The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-02-18
WAsHINGTON, February 10.
10 the Honorable the House of Representa-


10 the Honorable the House Of Representa-
tues:
In response to your resolution of the Sth
instant, requesting information in relation
to conference recently held in Hampton
Roads, I have the honor to state that, on
the day Of that date, gave Francis p.
Blair, Sem, card written on as follows:
ALLOW the bearer, +. p. Blair, Sen., to
pass our lines, TO 20 South and return.
(Signed) "A. LINCOLN"
That, at the time, was informed that
Mr.. Blair sought the card as means OF
no authority to speak or act for the Govern
ment, nor was / informed of anything he
would say or do, on his own account or
otherwise. Mr.. Blair told me that he had
been in Richmond, and had seen Davis;
and Blair at the same time left manu-.
script letter. rs follows, tO-wit:
"RlcHMoND, VA, Jan. IL, 1865.
"F. P. BLAIR, Esq.-Sir: l have deemed
itproper, and probably desirable to you, to
give you. in this form, the substance Of the
remarks made by me, to be repeated by
you to President Lincoln. have no dis
> position to find obstacles in forms, and am
willing now, as heretofore, to enter into
negotiations for the restoration Of peace.
am ready 20 send q commission whenever
/ have reason TO suppose it will be received1
. or to receive commission. If the United
States Governments shall choose tosend one.
Notwithstanding the rejection of our for
mer offers, would, If yon could promise
that commissioner or other agent would
be received, appoint one Immediately, and
rsnew the effort TO enter into conference
with a view TO secure peace to the coun-
triW
Yours, ETC., JEFF. DAVIS"
Afterwards. with the view that it should
be shown 10 Davis, wrete and delivered
/ to Blair . letter, as follows:
ASN q Y0n n
e"F. p. BLAIR, Esq. - You having shown
me Mr.. Davis letterto you on the 18th in
: slant, you may say to him that have con-
stantly been, am now, and shall continue,
ready to receive any agent whom he orany
other influential person now resisting the
me, with view of securing peace to the
~ " - " "A. LINCOLN
Afterwards M. Blair dictated and au.
I thorized me to make an entry on the back
OF my retained copy Of the letter last above
given, which is as follows: 81
JANUARY o, 1865.
To-day Mr.. Blair tells me that, on the
2lst inst, he delivered to Mr.. Davis the
original Of which the within is a COPY. and
left It with him that at the time of deliv-
ering 1t, Mr.. Davis read it over twice in
Mr.. Blair's presence, at the close of which
he (Blair) remarked that thepart about our
s one common country related to the part OF
Mr.. Davis letter about the two countries,
4 to which Davis replied that he 90 under.
stood II. A, LINCOLN.,
Then follow number Of teleerams re-
lating to the admission Of Stephens. HIM.
ter and Campbell into our lines, there nav-
ing been some delay consequent on theah.
sence Of Gen. Grant. The President then
says:]
tary Of War telegraphed Cenaral Or,1 -.
follows:
"WAR DEPARTMENT.
WARRINGTON, Jan. 30. 1S65-lO30 q. M
"Major Generald Ord, Headquarters Army
sB9 ~ dirscsien is%e; Of the President, you AZ.
Stephens, Hunter and Campbell-that q
messenger will be dispatched TO them 1t OF
near where they now are, without unneces-
/. Sary delay.
(Signed) s'E. NJ. STANTON.
s Secretary Of War"
IS. Afterwards prepared, and put into the
hands Of Major Thomas T. Eckert. the fol.
lowing instructions and message:
"ExECUT1vE MANSION, l
s.Major T. 7. Eckert:
Il ''Slr: You will proceed with the docu-
ments placed in your hands, and, on reach
In General Ord, will deliver him the letter
addressed to him by the Secretary Of War.
Then, by General Ord's assistance, procure
m interview with Stephens, Hunter and
Campbell, OF any of them. Deliver to him
8 Or them the paper on which your own let
,ter IL written. Note on the COPY which
You retain the time Of delivery and 70
whom delivered. Receive their answer IN
writing, waiting . reasonable time for It,
which, If It contain their decision to come