The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-02-16
without any personal compromise on
any question in the letter. We have
the permission to do SO from the au'
thorities in Richmond.
Respectfully yours,
- ~ ALEX. H. STEPHENS,
r. NJ. T. HUNTER,
A NAMPREIII
J. A. CAMPBELL.

ASofeOtully youIe,
~ ALEX. H. STEPHENS,
r. NJ. T. HUNTER,
J. A. CAMPBELL.
This not being a full compliance
with the conditions on which the Pres
ident had consented to the conference,
he was about to recall Mr.. Seward
and let the whole matter drop, when
the subjoined dispatch was received
from Gen Grant.
Hon. E. NJ. Stanton, Secretary Of War
Nnw that the interview between
Major Eckert, under his written in
structions, and Mr.. Stephens and par
ty has ended, / will state confdentially
but not officially 70 become a matter
Of record. that | am convinced, upon
conversation with Mcssrs. Stephens
and Hunter, that their intentions are
good, and their desire to restore peace
and union. ! have not felt myself at
liberty to express any views OF. my
own, or to account for my reticenee
This has placed me in an awkward
position, which l could have avoided
by not seeing them in the first instance.
l fear now their going back without
any expression TO any one in authori-
| ty, will have bad Influences. At the
same time | recognize the difficulties
in the way ofreceiving their informal
Commissioners at this time, and do
not know what to recommend. l am
sorry, however, that Mr.. Lincoln can not
have an interview with the two named
in this dispatch, if not all three now
within our lines. Their letter to me
was all that the Presidents instruc-
tions contemplated to secure their safe
conduct, if they had used the same
language to Major Eckert.
&Signed] US. GRANT,
Lieutenant General.
On which the President says +
This dispatch of General Grants
changed my purpose and accordingly
| tclegraphed to him and the Secretary
Of State, as follows:
Wan DEPARTMENT WASHINGTON, |
February 2, 1865. !
Lieutenant General Grant, City Point ....
Say to tho gentleman, that will
meet them PERSONAL y at Fortress Mon.
roe, as soon as | can get there.
A. LINCOLN.
War DEPARTMENT WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 1896.
To Hon. VIM. II. Seward Fortress Monroe:
Induced by a dispatch from Genera
Grant, l will join you at Fortress Mon
roe as. soon as l can come.
TSigned,1 A. LINCOLN.
The President concludes. his mes
sage with the following statement o
whattook place at the conference it
self: ...
On the morning of tho 3d Of Fcbrua
ry. three gentleman, Stephens, Hunter
and Campbell, came aboard ofoul
steamer and had an interview with thu
Secretary ofState and myself, Of sover
al hours duration. No question Of fpre
liminaries ITO the meeting was ther
and thero made or mentioned. M
other person was present. No papor
were exchanged or produced, and j
was in advance ngreed that the con
versation WINS to be informal and vcr
bal merely. On our own part th,
whole substance Of instructions to th'
Secretary of State herein before recit
ed, was stated and insisted upon ant
nothing was said inconsistent there
with. While by the other party it wa
not ssid that in any event, or on any
condition, they ever would consent t.
reunion and yet they equally omitted
to declare that they woald notso con
sent, they seemed to desire postpone
ment of that question, and tho adop
ton of some other course first, which
as some of them seemed TO argue, nigh
or might not lead to reunion, but whicl
course we though would amount to al
indefinite pOstponemcnt. The confer
cncc ended without result, The fore
going confirming, as is believed, all tn
information sought, isrespectiully sub
, mitted.
[Signed A. LINCOLN.
Executive Mansion, Feb. 10, 1865.
Accompanying the message, was
letter from the Secretary Of State
Minister Adams, at London, the cor
, Guiding portion ofwhich wc give be
I low, ns it throws some additional ligb
! on what passed at the Conference, q
ioliows>-
The Richmond party was brougl
down James River in United State
steam transport during the day, an
the transport was anchored in HamT
! ton Roads. On the morning of the )
the President, attended by Sccrotar
r Seward, received Messrs. Stephen
. Hunter, and Campbell, on board th
! United States steam transport Rive
3 Queen, in Hampton Roads. The cor
. iercnce was altogether informa
J There was no attendance Of secretarie
, clerks, or other witnesses, Nothin
. was written or read. The conversi
, tion, although earnest and free, WI
q courteous, calm and kind on both side
}, The Richmond party approached tt
i discussion rather indirectly, and at q
I time did they make categorical d.
: mand or tender formal stipulations,
0 absolute retusals. Nevertheless du
n ;,,o. ,Lo oonf nfo,oroo ,,,h;,h lastod 20,