for the bearer Major Thomas +. Eckelt an
interview with Messrs. Stephens, Hunter aud camp
be and, If on his return 10 you he requests H. pass
them through our lines to Fortress Monroe by tuch
route and under such military precautions ne You may
deem prudent-gving them protection ana comiortaoic
quarters while oreand that you let none OF this have
any affect upon your movements or plans.
EDWIN Nj. STANTON Secretary Of War;
Surprising the proper point to be then reached des
patched the Secretary OF State With the following in
str ictions-Major Eckert, however. going ahead Of
him;
ExRcrT TIVE MANSION !
WASHINGTON. Jan 81. l-65
Hon. WM II. SEWARD Secretary Of !Saies
You will proceed 10 Fortress hO1roe. Virginia, there
to meet and Informally confer with Messrs. stephens,
Hunter and Campbell on the basis OF my letter 10 r. T.
Blair esq. Of Jan. L. 1862 copy " which you have
You will make known 10 them that three things are IN
dispenssble to wit: First the resto alton oil tie Ma
tional authority throughout all the states; second no
-
slavery question from the position assumed thereon IN
the late annual Message to Congress and IN the pre-,
cediDg documents; no cessation o. hoslhes Snort oil
an eDdof the and the disbanng 0f oil The forces
hostile 10 the Government. You will inform them that
al propositions Of theirs not inconsistent with the
above will be considered and PISSED upon INA sPs
choose 10 say and report 10 me- You will not assume
Yours SC, ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
On the day Of its date the following telegram was
sent TO Gen. Grant.
WAR DEPARTMENT WAsHISGToS, Feb ], 1865.
Lieut. Gen. GRANT, CRY Point 70;
Lei nothing which is transpr.Dg change. hinder. or
delay your military movements or plan.
Sent in cipher at 9:3oa.m.
Afterward the following dispatch was received from
Gen. Grant.
OFFICE U. S. MMuARr TELEGRAPH, !
Ciphcrl WAR prrAEIMESL
2:3O D. ID. Feb. ], l-6j; from City Point Va, FEB ],
III Efceiency A LINCOLN Pyesden, ofhe United Siaee
Your dispatch received. There will be no armistice
in consequence Of the presence OF MI Stephens and
others within lines. The troops are kept IN readi
ness TO move a. the shortest notice u occasion should
insiify it. L. :. GRANT. Lieutenant General
TO notify Maj. Eckert that the Secretary OF state
would DO at Fortress Monroe and to put them In com
munica,on the following dispatch was sent:
WAR DErARrxgNT. WARRINGTON Feb. /. 1865.
Maj L. 4. ECKEKT care Gen. GRANT. CITY Point Va:
Call at Fortress Monroe and put yourself under
A. LINCOLN.
On The morning Of the cd inst. the following tele.
grams were received by me respectively from the
Secretary Of State sndD&ft Eckert;
FORTRESS MosRoR Va Feb. l. 1861 80 ?. IN.
The President Of The UNhed STATE"
Arrived at ten this evening. Richmond party not
here. remain here. W. ii. SEWARD.
CRY PoNI VA. 10 p. m. Feb. /, 1865.
His Erce'iency A. LINCOLN. Pre'ident Of The U"itsd
have the honor to report the delivery Of your com
munica,ion and my letter at AIS this afternoon. to
which received reply at p. H., but not satisfac
tory At p. N. the following note addressed 10
CRY POINT VA, Feb. !, 1866.
To Lieut., Gen GRASI-SIG: We desire TO 60 to Wash
ngton City TO confer informally with the President per
sonay in reference 10 the matters mentioned In his let
ter Mr. Blair of the 18th ultmo Without any personal
COMPROMISE any question in the letter we have tue
permission TO do from the authorities in Richmond.
Very respectfully yours,
X. NJ. r. HUNTER
j. A. CAMPBELL
At e:30p IN. notified them that they could not pro-
coed further unless they complied with the terms
expressed in my letter The point OF meeting dcsig-
mated in tho above note would not ia my opinion. b.
insisted upon think Fortress Monroe would be accept
able Having compiled with my instructions. ! will
return TO Washington Tomorrow, unless otherwise
ordered. THOMAS i. ECKKBI. Major, &c.
On reading this dispatch Of Major Eckert's, L was
sbout 10 recall him and the Secretary Of State when
the following telegram Of Gen Grant to the Secretary
Of War was shown to me;
OFFICE OF The L. S. MILITARY TELEGRAPH,
Cipherl WAR DEpAnIhtNr )
The following telegram received at Washington At
4:3j a. M. Feb @ 1865 from City Point. w.. Feb ].
ls65-l0:30 p. ~;
Ror. EDWIN NJ STANTON, Seerst0ry Of Var;
Now that tie interview between Major Eckert under
his written instructions and Mr. Stephens and party
has ended will state conGdeniay. but not officially,
to become matter Of record. that 1 am convinced