Evening star., 1865-02-09
LATE FROM RICHMOND.

Return of the Rebel DeputatiOn-EXcite-
ment in r Ic hm nd over the Failure of tn e
Negetiations-The 4 e bel Leaders Trying
to Fire the Hearts of the People-Sher-
mans Movements.
The Richmond Dispatch OF the 9th Monday
has the following OF interest:
Return Of the Peace Commisstoners-Lin-
coins Terms.
The great news of the day is the return to
Richmond OF our peace commissioners, Messrs.
Stephens, Hunter and Campbell. They re-
turned as they had gone-via Petersburg-and
reached this city Saturday night. The result
of their mission was Immediately made known
that there is no prospect OF peace. Mr.. Lin
coins only terms were unconditional sub
mission to the laws and Constitution OF the
United States.
All the particulars of their trip, and of what
had passed at the conference between them and
Lincoln and Seward, have not transpired. We
will state 80 much as mas coEe to our knowl-
| edge on this subject, and Which we know 10 be
authentic:
On reaching Fortress Monroe, they were met
by Mr. Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State;
and our commissioners expressing desire to
see Mr.. Lincoln, he was sent for, and came
Immediately. Our commissioners had five
hours free and unrestrained con versation with
him, the alI.important part Of which may be
briefly told.
MIR. Lincoln said ne had no proposition to
make to the people of the South, except that
they must lay down their arms and submit un-
condtionally to the laws and Constitution Of
the United States; the terms upon which they,
together, must be settled afterwards. He would
exert himself to make the conditions as favor
able to the people Of the South as possible. but
he could not interfere with the laws or Con-
stItution Of the United States. The question
of slavery had passed beyond his control It's
abolition had been decreed by the Congress of
the United States, and would be ratified by the
Legislatures OF the loyal States, without ex-
ception.
Having heard this ultmatu our commits
soners returnen without delay.
Rnfh
Legislature will to. day request Mr.. Stephens
to deliver public address tonight, or at any
time that may better suit his convenience. We
hope that il the weather will permit the ad-
dress will be delivered on the Uapiol Sluare.
No room in the city will accom- mmodate one
bfth of the people who would crowd 70 hear
Mr.. Stephens An audience OF twenty tnous-
and persons may certainly be counted upon,
and the African Church, the largest building
we have, will not held more than twenty five
hundred persons. Mr. Stephens's delicate
health would make It imprndent for him 10
attempt to speak II the open air at night. But
he might select his cwn hour-twelve, one,
or two O'Clock in the Gay. We Tvnst that this
suggestion Will be considered.
Rebel War Meeting.
Extra Billy Smith, present Governor of W.
ginia, issued tbs following call for swar meet
ing: ou,c. r., ,.ee ~
the citizens Of Richmond, and Virginia gener-
ally, and the citizens Of other States who may
be sojourning here, to meet met mo % this eyening' ~
respond to the swer made By President Lin
coin to the Confederate deputies sent to confer
with him on the subject OF peace.
WILLIAM ShfITR, Governor OF Virginia.
Abolition of Slavery by the United States
Congress.
1t Will be seeIi by our extracts from Northern
Journals that the Yankee Congress have passed
an amendment t9 the Constitution abolisHing
slavery throughout the. U United States, which,
in their acce eptaticn of that term, means also
the Confederate States. Before this 3mendn1eng
can become q law of the UniLed StEtes proper,
it must Se ratified by the Legislatures OF two
thirds of oil the States, including tie States OF
the Confeasracy, or by con Fention Of TWO thirds
OF all. TAe Yankees have twenty eight States,
all of which, their papers say. will ratIfy the
amendment, thus giving Il the ratification Of
the necessary two thirds. Whether the law
shall ever be carrieGinto erect rs regards these
Confederate States remains to be decided By
the sword.
FPem South Carolina.
There was report current yesterday that
Sherman had reached and was de stroytnP the
Augusta railroad az Mid way, ten miles east OF
Bran ch vile, but no intelligence in confirmsa.
ton of this was received the War Depart
ment. According 20 ofhcialad vices, Sherman
was still twenty five or thirty miles south of
Branchville. An Augusta paper, received
Yesterday, says thss two corps OF Skermaa's
are on the Georgia side of the Savannah river.