The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-14

changed or produced, and 1t vas in adyaroo ~ *
ina. ,ne % De informal and vsrbs
instructions to the Secretary Of State i,ers;t 'h9
recitei was stated and insisted upon, and rasaoEe
was said inconsistent Herewith while BY tho n.S
VA not sa,d .nas IN any event on any
yet they equally omitted TO declare that ths, ara
not consent. They seemed tnaesire a ~. you'd
ment OF that question and the abortion ~ s,as
other course first, which, as some 81 tn VI soine
to argue, might or nigh. no: lead to re,,, ss'lfd
which course we'thought would amount r. y, pr
definite postponement. The conference co. eri ar
without result. ehAcQ
The foregoing. containing, az is believed. al a.
i'uoi"i'ioh sought, Is respectfully submitted ~
ABssnAM LIse1tx
Executive Mansion, February 10, lSCj
ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS.
WASHINGTON, February lO.-The fol-
lowing was incloscd in the message scr,
TO the Senate
To the President:
The Secretary Of State, to whom VIA ros,r,ta
resolution Of the Senate of the Stl, irgtart -
ing the President of the United States if in ~;
opinion not Incompatible with the public int.re..'
to furnish to the Senate any inforInation,in h ~
session concerning recent conversations or cor,c,,
nieauons with certain rebels, said TO have ocurrea
under Executive sanction, including eo,nmr,,
tons With the rebel Jefferson Davis. ana any w.,
reSpondcnce relating thereto, has Inc honor n Va
port that the Senate may properly be referred to
special message OF the President bearing upon ~"
huhJcct OF t'c resolution and tra,.sulitcd 10 The
House this day. VIZ
Appended 10 the report i vopy Of an ;n,,-..
ton which has been addressed TO CilarI., Frtr
Adams Esq, Envoy Extraordinary and Minis
plenlpotentiary OF the United States at London AZ
which Is the only correspondence found in this H.
partnent touching the subject referred 20 il, the
resolution.
Respectfully submitted WE IT, ssw,nn
department. OF State, Washington, February 10
MR. SEWARD TO SIR. ADAMS
DEPARTMENT OF Sr,rr)
WAsHISGToH, February ., lS6j.
IL IL tr'iism that IN time OF peace there are al
ways inst.ators OF war. So soon as a war beciT
there are citizens who irnpaticntly demand nca,.i,
tons of peace. The advocates Of war, after ~
agitation longer or shorter generally gam their far
full end, though the declared unitcqueu,jr
unnecessary and unwiSe. so peace agiti;y.s +.
time Of war ultimately bring about an aplaI,r.
ment Of conflict, sometimes without. securing Tia
advantages which we've originally expected from ,o
conflict
The agitators for war in time Of Icacc and r.
peace III time OF war are not necessary or PERKINS,
ordinarily unp,trlotc III their purposes mgt,y..
Results alone determine whether they are wl>e o.,
unwisc. The treaty Of peace concluded az Glrli.
-Hidslso was secured by an irregular nego'ii.
ton under the don Of the Government Some a the
efforts which have been made ID bring Gb0ut per,-
tations, with n view t. end our civil war. ara
known to the whole world, bcce,ise they have en-
ployed foreign alwell as d,n,s, agents. 0.ae.,
with whom you have had to deal c0utitcntiaY are
known to yourself, although they have not IuhljIv
tTanSnlred. Other efforts have occurred here which
are known only 10 the persons actually moving in
them and to this Government am now to glye
for your information, an account OF an affair Of tie
same general character, which recently received
much attention here, and which viii doubtlss5excte
inquiry abroad
4 lew days ago, Francis P Blair Esq, Of Mar.
land, obtains from the ITcident simple leave
pass through our military Zines without definite
views known to the Government. Mr.. Blair visits.
Richmond, and, on his return, he showed to Tie
President letter which Jefferson Davis had written
to Mr.. Blair, i'll which Mr.. Davis wrote that Nj.
Blair was at liberty to say to President Lincoln h:
Mr.. Davis was now, as he always had been, wiills
10 send commissioners, II assured they would BEL
ceived, or to receive any that should DO sent tn
he was not disposed to find obstacles III forms. IL
would send commissioners to confer with the Pres.
dent with view 70 the restoration of peace BE-
tween the two countries, ii he could be assured thu
they would be received
The President therefore, on the 18th day Of j..
n,lary, addressed note TO Mr.. Blair. III which The
President after acknowledging that he had read The
note OF AR. Davis, said thai he was and always
should be willing to receive any agent that Mr. I-
Wis, any other influential person actually re-
sisting the authority of tie Government, mghteai
to confer informally with the President, with Ucy
to the restoration Of peace to the people Of con-.
mon country.
Mr. Blair visited Richmond with this letter, AMI
then again came back 10 Washixgton. On the -gA
instant were advised from the camp Of LltUte.
nant-General Grant that Alexander II stephens, .
r. NJ I. Hunter and John A. Campbell were jrgly.
ing for leave to pass through the lines 10 Washing
ton, as peace commissioners, to confer with the
President. They were permitted by the Lieutenant.
General to coVlo to his headquarters, TO await there
the decision OF the President. Major Eckeft
sent down to meet the party from Richmond at Il.
neral Grants headquarters The Major was d.
fected to deliver to them copy of the President,
letter to Mr.. blair, with note to be addressed 70
them and signed by the Major, in which they vere
directly informed that they should be allowed 70
Pass our lnss. They would be understood as con-
ing for an informal conference upon the basis o. hs
afore-nanled letter Of the 18TH Of January 70 NJ
Blair.
If they should express their assent to this cor1.
ton in writing, then Major Eckest WIS lirectelp
give them safe conduct to Fortress Monroe, whts
n person coming from the President would me:
them. 1t being thought probable, FROM a Itror. *
the conversation with Northumberland ttrar-
that the Richmond party would, in.ho manner Fr'
scrbed, accept the condition mentioned, the SeIt-
tary Of State was charged by the President with L,
duty of representing this Government IN tbt t1-
pected informal Conference. Ehe Secretary arrived
al Fortress Monroe i'll the night If the Isl daYf
February. Major Eckert met him or the moTrt4
of tine I'd Of February, with the information TIA.
the persons who hld come from Richmond, ltd mo-
accepted IN writidg the condition upon wti.a IL
roe. The Major Lad given the s@me info'mt!a
by telegraph to the President at Washington pa
receiving this information the President prepared
telegram directing the Secretary to return 70 WaN
ingtOn.
The Secretary was preparing, at the zane n
ment, to 20 return, without waiting for info I'rh
from the President. But at this llncture "tN''
ant General Grant teicgraphed to the Sccle1lt.
War. as well as 70 the Secretary Of State tat' -
party from Redmond had reconsiaered and ac,i~'
thn ap{,t FOL fharf,
Eckert, and General Grant urgently aayis.a :
PRESIDENT TO confer in person with the hichu",,
party. Underline circumstances the Socreti!'I
tue President s direction, remained at fortT'ss M
roe, aud the President joined him there Oh ~
night of the u If February.
The Richmond party was brought down the s%a
River in a United States steam transport dnIihs
day, and the transport was anchored IN limp
Roads on the morning OF the Sd. The ffes''san
attended by the Secretary, received Messi,:
phens, Hunter and Campbell on board The IN ~
States steam transport River Queen, III Ha'Hi'~
Roads. -, 49,