The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1865-02-16
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY ls, lss
aA-As-s=-=-=11-=-=== -
TAePeacs ConE.rence..sec. Stewards lie
-ssterst0 Mr.. Adams, giving a full account.
al lga,ssa9 DEPARTMENT or STATE !
A-x1a.~-l. 49, WASHINGTON, Feb. e..S
Sin It is q truism that in times
peace there are always instigators Il
war: SO soon ~ war begins there al
citizens who emphaticalIy demand nego
-tiations Of peace. The advocates of va
after an agitation longer or shorter gen
orally gains their fearful end, thong
the war declared is not unfrequently III
necessary and unwise. So peace agita
tation in time of war ultimately bring
about an Abandonment of the conflict
sometimes without securing the advan
tages which we're originally expecte
from the conflict. The agitation for wa
in time of peace, and for peace in tim
Of war are not necessarily or perhaps or
dinsrily unpatriotic in their purpose OF
motives. Results alone determine whe;h
er they are wise or unwise. The treat,
OF peace concluded at Guadoloupe Hi
dslgo was secured by 40 irregular nego
tiation. Some of the efforts which hav,
been made to briug about negotiation.
with . view to end cur civil war arr
known to the whole world, because they
have employed foreign, as well as domes.
tic agents. Others with whom you have
had to deal con6dcntially, are known to
yourself, although they have not public.
lyrtranspired. Other efforts have occur.
red here, which are known only to the
persons actually moving in them, and to
this Government. l am now to give for
your information an account of 90 affair
of the same general character, which re
Gently received much attention here, and
which doubtless will excite inquiry
abroad.
A few days ago Francis P. Blair, ESQ,
obtained from the President simple let,
Ter to pass through our line, without
definite views known to the Government.
MI. Blair visited Richmond, and on his
return he showed to the President letter
which JEFF Davis had written to Mr..
Blair, 10 which Davis wrote that Blair
was At liberty to say to President Lincoln
that Jet. Davis was now, as he always
had been, willing to send Commissioners,
It assured that they would be received, or
to. receive any that might be sent that
ne vas not disposed to fnd obstacles in
Forms; that he would send Commission
eEs to confer with the President with a
view to , restoration of peace between
The countries, if he could be assured thew
would be received. The President.
:heretore, on the 18th of January ad
dresses note to Mr.. Blair, 10 which the
President, after acknowledging that he
lad received the note of Mr.. Davis, said
hat he was and always should be willing
% receive any agents that Mr.. Davis or
es;.ting the sut6oiif,y Of the government n;,11
night send to confer Informally with the
'resident, with . view to tho restoration
{ peace to tho people Of our common f
onotry.
Nr Blair visited Richmond with the f
'tter, and then again came back to u
On the goth ult we we're t,
dvised from the camp Of Lieut.. General s.
rant that A. II. Stephens, r. NJ. T. s.
luoter, and J. A. Campbell were apply. is
IS for leave to pass through the lines to
Y ashipgton as peace Commissioners to 81
onfer with the President. They were o
permitted by the Lieutenant General to e
ZONE to his headquarters, to await there
he decision of the President. Major +
Eckert was sent down to meet the party ,
rom Richmond at Gen Grants head : $
quarters. The Major was directed to t
deliver to them copy of the Presidents |
etter to Mr.. Blair, with note to be ad. |
dressed to them, and signed by the Major, ,
10 which they were directly informed
that il they should be allowed to pass
our lines, they would be understood as
coming for an informal conference upon
the basis of the aforesaid letter of Janua.
~ 10th, to Mr.. Blair. If they should
express their assent to this condition 10
writing, then Major Eckert was directed :
TO give them safe conduct to Fortress
Monroe, when a person coming from the
President would meet them 1t being
thought probable from report of their
with Lieut.. Gen. Grant,
that the Richmond party would in the
manner prescribed, accept the condition
the Secretary of State was
charged by the President with tho duty
Of representing this Government 10 the
Informal conference The Sec
rotary arrived at Fortress Monroe in the
night Of the lst day of February. Major
Eeckert met him on the morning of the
I'd, with information that the persons
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 telegraph to the
President at Washington
On receiving this information the
President prepared a telegram, directing
The Secretary to return to Washington.
The Secretary was preparing at the same
to so return without waiting for
information from the President, but at
this juncture Lieut.. Gen Grant tele-
graphed to the Secretary of War, as we'll