The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-02-16
Lieutenant General Grant !.

10 COnIer informally with the PRESIDENT per-
sonally, in reference to the matter mention
ed in his letter to Mr.. Blair, of Jan. 18th
without any personal compromise on any
question in the letter. We have the per-
mission to do so from the authorities at
Richmond,
Very respectfully yours
ALEX II. STEVENS,
K. NJ. T. HUNTER,
j. p. CAMPBELL.
Hon. E. NJ. Stanton Sacy of War
Now that the interview between Mai.
Eckert, under mis- written instructions, with
Mr.. Stephens and party has ended, will
state confdentially, but not officially to be-
come matter of record that | am convinc-
ed upon conversation with Messrs Stephens
and Hunter that their intentions are good,
and their desire sincere to restore peace and
the Union. have not felt myself at liber-
ty to express open views of my own, or to
account for my reticence. This has placed
me in an awkward position which could
have avoided by not seeing them in the first
instance. | now fear their going back with
out any expression to any one in authority
will have bad influence. At the same
time | reconcile the difficulties in the way
of receiving these informal commissioners at
this time and do not know what to rec
ommend.
l am sorry that Mr. Lincoln cannot have
an interview with the two named in this
dispatch, if not all three within our lines
Their letter to me was all the Presidents
Instructions contemplated-to secure their
safe conduct, if they used the same language
to Major Eckert.
(Signed) u. S. GRANT, 1t. Gen.
This dispatch of Gen Grant changed my
purpose, and accordingly, telegraphed to
him and the Secretary of State as follows:
WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, Feb /.
1t Gen Grant, City Point:
Say to the gentlemen that | will meet
them personally at Fort Monroe as soon as
| can get there.
A. LINCOLN.
Sent in CIPHER at 9, a m)
To T. T. Eckert, Maj. Gen. &c.
MAJoR-Your note delivered by yourself
this day has been considered. In reply we
have to say that we were furnished with a
copy of the letter of President Lincoln to T.
P Blair of the 9th Of Janu ny, ult., anoth :
er copy of which is appended to your note.
Our intentions are contained in a letter of
which the following is a copy:
RICHMOND, Jan. %, 1865.
In 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 invoIv-
ed in the existing war and for the purpose
of securing peace to the two countries.
With great respect your obedient serv't.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Substantially the object to be attained by
the informal conference is to ascertain upon
what terms the existing war can be terrni.
mated honorably. Our Instructors contem-
plate personal interview between President
Lincoln and ourselves, at Washington; but
with this explanation we are ready to meet
any person or persons that President Lin
coin may appoint to meet us at such a place
as he may desire; and, that just and hon
orable peace may he agreed upon, we are
prepared to receive Or to submit propositions
which may possibly lead to the attainment
of that end.
Very respectfully yours,
ALEX. Fl. STEPHENS,
r. NJ. T. HUNTER,
J. A. CAMPBELL.
A note of these gentlemen subsequently
addressed to General Grant has already been
given in Maj. Eckert's dispatch of the lst
inst. | also saw here for the first time the
following note, addressed by the Richmond
gentlemen to Maj. Eckert :
CITY POINT, Feb. 2, 1865
T. L. Eckert, Major and A. D. c.:
MAJoR-In reply to your verbal statement
that your instructions did not 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 have an informal conference with any
person or persons that President Lincoln
may appoint on basis of his letter to f. P.
Blair, of the 18th of January ult, or upon
any other terms or conditions that he may
hereafter propose not inconsistent with the
essential principles of ef-government and
popular rights upon which our institutions
are founded
1t is our earnest wish to ascertain after
free interchange Of ideas and informations,
upon what principles and terms, if any, just
and honorable peace can be established
without further etfusion of blood and to
contribute our utmost efforts to accomplish
the result We think it better to add, that
accepting your passport we are not to be I'M
derstood as committing ourselves to any
thing but to carry to this informal confer
ence the views and feeling above expressed.
Very respectfully yours,
ALEX H. STEPHENS
r. NJ. 7. HUNLER,
J. A. CAMPBELL,
NoTE.-rhe above communication was de-
livered to me at Fort Monroe. at o'clock D.
m. Feb. I'd, by Lieutenant Colonel Babcock,
of Gen. Grants staff.
r. T. ECKERT,
Major and Aid de-Camp.
On the morning of the Sd, the three gen
tlemen, Stephens, Hunter and Campbell
came aboard our steamer and had an inter
view with the Secretary Of State and my
self, of several hours duration No prelimi-
naries to the meeting was then and there
made or mentioned, no other person was
present; no papers were exchanged or pro-
duced, and it was in advance agreed that
the conversation was to be informal and YER
bal merely
On our part the whole substance Of the in
structions to the Secretary of State hereinbe
fore recited was stated and insisted upon,
and nothing was said inconsistent Herewith
while by the other party it was not said
that III any event, or any condition they
ever would consent tore union and yet they
equally omitted to declare that they would
not so consent. They seemed to desire a
DOStnOnpment of that OuaStiou md the adop
tion of some other course first, which. as
some Of them seemed to argue, might or
might not lead to re union, but which course
we thought would amount to an indefinite
postponement The conference ended with
out result, and the foregoing containing, as
is believed, all the information sought is
respectfully submitted.
(Signed) A. LINCOLN.