Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-02-11

4
yourself, although they have not publicly
trauspired
Otber efforts have occurred here, which are
| known only TO the persons actually moving
them, and to this Government. Ii am nov TO
give, for your information, an account OF an
niT,ir Of the same general character, which
recently received much attention here, and
which doubtless has excited inquiry abroad
A few days ago + p. Blair, Esq, obtained
| from the President simple leave to pass
through our liues, without definite views known
| 10 our GoyerumenL Mr. Blair visited Rich
noud. and ou hi S return he showed the Pres
! ident n letter. which JET Davis had written to
Mr.. Blair, in which Mr. Davis wrote that Mr.
! Blair was ~ liberty to say to President Lin
coin. that npvis WAS now, as he always had
becu. wilin 10 send Commission ers, il as.
sured ,hey would be received, or 70 receive
any that shoud be- sent that he was not dis
posed 10 find obstacles in forms; that he would
send Commissioners TO confer with the Presi
dent, With view TO Il restoration of pence
betwet the two countries, if he could be as
surcd they would be received. The President
therefore on the 18th OF January, addressed
"a note to Mr.. laws in which the President,
Inlter acknowledging he had read the note OF
! Mr.. DAVIS, SAID that he was, is, and always
| should lie, willing ia receive any agents that
| Mr.. Davis, or any other influential man, now
actually resisting the authority of the Gov
ernment, might send to confer informally with
the President with view to the restoration
OF peace, To the people of our common coun-
| try. Mr. B,gir visited Richmond with this
| letter. and then again came back to Wash.
inpton. On The 10th we were advised from
the camp of Lieut. Cen Grant, that A. II.
1 q.
| Campbell, were applying for leave 10 pass
through the lines to Washington as Peace
| Commissioners, to confer with the President
They were permiuedby the Lieut. General
TO come to his headquarters, TO await there the
decision of the President Major Eckert was
sent down to meet the party from Richmond.
ut Gen. Grants headquarters
The Major was directed TO deliver to them
copy of the Presidents letter to Mr.. Blair.
with IA note to be addressed to them and
signed by the Major, in which they we're d.
rectly Informed that they should be allowed to
pass our lines They would be understood
as coming for an informal conference, on
the basis OF the aiorenamed letter of the
| 18th of January, to Mr.. Blair. II they should
express their assent to this condition in VIII
TIM, then Major Eckert was directed to give
them suf, conduct TO Fortress Monroe, when
a person coming from the President would
meet them, it being thought probable, from
r report OF their conversation with Lieut.
General Grant, that the Richmond party
would in O manner prescribed, accent the
conditions mentioned.
The Secretary of State was charged by the
President with the duty of representing this
Government in the expected informal confer
eBee The Secretary arrived at Fortress
Monroe on the night Of the LIST of February.
Major Eckert met him on the morning of the
I'd, with information that persons who came
from Richmond had NOT accepted, in writing.
the condition upon which he was allowed TO
give them conduct to Fortress Monroe. The
Major had given the same information, by tel.
egfaph te the President at Washington On
receiving this information, the President pre-
pared telegram, directing the Secretary to
return to Washington. The Secretary W, 8
ready at the same moment TO so return with.
out waiting for Information from the Presi.
dent, but at this juncture Lieut. Gen Grant
telegraphed to the Secretary OF War and the
Secretary of State, that the Richmond party
had re considered and accepted the conditions
tendered them through Major Eckert, and
General Grant urgently advised the President
10 confer in person with the Richmond marty,
the Presidents direction, remained at Fortress
Monroe, and the President Joined him there,
on the night of February I'd
The Richmond party was brought down the
James river in a United States steam trans
port during the day, and the transport was
anchored in Hampton Roads On the morning
of the Sd. The President attended by the
ecretary received MesSrs Stephens Hun.
ter and Campbell on board Of the United
States steamer transport, River Queen, in
Hampton Roads The conference was alto
geiher informal There Rs no attendance
OF secretaries clerks, or other witnesses moth
ing was written or read. The conversation
although earnest and free, was cain, courteous
and kind on both sides. The Richmond par
~ approached the discussion rather indirectl,
and at no time did they make categorical de-
mands. or tender refusals. Nevertheless, du.
ring the conference, which lasted for foul
! hours, the several points at issue between thu
{ Government and the insurgents were distinct
4 ly raised and discussed fully, intelligently
aud in an amieable spirit.
: What the insurgent party seemed chiefly
+ to favor was a postponement OF the ques
r tion of separation, upon which the war II
waged, and a mutual direction OF the effort
/ of the Government, as we'll as those Of th'
= insurgents 10 some eNtehuauiiE pohcy U
T. scheme for season, during which passion
might be expected to subside, and the Rr
J mics no reduced, and trade aud ntereours
, between both gee ions resumed 1t was sug
peied by them that through such postpone
. ,nent we might have immediate peace, wit
: some certain prospect Of an ultimate salts
factory adjustment of political relations be
tween the Government and the States, sec
tions, or people, now engaged in conilc
} with il
The suggestion, though deliberately con
sdered, was nevertheless, regarded by tn
% President as one of armstice or truce, an
a ne announced that we could not agree to