Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-02-14

Guiding communications with the Rebel Jefferson
Davis, and any correspondence relating thereto, has
the homer to report that the Senate may properly
be referred to u special message of.the President,
bearing upon the subject OF the resolution, aud
transmitted to the House this day date. Appended
TO this report is copy of an instruction which has
been addressed to Charles Francis ADAMS, Esq,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plehpotentiary
of the United States i'll London, and which IL the
only correspondence found in this Department
touching the subject referred to 10 the resolution.
Respectfully submitted, WN. ii. SEWARD.
Mr.. SEWARD To Mr.. ADAMS.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington Feb. 9, 1865.
Sr,-It is truism that in times Of peace there
are always instigat0rs of war. SO soon war be-
gins there are citizens who npatiently demand ne
EQUATIONS for peace. The advocates Of war, after
agitation longer or shorter generally gain their
fearful end though the war declared Is not unlre
quently unnecessary aud uawise, SO peace a9lta-
tors in time OF war ultimately brng about an aban
donment of the conflict, sometimes without securing
the advantages which originally expected from
the conflict.
| The agitators for war in time of peace, and for
peace IN time Of war, are not necessarily or per
haps ordinarily unpatriotic IN their purposes or
| motives. Results alone determine whether they are
wise Or unwise. The treaty oil peace concluded at
Gaudaloupe Hidalgo was secured by an irregular
| negotiation under the ban OF the government
Jme OF the efforts which have been made 10 BRING
negotiations with view to end our civil war are
known to the whole world, because they have en-
poy ed foreign as well domestic agents. Others,
with whom yUH have had TO deal conndentially ale
l known t0yOursef although they nave not pupnciy
TRANSFERRED.
Otler eiforts have occurred here which are known
only 10 the persons actually moving III them ana TO
this Government. Am now tOgIye, for your ln-
formation, an account OF an affair OF the same gen.
era character, which recently received much aten-
lion here, anu Which doubtless Will excite inquiry
abroad. A few days ago Francis 7, Blair, Esq, VI
/ Maryland obtained from he President simple
leave 10 pass through our military lines without
definite views known to the Government, Mr., Blair
/ visited RchWond, and Oh his return he showed 70
Il the President letter which Jefferson Davis had
written To Mr.. Blair, inyihch Davis wrote thai Mr..
Blair at Liberty to say TO President Lincoln that
l DAVIS was now, rs he had always been, willing TO
send commissioners, If assured they would be re-
ceived, to receive any that should be sent; that
he was not disposed to Ind obstacles in forms. de
would send commissioners ~ coulter with the Presi
dent With view to restoration OF peace between
the two countries, il he could be assured they would
/ be received. The President, therefore, on the 18th
l January, addressed a note to Mr.. Blair, in which
the President after acknowledging that he had read
the Iote OF Mr. Davis, said that he was is, and al
ways should DC willing to receive any agents that Mr.
Davis or any other influential person now actually
resisting the authority OF the Government might
/ send to confer informally with the Presi-
i dent, with a view TO the restoration of
peace to our once common country. Mr.. Blair
visited Richmond with this letter, and then again
| came back to Washington, On the 29th We were
advised from the camp OF Lieutenant General Grant
that Alexander Ii. Stephens, r. NJ I. Hunter and
| John A Campbell were applying Tor leave to pass
| through the lines 10 Washington rs Peace Commits
sioners to confer with the President. They were
permitted by the Lieutenant General to come TO his
headquarters to await there the decision OF the
| President. Major Eckert was sent down 10 meet
the party waiting instructions from the President.
But at this juncture Lieutenant General Grant ele
grdphed TO the Secretary of War, as well as to the
Secretary of State, that the party from Richmond
had reconsdered and accepted the conditions ten
dered TO them through Major Eckert, and General
Grant urgently advised the President to confer in
person with the Richmond party. Under these cir
cumstances, the Secretary, by the Presidents de
rcetion, remained at Fortress Monroe, and the
President joined him there on the night Of the I'd
of February. The Richmond party was brought
down the James river in an U. States steam trans
port during the day. and the transport anchor
/ ed in Hampton Roads.
On tie morning of the 30th the President, at
tended by the Secretary received Messrs Stephens,
/ Hunter and Campbell on board the United States
/ steam transport River Queen, in Hampton Roads
| The conference was altogether Informal There was
no attendance OF secretaries, clerks or other wit
neSses. Nothing was written or read. The CONVEX
sation, although earnest and free, was calm and
courteous and kind on both sides. The Richmond
party approached the discussion rather indirectly,
and at no time did they either make categorical de-
mands tender formal stipulations or absolute re-
prisals Nevertheless, during the conference,
Il which lasted four hours, the several points at
| issue between the Government and the nsur
gents we're distinctly raised, and discussed fully,
Il integently, and IN an amlcable spirit. What
the insurgent party seemed chiefly 10 favor was a
pOstponement Of the question Of separation, upon
which the wal is waged, and mutual direction Of
efforts OF the Government as well as those OF the
II la scheme
l a season, during which passions might be expected
/ 10 Snbsdo, and the armies be reduced, and trade
and intercourse between the people at both sections
resumed. Ii was suggested by them that through
4 such pOstpOncment we might now have Immediate
peace, with some not very certainprospect OF an
ultimate satisfactory adjustment OF political rela-
tiOns between this Government aud the States
section or people now engaged in conflict with it.
This suggestion, though deliberately considered,
was, nevertheless regarded by the President one
1 of armistice or truce aud he announced that We
agree s cessation suspension OF hostilites
except on the basis of the disarmament Of the in
suTgent forces and the EestOraton of the. National
authority throughout alFthe States in the Union.-
Colaterally and in subordnatiOn to the proposition
whchaWas thus announced, the anti-slayery policy
of the United States was reviewed in all its bear
ings, and our President announced that he must
not be expected to depart from the positions he had
heretofore assumed in his Proclamation OF Enamel
patton and other documents as these positions
| reiterated in his annual Message.
1t was further declared by the President that the
complete restoration of the National authority
| everywhere was an indispensable condition of any
assent part to whatever form \ofpeace might
| be proposed. The President assured the other
party that while he adhere TO these positions,
| he should be prepared, far as power is lodged
with the Executive exercise lberality. Its pow
or, however, is-lmited by the Constitution, and
when peace should be made Congress must neces-
sary act in regard to appropriations Of money, and
TO the admission Of representatives from the insur-
rectiOnary States. The Richmond party were then
Uniformed that Congress had, the 3lst ult adop-
ted by constitutional majority joint resolution
submit ng to the several States the proposition to
| abolish slavery throughout the Union and that
there is every TO expect that it will soon be
accepted by three-ourths of the States so as to be-