The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-02-15

what to recommend. lam sorry, however
that Mr.. Lincoln cannot have an interview
with the two named in this dispatch, If no.
all three now within our lines. Their let
ter to me was all that the presidents in
structions contemplated to secure their SAT,
conduct, II they had used the same languag,
to Maj. Eckert. q. 8. GRANT"
This dispatch changed Liucoln's purpos.
and he sent the following to Grant,
Say to the gentlemen that I will NEE,
them personally at Fort Monroe as soon as
l can get there. A. LINCOLN"
and the following to Seward, both undo,
date of Feb. I'd, and both in CIPHER:
Induced by dispatch from Gen. Grant,
] will join you at Fort Monroe as soon as
| can como.
Grant replies, Feb. ., in cypher, As fol.
lows:
1.-THE gentlemen here have accepted the
proposed terms, and will leave for Fort
Monroe at $50 A. NJ.
We give the balance Of the Presidents
Message, about verbatum:
On the night Of the I'd I reached Hamp.
ton roads. Found the secretary of state
and Maj. Eckert on steamer anchored off
the shore, and learned Of them that the
Richmond gentlemen were on another
steamer, also anchored off shore in the
roads, and that the secretary of state had
not yet seen or communicated with them.
| ascertained that Maj Eckert had literally
complied with his instructions, and saw
for the first time the answer Of the Rich.
mond gentlemen to him, which, in his
dispatch to me of the LIST. he characterizes
as not satisfactory. That answer 10 as
follows, to wit:
CRY PolNr, Feb. l, 1865.
"THoxAs T. EckERr, Major and A. DC:
"MAJoR-Y rnote, delivered W your
Self this day, las been considered. In re
y we have to say that We were furnished
with copy Of the letter of president Lin.
coin to F. P. Blair, Of the 18th Of January
last, another copy Of which is appended to
your note. Our instructions are contained
in letter Of which the following is copy:
''RlcuxoNp, Jan. %, 1865.
I'm conformity with the letter OF Mr..
Lincoln, Of which the foregoing is copy,
you are to proceed to Washington city for
an informal conference with him upon the
issues involved in the existing war, aud
for the purpose Of securing peace 10 the
two countries.
with great respect, your obcdicn. ser.
want, JEENERsoN DAVIS"
"Tte substantial object to be obta;ned
by the informal conference is to ascertain
upon what terms the existing war can be
terminated honorably. Our instructions
contemplate personal interview between
President Lincoln and ourselves at Wash.
ington, but, with this explanation, We are
ready to meet any person or persons that
President Lincon may appoint, at such
place as he may designate. Cur earnest
'Sesire is that just and honorable peace be
agreed upon, and we are prepared to sub
NIT propositions which may possibly lead
to the attainment Of that end
VERY respectfully yours.
''AIEx. H. STEPHENS,
"R. NJ. r. HUNTER,
~. A. CAMPBELL"
A note Of these gentlemen, subsequently,
addressed to Gen. Grant, has already been
given in Maj. Eckert's dispatch Of the LIST
inst. also saw here. for the first time,
the following note, addressed by the Rich
mond gentlemen to Maj Eckert:
"ClrY POINT, Va, Feb. 2. 1865.
1T. T. EcKERr, Major and A. d. @:
MAJoR--In reply to your verbal state
ment that your instructions did no. allow
you to alter the conditions upon which
passport could be given TO US. we say that
we are willing to proceed to Fort Monroe,
and there to have an Informal conference
--i<A~>Ay-passor-a.-sr-. aA..s-AA.~A us->.3~ss<
Lincoln may appoint on the basis of his
letter to F. P. Blair Of the 18th Of January
ult., or upon any other terms or condi.
tons that he may hereafter propose, not
inconsistent with the essential principles of
self-government AMI popular rights upon
which our institutions are founded. It is
our earnest wish to ascertain, after free
interchange Of ideas and information, upon
what principles and terms. if any, a Just
and honorable peace can be established,
without the further effuson of blood, and
to contribute our utmost efforts to accom-.
plish such a result We think it better to
add that, in accepting your passport, We are
not to be understood as committing our
selves to anything, but to carry to this in
formal conference the views of feeling
above expressed.
VERY truly yours. &c.,
"A. H STEPHENS,
"R. NJ. T. HuNrgR,
~. A. CAMPBELL.
On the Morning of the Sd the three gen.
tlemen-Stephens, Hunter and Campbell
came aboard of our steamer, and had an
interview with the secretary Of state and
4r
question of preliminaries to the meeting
was then and there mads or mentioned
No other person was present No papers
were exchanged or produced. and it was in
advance agreed that the conversation was
to be informal and verbal merely. On our
part, the whole subsistence Of the instruc.
tons to the secretary Of state. herein be
fore recied, was stated and insisted upon,
and nothing was said inconsistent there
with while, by their party. il Was not
said that, IN any event or any condition,
they ever would consent to reunion and
yet they equally omitted to declare that
they would not so consent. They seemed
to desire postponement Of that question,
and the adoption Of some other course
first, which, as some of them seemed to Or
que. might or might not lead 10 reunion
but which course we thought would amount
to an indefinite pOstponement. The con.
ference ended without result.
The foregoing, containing. IS is believed,
all the information sought, is respectfully
submitted. (Signed) A. LINCOLN.
In the above We have omitted the long
headings to the dispatches to save space
The important parts are published. 1t
seems from the instructions to Mr. Seward,
that Mr.. Lincoln proposed no terms except
fo have his own NAV exclnsiyelY and that