Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-02-10
WASHINGTON. Feb. o.

WASHINGTON, Feb. y.
The Richmond Wing, of the eth inst,
says, the following documents were laid be-
fare Congress this A NJ:
To the Senate and House Of REPRESENTATIVES o.
the Confederate States Of america
Having recently received written Motif
cation which satisfied me that the Presiden,
Of the United States was disposed to- confer
informally with unofficial agents that might
be sent by me- with view TO the restoration
of peace, requested Hon. Alex ii. Stephens
Hon. II. M. Hunter, and John A. Campbell
to proceed through our lines to hold con
ference with Mr.. Lincoln, or such persons rs
he might depute to represent him. here
with submit, for the Information of Con-
gress, the report Of the eminent citizens
above named, showing that the enemy refus-
ed TO enter into negotiations with the Con
fcdcrate States, or any one of them, or to
give our people any other terms or guaran-
tees than those which u conqueror may
grant, or permit us to have peace on any
other basis than our unconditional suhmis
sion to their rule, coupled with the accep-
lance oftheir recent legislation, including an
amendment to the Constitution for the ema,l-
cipation of negro slaves. and with the right
on the part of the Federal Congress to leg
islate on the subject Of the relations between
the white and black population Of each
State-such is rs understand, the effect Of
the amendment to the Constitution which
has been adopted by the Congress of the
United States.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
RICHMOND. Feb. a, 1868.
To me President of the Confederate States ::
Under your letter of appointment of the
the 28th uit., we proceeded to seek an in
formal conference with Abraham Lincoln.
President Of the Uuitcd States, upon the
subject mentioned in your letter. The con-
ference was granted and took place on the
Both ult., on board steamer anchored in
Hampton Roads, where we met President
Lincoln and the Hon Mr.. Seward, Secretary
of State. of the United States. It continued
for several hours and was both full and ex-
plicit. We learned from them that the mes
sage OF President Lincoln to the Congress
Of the United States, in December last. cx-
plains clearly and distinctly his sentiments
AS TO terms, conditions and method of pro-
cceding by which peace can be secured TO
the people, and we were not informed that
they would be modified or altered TO obtain
that end. We understood from him that no
terms or proposals Of any treaty or agree
ment looking to an ultimate settlement.
would he entertained or made by him, with
the authorities Vi the Confederate States.
because that would be a recognition of their
existence as separate power, which under
the circumstances would not be done. and
for like reasons that no such terms would
he entertained by him from States separately:
that no extended truce or armistice would
be granted or allowed without satisfactory
assurances in advance Of complete rcstorn-
ton Of the authority of the Constitution
and laws of the United States over all places
within the States of the Confctlcrscy: TINT
whatever Consequences may follow from
the re-establishment Of that authority.
must be accepted but the individual s,lb.
ject to pains and penalties of the the United
States, might rely on very liberal use of
the power c0n6ded to him t6rremjt thee
rnins and pensllies if peace be restored.
During the conference, the prurosesl
amendment to the Constitution Of the United
States, adopted by Congress on the Dist nit.
was brought to our notice. This amendment
provides that neither slavery nor involun.
tary eervitude, except for crime, should exist
within their Jurisdiction and that Congress
should have the power. to enforce this
amendment by appropriate legislation.
y! all conference herein mentioned, and
s ,sading to the same, you have been kereto-
very respectfully, your olxl't servants,
A. Fl. STEPHENS,
I'm. r. HUNTER
n j. A. CAIpnrrI