The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1865-04-01
PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
The late Peace Conference.

FROM an account Of the Conference Jetue.n
tho Rebel Commissioners and President Lincoln
and Mr.. Seward NJ Fortress Monroe, Feb l, in
the New York Her4ld, we copy the following
THE CyEDALITY or THE ESTERvIEw.
The interview between the President and Mr.
Seward on one side, and Ne-Srs- Stephens. camp
5ell. and Hunter. on the other, was, according %
ali accounts, exceedingly pleasant u ali con-
cerned. Nothing occurred u mar the harmony
or good feeling during the entire interview.
What the South desired was stated freely, with
out any buster OF sIperCillJusne-s. The Presi-
dent informed them that the people Of the North
would not entertain for . moment the idea Of a
settlement short Of restoration Of the Union and
full obedience 20 the laws by the people Of the
Southern States that be was simply the agent Of
rhe p-yple Of the United States, and could not,
~ he desired it, consent % any other basis Of set
Element. The whole affair was q sort Of recon-
nDis-lnce by the consulting parties on both sides.
Blair went u Richmond a. a scout IN the peace
business. made certain sJundIngs. asccTtained the
views Of Davis and other officials, and reported
that affairs were In = favorable shape for the
termination Of the war. The cJnditfsh Of mind
which be- found many Of the lead rs in, gave 10
the administrator here great hope that II could
b. terminated at once, and, a. has been hereto
fore stated in this correspondence Blairs mis-
sion was . success % the full extent that was
contemplated when he first commenced. Through
him the Administrative aScertained fully the ele-
1870 '-@ 80 NN- N@-% 'Ata " . t~ 1850
the different leaders stood OH the question OF set
tiement. lie a~certainei facts which presented
the whole affair IN = far different light than was
expected.
Blair having returned on his second mission a.
= peace scout, aud having, by his statements.
convinced the ) ,uthern leaders that there WAS a
way open for their return - the Union, Messrs.
Stephens, Campbell, and Hunter were theFeupOn
sent on u reconnaissance 10 ascertain if what
Blair said did actually exist.
.-~ --- ,---.- .--
There IS no truth whatever in the statement
extensively circulated that the rebel Commission
ers demanded recognition, and refused u enter
into Negotiations, except ON that basis. The {
whole question Of peace and the views Of the twO.
sections We're talked over in a general way. Ste
phens and his associates did not, IN all Of this
general conversation, intimate whether they
would or would not accept anything else but
and Independence. What they did
was, that they did not desire u fix any ulti-
tnatum as = starting point in their negotiations.
The ultimatum was Il question which. In their
should be arrived ut through negotiation
y the terms OF settlement, and not fixed a. the
point They asked that Commissioners
vested with full powers TO treat on peace, should
D. appointed by both sides, and that there should
ps an arlnistics while negotiations were pending.
This was the sum and substance Of their demand,
they claimed was necessary 10 work their
people up 10 the point Of reunion or anv other
demand Ut the Federal Government. This il, 10
BE- sure, an adroit way Of getting 1T the question
IF peace, and no doubt means more than appears
IN the surface.
Mr.. LINCOLS's THREE POINTS.
The President and Mr.. Seward refused to grant
IN armlstIce FOX 4 single day. Mr.. Lincoln in
ormed them that there We're three points which
ie would not yield
l. That no armistice would be granted for a
ingle day.
.. That a united country was the ONLY basis
pom which peace could be obtained. I;e-tora-
ion of the Union and full obedience to the laws
y the people Of the Southern States We're the
Ine qua nom
3. That the action Of Congress in regard TO
lavery should BE- recognized as the Laws Of the
lnd-meaning in this the constitutional amend
lent. .
Mr.. Lincoln insisted that reunion should be the
Of settlement, and that Il united country
iould be the groundwork Of all negotiations.
rebel gentlemen were unwilling to consent to
he appointment of Commissioners unless an
rmistice We're granted while negotiations were
ending at least they held that they had not the
over To bind the South 10 such action without
armistice. Mr.. Lincoln positively refused the
rmistice, and the other point, in reference TO re-
MON and a united country, was not talked over.
was not said whether they would consent to
nat or not. They had not the power to treat for
eace. If an armistice were refused il would
'nder all formal talk on other points useless.
ne armistIce was the sticking point, and on that
iey>went back to Richmond TO report progress l
nd ask for Instructions. But this is the whole
ling In . nutshell. rs 1t will be found when the
icial report of the affair is made. The rebel
commissioners appeared to think that Il tempo {
NV cessation Of h~OstIlities was necessary To work I
ne people OF the South up 70 the basis Of reunion !
18th the North. Here Is where the formal talk {
lded. There was considerable Informal CONVEX
ltiOu. during which almost everything connected I
ith tine rebellion was talked over, as well as the I
sues and changes which have been brought about q
: virtue OF the war. The interview ended with 5
,rfect good feeling, and the negotiating parties !
parated in the very best of humor. The part
z greeting was rs cordial and happy as that of I
e best of friends could be. The rebel Commits u
Oners returned To RichmO the President and I
T. Seward to Washington. o
OUR ULTINATUN. .
There Is one popularity in regard to all the
imoTs which have been in circulation since Mr.. :,
ncOln returned, and that is the perfect accord q
all on the point that neither the President nor u
T. Seward varied 4 hairs breadth from the !
Ssition that no settlement can be had, no peace o
stained, except upon the basis of a united cOun- r
y, 4 Union under one flag, from the lakes to the il
III. There were no IFS or ands in regard 10 the r
position on this. If the South were :,
t satisfied before, they must be now that under r
circumstances with the people of the North d
nsent to a division OF the country. If the rebel n
lders are 50 desIrOus of an armistIce, they can h
{ one that will be permanent by LAYING down -
cir arms and returning TO their allegiance, and :
the same time be received BY the North with
en- arms and welcomed back into the Union =
d. lie may be necessary To give the South T,
other eye opened before they accept the terms a
reunion. But it VIII not take more than one =.
Ire of the Importance of Fort Fisher to accom- r
ish that, and that they will soon be visited with II
the shape of a Union victory within n very u
Ort time The day of peace and reunion cam If
{ therefore. be q great way off, even If IL take RI