Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1865-03-01
INSTRUCTIONS TO Mr.. SEWARD.

1O' HoNer'' however, going ahead of him:
executive Mansion, Washing-l
ri ~ ton, January 81, 1865.
iIoa W. II. Seward, ,Secreiary of ,Slot,
You will proceed to Fort Monroe. Va
there to meet and informally confer will
Messrs stephens, Hunter and Caronhal
on the basis of my letter O L. P. Blair,
Esq, OF January l8 1865, COPY of which
! you nave. You viii make known to them
that 'hree things are indispensable, viz.
f"St, The restoration Of the national
authority throughout all the States
Second, No recedng by the Exeoutive
of the United States on ibe slavery Hnes'
ton from the position assumed thereon in
!he Iale annual message to Copgress aud
in preceding documents.
IhTd, No cessation of hoslilities short
OF an end OF the war and the disbandinc
OF all the forces hostile 10 the Government
1ou Will inform them that all proposi.
'ions OF theirs not inconsistent with the
above will be considered and passed upon
IN spirt OF sincere liberality. Yod will
near all they chose to say and report il to
me. You will not assume to definitely
consummate nything. Yours, &c,
- iAAANNSIAN.
THE CONFERENCE NOT TO INTERFERE wITn
THE WAR.
On the day of its date the following tele.
gram was sent 10 Gen. Grant:
War Department, Washing
ton, Feb, |. 1865.
Lieut.. Gen, Grant, City Point. Va.
Let nothingwhich is stranspiring change
hinder, or delay your military movements
or plans: A. LINCOLN.
Sent in cipher ar 0 80, A. VI.
Afterwards the following dispatch was
received from General Grant,
Office us, Military Telegraph.
| IN cipher War Department.
The following telegram, received at
Washing, 80, pm, Feb j, 1865.
From City Point, Feb /, 'G5, Il. 80 p. m.
lbs Egcsl. Il. Lincoln, President U. States
Your dispatch received There will be-
no armistice in consequence of the pres.
ence OF Mr.. Stephens and others within
our lines. The troops are kept in readi-
ness to move at the shortest notice if oc.
casion should Justify it.
U. s. GRANT, Lieut.. Gen,.
10 notify Major Eckert that the Secre
-tary-oi State would be at Fortress Mon
roe. and TO put them in communication,
the following communication was sent.
war Department.
Washington. d. g. Feb |, 1865
AVor T. 7. Eckert, care General Grant, Gin
Point, uginia.
Call at Fortress Monroe and put YOUR.
sci! under direction of Mr.. Seward, whom
you will find there, n
A. LINCOLN
On the morning of the "a inst the fol
lowing telegrams were received by me re.
spectiyely from the Secretary ofState and
Major Eokert:
Fort Monroe, Va, Feb |. 1866
III 30 PM.
Tile President qfhe United States:
arrived at ten this evening Richmond
party not here, Iyemain here.
w. II. SEWARD.
City PoinI, Va, Feb, /, 1865
10 P. NJ.
His Ercsl!sacy 4. Lincoln, President I'M
ted States
have the honor to report The delivery
of your communication and my letter at
t l5 this afternoon, TO which received
reply at 6 P, NJ, but not satisfactory.
Ar S 7. NJ, the following note. address
ed TO General Graut, was receiyed.
City Point, Va, Fec !, 1865
70 lieutenant General Grant.
SIR: We desire to 90 to Washinton TO
confer informally with President Lincoln
in reference 10 the matters
in his letter to Mr.. Blair of
Of the 18th January, ult. Without any
personal compromises on any question
ON the letter, We have the permission to
10 so from the authorities 10 Richmond
Very respectfully, yours.
ALEX. II. STEPHENS,
X, NJ. Y. HUNTER,
j. A CAMPBELL.
At 9. 30 Z. NJ. | notified them that
they could not proceed further unless
they complied with the terms expressed
in my letter. The point of meeting des-
guated in the above note ought not, in
ny opinion, TO be insisted upon. think
Fort Monroe would be acceptable. Hay
ng complied with my instructions, will
'cturn to Washington tomorrow, unless
otherwise ordered
THOMAS 7. ECKERT, Major, etc.
GENERAL GRANTS BELIEF THAT THE REBELS
WERE DISPOSED TO SUBMIT.
On ready this dispatch of Major Eckert
was about to recall him and the Secre-
ary OF State, when the following telegram
rom General Grant 10 the Secretary Of
War was shown me-
Office L S. Military Telegraph.
War Department
In cipherl
The following telegram was received at
Washington 35 a. NJ, February I'd
1865, from City Point:
February l. 1SG5-lO 30 2, NJ.
Hon Ei,0ara " Stanton, Secretary Of War
Now that the interview between Major
Eckert. under his written instructions,
and Mr.. Stephens and party has ended, |
viii state confdentially, but not official
10 TO become a matter of record, that !
I'M convinced, upon conversation with
uessrs. Stephens and Hunter, thdt their
Intentions are good and their desire sin
ere to restore peace and union. j have
lot felt myself at liberty 10 express any
Jews Of my own or 10 account for my
eticence.
This has placed me in an awkward pos
ion, which could have avoided by not
aeing them in the first instance now
,ar their going back without any express