Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-02-11
The Peace Conference -Presi-
dents Message TO tho House
OF Representatives..

| a conference recently heldin Hampton hoade,
! | have the honor to state that on the day OF the
date gave Francis Z, Blair, Sen, a card
written on as follows:
ALLOW the bearer, +. p Blair, SEN, to pass
our lines 10 90 south and return.
TSipned, A. LINCOLN
At the time, was informed that Ne. Blair
sought the card "a a means OF getting TO Rich
mond Va but he WAS given no authority to
speak or net for the Government, nor was
informed Of anything he would say or do on
his own account, or otherwise Mr.. Bialr
to.d me that he had been 10 Richmond, and
had seen Davis, aud he (Blair) at the same
time lett with me a manuscript letter, as iol.
lows to-wit:
RICnNoND, Va, Jan IL, 1860
r. T. BLAIR, ESQ -SIW--I have deemed it
proper and probably desirable to you 10 give
you in this lorm the substance OF a remark
made by me to bo repeated by you to Presi.
deut Lincoln have no disposition to lind
obstacles in forms | am willing now, as
heretofore, to enter into any negotiations Tor
the restoration OF peace ] am ready 10 send
commissioners whenever ! have reason to
suppose they will receive commission. II
the United States Government shall choose
10 send one, sotwthstanGing the rejection ot
our former offers, | would, if you could
promise that commissioner, minister, or
other agent would be received, appoint one
Immediately, and renew the effort TO enter ln-
to a conference with view to secure pence
TO the two countries.
Yours, nc. JEFF DAVIS.
Afterwards, with the view that il should he
shown TO DAVIS, ! wrote and delivered to Mr.
Blair a letter MS follows
WAsHKGToN, January Is, 1868
f. p. blair, Esq-ST You having
shown me Mr. Davis letter to you on the
18th inst, you may say to him that have
been. and am now, and shall continue to be,
ready to receive any agent whom he or any
influential person now resisting the Ma
tional authority, may informally send me,wth
"a view OF securing peace to the people OF our
common country.
1Signedl A. LINCOLN
Afterwards Mr.. Blair dictated for, and at
thorized me to make an entry on the backs o.
my retained copy of the letter, last above re
cited, which is as follows:
January %, 1865. To-day Mr.. Blair tells
me that on the 2lst inst he delivered TO Mr..
Davis, the original of which, the within is a
copy, aud let IL with him that at the time Of
delivery Mr. Davis read it over twice in Mr..
Blair's presence at the close ct which he
(Blair) remarked that the pet tabont "our com
mon country" related to the part Of Mr., Da
Wis letter about the two countries 10 which
Davis replied that he SO undor stood II
[Sgnedl A. LINCOLN.
, Here follows number OF kilograms relat-
ing to the admission OF Stephens, Hunter and
Campbell into our lines, there having been
some delay consequently upon the absence oi
| Gen. Grant
The President then said; Afterwards by
my direction, the Secretary of War telegraph.
ed Ord ss follows:
WAR DEPARTMENT
WAsnlNGToN, A NJ Jan 80, 1865
Major General ord, Headquarters Army OF
The Potomac:
, 3y direction Of the President you are in.
} structed to inform The three gentlemen
Stephens, Hunter and Campbell--tqat mes
, senger will be dispatched, at or near where
they now are, without unnecessary delay.
ISipned1 T. NJ STANTON,
Sec'y of War
, Afterwards ! prepared and put into the
hands of Major Thomas T. EckeH the follow
ing instructions and message:
Executive MANSION,
WAsHISGToE, January 30 1863
D Major r. T, Ecksrt:
e Sur You will proceed with the document
e placed in your hands, and on reaching Gen
2 Ord, will deliver him the letter addressed him
by the Secretary Of War. Then by General
I Ords ass, stance, procure an interview with
r Stephens, Hunter and Campbell or any OF
them deliver TO him or them the papers on
which yonr own letter is written; note on the
( copy which you retain the time of delivery,
D and to whom delivered receive their answer
| f,., Il .
/ and which, if it contains their directions, Ia
b come through without further conditions, will
he your warran to ask General Ord to pass
them through, as directed in the letter of the
Secretary of War. II, by their answer, theg
decline to come, or propose other terms, dc
! not have them pass through; and this being
your whole duty, return aud report to me
Yours, truly, A LINCOLN
Messrs A r. Stephens, j. H. Campbell
, and R NJ r. Hunter:
GERTLEMgN | am instructed by the Pres
dent Of the United States to place this paper
= in your hands, with the information that i
> you 90 through the United States military
lines it will be understood that you do so fo
the purpose ofnn informal conference on thu
basis Of that letter, a copy Of which is on The
> reverse side Of this sheet; and that II yoI
choose TO pass on such understanding, and 81
4 notify me in writing will procure the com
manding General to pass you through th
: linea, and TO Fortress Monroe, under sucl
e military precau'i)us as he may deem prudent
!, = and at which place yon will be met in du
time by some person or persons for the pur
. pose of such informal conference; and turth
= err, that you shall have protection, safe con
! duct, and safe return at all events.
a [Signedl THos. I. EcKERT,
!, Maj. and A. ID. @.
q a Cry PoINT, Va, Feb, l, 1868
@ Afterwards, but before Major Eckert ha
! y departed, the following dispatch was receive
r from General Grant