Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-02-16
RUTLAND HERALD.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1868.
The Peace Conference,

blHlF OTOuEhJ AEbHt lelIhuNh'' " A'Ss~
igued by Jtf, Davis, in which the lat
Ter expressed his readiness 20 rnter into
negotiations with Il view 10 secure
peace 10 ths ttUo eotperIes :" and also that
Mr. Blair, in ans wer, took back with
him on his second visit to Richmond
note signed by President Lincoln in
which Mr.. Lincoln expressed his will
nnghesS to receive any agent whom
Davis or any other influential person
now resisting the national authority
might informally send with view OF
securing peace 10 tk' peep!s Of Ose' oos'"'oR
sohHtrg"
In response TO the House resolution OF
the 9Th inst, calling upon the president
for the information, the latter on the
10th inst, transmitted to that body an
account of the recent conference with
the rebel commissioners, and Of the cor
respondence and arrangements prellmin.
airy thereto. 1t appears from this ac-
count that the statement above referred
10, of the substance OF the two notes
which we're signed respectively by Mr..
Davis and President Lincoln, was cor
rect. Mr.. LincOln's note (Which like
that Of Davis was addressed TO Mr.. Blair
was delivered by Blair to Davis and
read by the latter on the 2lst nit. AT
serwards President Lincoln received a
dispatch, dated the 29th ult., announc-
ing that Stephens, Hunter and Campbell
desired to pass our lines, on their way
to Washington as peace commissioners.
Mr.. Lincoln dispatched messenger
Major Eckertl to them, who was in
structed not to allow them to pass our
lines unless they consented to come for
an informal conference on the basis Of
his note above mentioned, in which he
expressed willingness to receive con-
missioners Informally with a view Of
securing peace to the people of Our eo,a-
men country
President Lincoln then dispatched
secretary Seward to meet the rebel COM
missioners with definite instructions to
make knowu TO them that three things
are Indispensable to wit;
First: The restoration Of the National
authority throughout all the States:
Second No recedng by the Execu-
tive of the United States on the slavery
question from the position assumed
thereon in the late Annual Message to
Congress and in the preceding docu-
ments
Third: No cessation o. hostilities
snotsS c. au end Of the war and the dis
banding OF all forces hostile TO the Gov
eminent.
All propositions of the rebel commits
sfonefS, not inconsistent with the above
conditions Were 10 be considered 10 a
spirit OF. sincere liberality, while The
Secretary was Instructed that he was
not TO assume to definitely consummate
anything. After dispatching Mr.. Sew
ard, the president received q telegram
from Major Eckert saying that the re-
ply OF the rebel commissioners 70 his
letter, transmitting 10 them his instruc-
tions above mentioned, was not satis-
factory and the president was accord
ingly about to recall Secretary Seward,
when he received q dispatch from Gen.
Grant which changed his purpose. Gen.
Grant telegra phed that he was convinc-
ed from conversation with Messrs. Ste.
phens and Hunter, two of the commits
missiosers, that their intentions we're
good and their desire sincere TO restore
peace and Union, and he expressed re-
gret that Mr.. Lincoln himself could not
have Gn interview with them. On re-
seiviug this, Mr. Lincoln determined to
proceed to Hampton Roads himself and
eelegraphed Secretary Seward and Gen.
Grant accordingly. The interview took
place on board a steamer in Hampton
Roads, and this is what the president
says of it:
On the morning Of the 81 the three
gentlemen, hpessrs. Stephens, Hunter
and Campbell, came aboard OF our
steamer, and had an interview with the
Secretary of State and myself of several
hours duration. No question OF prelim.
inaries to the meeting was then and
there made or mentioned No other per-
son was present. No papers were ev-
changed or produced, aua it was in ad.
vance agreed that the conversation was
TO be informal and verbal mereIv n,
our part the whole substancs of tho y;
Structtons to the Secretary OF S,ato
herein before recited was stated and in
ssisted upon, and nothing was said in
consistent Herewith; while nv ths
ether party 1t was not said that IN anv
event or on any condition thew ever
5would consent TO reunion; and vet thew
equally omitted to declare that they
wonid not SO consent. They seemed ~
|uesire postponement Of that onsstios,
and that the adoption of SOME otbe,
course first, which as some oF tbar,
Seemed to argue might or might not
sea' 70 o reunion, but which cop~ae YyS
Thought would amount t, an indeSnito
P9stponemeHt. The conference cn.ad
without result. ''"'o thseo
appended 10 President Lincolps mes
!rase giving The above Information 20
So"seess s'the oony OF sis,atrb Nv,