Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-02-17
Message from the President-The great Peace
Conference.

Message from the President-The great Peace
Conference.
WAsHIEeroN. Feb l0
To the Hon House Of Representatives:
In response io vnur resolution OF the 9Th inst
requesting information IA relation toa confer.
enee recently held ~ Hampton Roads have
the honc' to state that an the day of the date.
gave Francis P. Blair ST a card written on as
Z follows:
ALLOW the bearer. F. F. Blair, ST., to pass
our lines to go South aud return.
A. LINCOLN.
That at the time ] was informed that Blaii
sought the card means Of getting to Rich
mond, Va, but he given no authority to
speak or act for the Government, nor was in
formed of any thing he would say or do on his
own account or otherwise. Mr.. Blair told me
that he had been to Richmond and had seen Da-
Wis, and he (Blair) at the same time left with me
| manuscript letter as follows, to wit:
RICHMOND, Va. Jan. - 1865.
4. p. Blair, Esq.-Sir: | have deemed il
proper and probably desirable to you, to give
you in this form, the substance of the remarks
made by me to be repeated by you to Presi-
dent Lincoln. | have no disposition 10 find OBJ
stacles in forms, and aID as willing now here
tOfore, to enter into negotiations for the restora-
ton of peace. | am ready to send a Commits
sioner whenever | have reason to suppose he
will be received, or TO receive Commissioner
whenever the United States Government shall
choose to send one.
Notwithstanding the rejection of our former
offers, | would, if you could promise that Com
missioner, minister, or other agent would be re-
ceived, appoint one Immediately, and renew the
effort to enter into conference with view to
secure peace to the two countries
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Afterwards with the view that it should be
lcbo to I and doli 10 Rfair
letter follows:
| WASHINGTON, Jan. 1S, 1865.
+. p. Blair, Esq.-Sir: You having shown
me Mr.. Davis letter to you on the 18th inst
you may say TO him that have constantly been.
and am now and shall continue ready TO receive
any agent whom he or any other influential per-
son now resisting the National authority may
informally send me with view of securing
peace to the people of our common country.
A. LINCOLN.
Afterwards Mr.. Blair dictated for and author
lied me to make an entry on the back of the re-
tanned copy of the letter last above recited,
which is as follows:
JANUARY % l665.-TO-day Mr.. Blair tells
me that on the 21st inst, he delivered TO Mr..
Davis the original of which the within is a copy,
and left il with him; that at the time of deliver
ing MIR. Davis read it over twice in Mr.. Blair's
presence. at the close of which he (Blair) re-
marked that the part above our common coun-
try related to the part of MIR. Davis letter about
the two countries to which Davis replied that
he so understood it.
A. LINCOLN.
Supposing the proper point TO be then reach
ed, dispatched the Secretary of State with the
following instructions, going ahead of him:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON,
January 81, 1865.
Hon. W. h. Seward You will proceed to For
tress Monroe, there to meet and informally con-
fer with Messrs. Stephens, Hunter and Camp
bell on the basis ofmy letter to f. p. Blair Esq.
of January Is, 1865, copy of which you have.
You viii make known to them that three things
are indispensable. to-wit: lst. The restoration
of the national authority throughout all the
States. ID No receding 10y the Executive of
the United States, on the slavery question, from
the position assumed thereon in the late annual
message to Congress, and in the preceding doc
uments And I'd. No cessation of hostilities
short of an end OF the war aud the disbanding
of all the forces hostile TO the Government You
viii inform them that all propositions of theirs
not inconsistent with the above will be consid-
cred and passed upon in spirit ofsincere liber-
ality. You will hear all they may choose to say
and report if to me You viii not assume to
definitely consumate anything.
a. LINCOLN.
On the day of its date the following Telegram
was sent 10 Gen. Grant
WAR DEPARTMENT.
Washington, Feb. Ist. IS.
Lieutenant General Grant, City Point: Let
nothing which is tTanspniug now delay your
movements or plans.
A. LINCOLN.
Afterwards the following dispatch was receiv-
ed from Gen. Grant @
OFFICE o. S. MILITARY TELEGRAPH.
(War Department
The following telegram was received at Wash
ngton at 2:3O P. NJ, Feb. Ist, 65:
CRY PorNr, VA,
Feb. lst, I2:30P NJ
A Lincoln. President of the United States.
Your dispatch is received There will be no
srmistice in consequence of the presence of Mr..
Stephens and others within our lines. The
troops are kept in readiness to move at the short
est notice ii occasion should Justify it.
u. S. GRANT, Lieut.. Gen'l,
To notify Mai. Eckert that the Secretary of
State would be at Fortress Monroe, and to put
them in communication, the following dispatch
was sent;
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Feb. l, 1865.
Maj. T. T. Eckert care of Gen Grant, City
Point-Call at Fortress Monroe, and put your
elfunder the direction Of Mr.. Seward, whom
you will find there.
A. LIN NCOLN.
On the morning OF the ID the following tele-
gram was received by me:
Cry PoINT, Va,
10, P. NJ, Feb. l.
To His Excellency, A. Lincoln President-I
have the honor to report the delivery of your
communication and my letter at 4:l5 this P. NJ,
to which l received reply at g p. NJ, but not
satisfactory. At P. NJ, the following note adj
dressed to Gen. Grant was received:
CITY PoINT, VA-Lieutenant Gen. Grant,
Strive desire to go to Washington City, to
confer informally with the President personally,
in reference to the matters mentioned in his let
ter to Mr.. Blair of 18th ofJanuary, ult.. with
ter; we have the permission to do so from the
authorities in Richmond.
Respectfully.
A. H. STEPHENS,
r. NJ. 7. HUNTER,