The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1865-02-15
'E'ne Presidents gscssRgs on the
{ ~-' Peace Conference,


@'4 Peace Conferences.
WASHINuToN, Feb. 10.
7s tke Iioa0rrJle the House 'cf Repesea,
tahrGs.: -.,.-. .. "a, --... ,.. p
In response to your resolution. of the 0th
inst, reQueAti ting information iii relation to
= conference recently held in Hampton
Roads ! have the homer to state thai on
the day OF the date gave Francis r Blair,
seuior, "a card written as follows;
ALLOW the bearer, +. Z, Blair, Sr. to
pass our lines to 80 South and return,
ESiyned ~ p A. LINCOLN. .
That at the time was Informed that Mr.
Blair sought the card as means Of getting
10 Richmond. Va, but he was given no ap-
thprity to speak or act for the Government,
nor WIS | informed Of anything, he would
cay or do on his own account, Uf otherwise,
Mr.. Blair told-ln that he had been to Rich
lMond aud had seen Davis, and he Blair at
the same time lett with me manuscript
letter 40 follows, to wit;
RICHMOND, VA, Jan, u, 1863.
F. !, Blair, Esq. . ,-' o..
Sill haye. leenel it proper, and prob
sblx desirable TO you, to give you an this
turu the substance Of the remarks By me to
lSrepeated By you to President Lmcoin. -.
( have no disposition 10 find obstacles III
forms am willing now as heretofore, to
cutter into negotiations for the restoration Of
peace. ! am rcadyto send a commission
whenever | have reason to suppose it will
he rsceivcd, Or toreceiyc commission il,
the'tI. = Government shall choose to sclid
one Notwithstanding the rejection Of our
for,ier offers, I would, If you could promise
that n commissioner or minister or other
agent would be received, appoint one i'm
IA, fl,o int ~
aconfercncc with view to secure peace to
the two countries.
Yours, &c. JEFF. DAVIS" d,
Afterwards, with the view that it should
he shown to Davis, twrotc amt delivered to
MIR Blair, a letter as follows.
X ''S +. WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, 1865.
r. r. Bar, Esq.
'tSiR-You having shown ME Mr.. Davis
letter to you ON the l2th inst, you may say
g, him llia1 Il have constantly been, am nov
and shall continue ready to receive any
.geut whom he. or any other influential per,
ron, now resisting the National authority
may informally send lie, with view Of Sc
curing peace to our common country.
STnedl A LINCOLN"
Afterwards Mr.. Blair asked for@permis
sion and was authorized to make an entry OF
the hack of my retained copy Of the lettu.
hist above rccited which is as follows
january 2Sth, 1865.
To DAY, Mr.. Blair told me that on the 2ls
lie delivered to Mr.. Davis the original 0
which the within is copy, and left it viii
him; that at the time of delivering it Mr.
Dav:s read it over twice in Mr.. Blair's pres
rnce; at the close of which. be Blair re-
marked that paragraph tour one common
country related to the part Of Mr.. Davis
letter about the two countries to which
Davis replied that he SO understood it..
Signed A. LINCOLN"
Here follow a number Of kilograms rcla
ting TO the admission Of Stephens. Hunter
and Campbell into our lines, there hav
ing been some delay consequent Gu the alb
sence OF Genera! Grant. The President thel
:. says:
tsry Of War tclcgraphed General Ord a
follows: -i-..,., .,..-
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON,
Jan. 80, A. NJ, 1868
"1nni Gen. Ord, .Headqtq,ters Arp,y Of tn
I1tontac:: .v ,.-.s......vz ...-,
by direction of the President you ar
instructed to inform the gentlemen (Stc
phens. Hunter. and Gampbell that a mess
enger will be dispatched to them at or nea
where they now are, without unneccssar
delay
lSigned II. NJ. STANTON,
Secretary Of War"
Afterwards prepared and put into tn
hands of Major Thomas T. Eckert the fol
lowing Instructions and message;
EXECUTIVE MANSION
WAsHINGToN, Jan, 30th. !
! 4Naier Z. T.. Echers' ~.
SIR-You viii proceed with The document
placed in your hands, and on reaching Gen
Ord will deliver him the letter addressed b.
the Secretary of War; then by Genera
f. Ord's assistance, procure an interviey
with,Stephens, Hunter and Campbell, o
any Of theal, and deliver TO him or then
the papers on which your own letter is writ
fn. Note on copy which you retain tn
time OF delivery and to whom delivered, :
Receive their answer. ia writing, waiting
reasonable time for it, and which, if it con
Z tsah their design Ia come through Blthou
further dssign. to come through without fur
ther conditions, vii be your warrant to asl
Gen. Ord to pass-tlcm through as directed
in the letter Of the Secretary Of War; II
hy their answer, they decline to come, o
. propose other terms, do not have them pas
through; and this, Icing your whole duty
return and report to me.
Yours truly, A. LINCOLN.
Messrs. Aiera,cler H. Stephens, j. 4
(ampLtHoaa r. NJ r. IfNgtr!:
(,ENTs-I am instructed by the Prcsidcn
OF the United States to place this paper il
your hands, with information that if you *
through the United States military lines i
will be understood that if you do so for th'
purpose of an informal conference on th'
basis Of that letter, copy of. which is OF
the reverse side of this sheet and that j
Z you choose to pass on such understanding
and 50 nifty me in writing, l will procure
the commanding General TO pass you thro
the lues and to Fortress Monroe, undel
such military protection as you may, deem
prudent, and at which place you will be nne'
IN due time By some person or persons foi
the purpose lef auch informal conference
.pd further, that JoI shah have projections
VIA conduct anu :afe return IN al events,
Signed -TH0S. 1aECIsERT
,ss.i Maier and Aid-ls camp.g
Nv Point; Va. Fob is'asfs, -. ~,otI