, 1865-02-11

WAsH1sG1oS, Friday. Feb. 10. 1865.
To The Honorable th< Eouse Of Representatives:
In response to your resolution Of the sth inst,
requesting information in relation to conference
recently held in Hampton Roads, I have the honor
to state that On the dag Of the date gave Fran
cis r. Dl:1r Senior, card written on as follows
An. nI.A1R|s PAss.
Allow the bearer. F. P. Blair, Senior, to pass
our lines isi:Dsa' e e. snath and return 1rscorx
That at The time wns informed that Mr.. Blair
sought the card as q means Of getting to Rich
nond, Va, but he was giren no authority to epeak
or Get for the Government, nor was informed Of
mythinc he wou1d say or do on his own account
or Otherwise. Mr. blair told me that he had been
to Richmond and had seen Mr. Davis, and he
Blair, left with me. at the sane time, manuscnpt
letter, as follows:
JEFF. DAVIS TO BLAIr-
*.11.cuxosp, Va, Jan. IL, 1855.
"F. P. Blair, ESQ.,:
t'sIH: have deemed 1t proper, and probably de-
slralle TO. you, to give you in this form the sab
stance OF the remarks Innde by me to be repeated
hy you to President Lincoln. have no dlspos1-
row, heretofore, to enter into negotiation. for
the restoration Of pence. I an ready 10 send a
commission whenever have reason to suppose Il
the United States Government shall choose to
send one. Notwithstandins the rejection Of our
former offers, ] would Il you con!d promise thSt
be received, appoint one Immediately and renew
efforts to enter Into q conference with view to
secure penssy syents T. tae seant1ies' 1rr, n.v,sr
Afterwards with the view that 1t should be
ehown to Davis, I wrote and delivered to Blalra
letter as follows:
PRESIDENT LINCOLN TO n1A1R-
'WAsMSG7os, Jan. 1A 1885.
"sm: You haying shown Mr., Davis my letter
to you on the 1sth inst, yon may sny to hlm that
I1iaye constantly been, am now, and shall con-
tinue, ready % receive any agent whom he or any
authority my informally send me with a view of
TIT. A. LINCOLN"
Afterwards Mr. Blair dictated for, and author
ixcd me to make IN entry on the back Of my re-
turned copy Of the letter last nbove receipted,
which is US follows:
TIE PRESIDENTS zEUonAsDUn.
JASrAH1 IS, 1sG5.-To-day Mr. Blair tells Tint
OF the slst inst. he delivered TO Mr, Davis the
original OF which the within is copy, and left It
with him; That ut the ,t1ne Of delivering MIR.
ut the c.oee OF which he {Bair) remarked that The
iart Of II. Davis letter about thc two countries,
to which Nf. Davis replied that he SO Under
stood 1t. A. LINCOLN.
Here follows number Of kilograms, relating to
the admission Of Stephens, Hunter and Campbell
into our lines, there having been some delay con-
eequcnt On the absence Of Gen. Grnnt
The President then says: Afterwards, by my
direction, the Secretary Of War telcgr4phcd Gen.
Ord a. follows:
sTkS7oE TO ORD.
*'WAn DErAnTxEST,
s'1annary 30th, 1856.
TO Maj. Ger. Ord, Headquarters Army Of the
"Dr direction Of the President ron arc instructed
to inform the three gentlemen. Stephens. HunteE
and Campbell, that messenger Will be dispatched
E. H. STANTON, sec'y Of War.
Afterwards prepared and pat into the hands OF
Mai. Thos. 7, Eckert, the following:
INSTRUCTIONS OF TIE rREs1pEHT.
EXECUTIVE MAxs1oa,
WAsuISGroN, Jan. &c, 1855.
s,r@You vii proceed with the DOCUMENTS
placed IN your hands, and on reaching Gen. Ord
the Secretary Of War, then by Gen. 0rd's a.sis-
tancc, procure IN interview with Stephens Hun-
ter md Campt,e1l, or any Of them, md deliver to
Is written, note On thc copy which ron return the
time Of delivery md to whom delivered. receive
thei1 answc. Il writing, waiting reasonable
to come through without further conditions, will
be your warrant TO nsE Gen Ord to pass them
throqgh as directed IN The letter Of the Secretary
or propose other terms. do not have them passed
throuEht and this being your whole dnty rerurn
md report to nc. Yours tfnly,
THE PRESIDENT TO TIE REaEL cosN1ss1osERs.
"1o Mcssrs. Alexander r. Stephens, J. 4. Camp
bell. and R. N. T. Hunter.
"GsSr1Ex1x: am instructed by the President
OF the United States to place tais paper IN foat
United States military lines, 1t will be understood
TINT you do 90 for the purpose OF an informal cor
ference on the basis Of that letter, copy or which
choose to pass On such understanding, and 50 no
dfy nc in writing, I will procure the Commanding
General to pass you through the lnes, and to
ae II he may deem prudent, and ii which place you
ior he purpose u tuch informal conference, and
ans ss nna IN
oI fsjcnea] ~ TnosAs r. EcKEHr,
.'Major and ABIDE Camp"
C1TY POINT, Va, February l, 1866.
Afterwards, but before Maj. Eekert had depart
ed, the following dispatch Was Revived from Gen
Grant:
cEH. GRANTS pIsPArcns
OFFICE OF TIE q. S. MILITARY T81E6RArH,
Wan DEPARTAEHr. r.
IN .n wv dispatch was received at Wash
c1rY fanF. Vs., 1850 A. NJ. Jan. 81, 1866.
United 5flICf:
The following communication was received here
Inst evening: '.~''
TIE COMMISSIONERS TO GEE. GRANT
rETEnsBrna. Va, Jan, 20. 1875
Lieut. Gen. 2; S: Grant, Commanding 1raies les Of
sIn-We desire to PISS your 1inca undes safe
conduct, and to proceed to Washington to hold i
conference With President Lincoln upon the snh.
fcc, of he cxsting war, and with view Of aaecr-
seIsng wat # 5f f. h1
Tux. ~ e. ~ Hair al Jun. 18th 1866 Of which We
nresume 1uu YOU have copy; and Il not we wish t
ace you N perstn. II Convenient, and t. confe1
viii yon On the eu!3ect
ALrx. H. STEPHENS,
ia. CAMPBELL
r. INT. uuErKR-
have sent directions to receive these Eenuee
men and expect TO bare them a. my qua1tefa aan
| evening, awaiting your Instructions.
| y s. GRANT.
| Lieut. Gen., Commanding Armies q. ).
This ftwfll be perceived, transferred Gen ofd