Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1865-02-22

fdlpn. :lone determine whether tney arc ~ee ~
Daol.e The treaty Of peace concluded ~ dauas-
Hidalgo was secured by an irregular e nego" ~
Npe nIar he ban of the Government Some OF
pn ahu u,s vLich have been made to bring ABOUT
10 sn '.;ons with the view to end our civil val,
tsots.lvm'to the whole world, because they nave
y 1no.a foreign as we'll as domestic agents. yin
ppl ~ vhom YOU have had to deal COMMENTARY
II H WIN IN Yourself although they have not pub
" kno" Other efforts have occurred here, |
bh "s ..o Known only othe persons actually mo. i
shlc!n them and to this Government au nov to |
Gns e,r YOUR information, An account OF an anar
r.. ~ .,me general character, which recently 70.
dlnSs much attention here, and which wilt doubt
CIV .,cits inquiry abroad.
low 's..ned FROM the President simple leave to |
pna o.S.onch our military lines without. definite
p'ss Snown to the Government. Mr.. Blair visited
hsss and, on bis return, he showed. to the
BcnIpUt, letter which jefferson Davis had written
Preslu'Tp .;r in which Mr.. Davis wrote that Ar.
MI At liberty to say to President Lincoln that
B'In w.. ,s WAS now, Is he always had been, willing
W. pi commissioners, il assured they would Do
." or to receive any that should be sent that
re.. not disposed to find obstacles in FORMS de
n,n .end commissioners to confer with the Pres'
dent with view OF the ens =, that
,.,en the two countries ne 'ou'0 70 assures
hey p,ssdent therefore, on the 18th day Of Jan.
Ine .adressed note to Mr. Blair, in which the
uiry! liter acknowledging that he had read the
fe''u " W. Davis, said that be was, and always
,oVe ,a he willing to receive any agent that Mr.. ia.
'noun NV other influential person now actually re-
W, y. .hs authority of the Government might send
s..ns Informally with the President with view
Sa restoration Of peace to the people OF our COM
non country. AZ. ,....- and
,A.o again came back to Washington. On tne zstn
m'u 20 ~s were advised from the camp Of Lleuten:
n, G.nsr.l Grant that Alexander II. Stsphenst K
y Hunter and John A. Campbell, were apply
=. FIR leave to pass through the lines to Washing
Ut a. pe,ce commisssners, to confer with the
p.ssa;d.nt. They were permitted by the Lieuten-
-, General to come to- his headquarters, to await
,bsre tho decision Of the President. Major Eckert
"a, sent down to meet the party from Richmond at
c.oer.l Grants headquarters. The Major WAS d.
acted to deliver to them copy of the Presidents
latter to Mr.. Blair, with note to De addIssseu
h.m and. signed by the Major, in " hich they were
directly informed that they should % aiioweu "
a.s, o1r lines They would be understood IS com
nv an ;nfnrmsl conference upon the basis Of the
.9S,e.nan,sd letter Of the 18th Of January to Ar.
Blair. o,d;
II thew should express their assent ID this condf
inn in writing, then Major Eckert was directed 70
i've them safe conduct to Fortress Monroe. Wne!e
: n.rson coming from the. President would meet
,hsm It being thought probable, from report OF
". conversation with Lieutenant General Grant,
that the Richmond party would, in the manner pre-
scrbed accept the condition mentioned, the Secre.
,r, of State was charged by the President with Inc
dntv Of representing this Government IN the ex.
u.c;ed informal conference The Secretary arrived
!. fortress Monroe in the night Of the Ist day OF
P,bru,ry. Major Eckert met him OF the morning
.fth. Cd of February, with the information that
III. nersons who had come from Richmond, had not
..capted in writing the condition upon which be
..s allowed to give them conduct to. Fortress Mon
~. The Major had given the same information
Nv telegraph to the President at Washington. Or
r.csivinr this information the President prepared
telegram directing the Secretary toreturn to wash
ington.
The Secretary was preparing, at the ,ams mo
nent, to so return, without waiting Tor in'olnsuo'
from the President But at this juncture LIeuten
ant. General Grant telegraphed to the Secretary Q
war As we'll as to the Secretary Of State, that tn
nsrty from Richmond had re-cons'dered and &C
ssnted the condition rendered thea: through 4ajo
Fckert and General Grant urgently ADVISED tn
President to confer in person with the Richmon
n,rtv Under these circumstances the Secretary
tv tho Presidents direction, remained 1t Fortres
Monroe, and the President joined him there on tn
night Of the Cd Of February.
The Richmond party was brought down the JAM
Rvsr in 4 Unite6.xates steam transport, during tt
d,y and the transport was anchored in Hampte
Roads. on the morning of the 3d. The Presiden
ted by the Secretary, received Nessrs: st
uhens. Hunter and Campbell on board the Unite
States steam transport River Queen, in Hampto
Roads.
The conference was altogether informal Their
va no attendance Of secretaries, clerks or witne
,ea Nothing was written or read. The convers
ton, although earnest and free, was calm courteo,
and kind on both sides. The Richmond party
preached the discussion rather indirectly, and at
time did they make categorlcat demands, or tena
formal stipulations or absolute refusals neverth
less. during the conference, which lasted four hour
the several points at issue between the Governme
and the insurgents were distinctly raised and d
cussed fully, ntelhgently, and in an amicable spir
What the insurgent party seemed chiefly to fAv
Wa postpoa sment of the question Of Sepratp
upou which the war was waged, and a mutual d
scton of the efforts of the Government as well
those of the insurgents to some extraneQus pole
or scheme for season, during which passions mig
BE- sxpected to subside, and the armies be reduce
and trade and intercourse between the people
both sections be resumed. r. z,.,,i =. -
It Wa suggested by them that through such POI
psnement we might now have immediate peas
With some, not very certain, prospects Of an vi
mate satisfactory adjustment Of political relatio
between the Government and tho States, section
people now engaged in conflict with it. The 81
g.stion, though deliberately considered, was nsv,
thslsss regarded BY the President as ono Of arm
tee or truce, and he announced that we dan .gI
to no cessation or suspension of hostilties exec
% tho basis Of the disbandonment Of the insurge
forces and the restoration Of the national authori
throughout all the STATES in the Union collateral
and in subordnation to the proposition which q
thus announced.
The anti.slavery policy Of the United States v
nviswed in ell it, bearings, and the President
nounced that he must not be expected to dep
nom the positions be had heretofore assumed
bis proclamation Of emancipation and other doc
nsnts, as these positions were reiterated in his
nusl message.
TWAS further declared by the President that
complete restoration of the national author
everywhere was an indispensable condition OF a
assent on our part to whatever form of peace mIl
b proposed The President assured the other pa
that while he must adhere to these positions
Hnt,tA H. ln1s m