The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-02-17
rHE PEACE ooNEEaErck.


Seward to our Minister at London, N
Adams, giving an authoritative accouI
of the recent Peace Conference. 1t seen
that the scheme of the rebels was to s,
cure an armistice and induce the Govern
ment to engage in war with Maximilia
and the French Emperor. And had N
Lincoln been simple enough to have fal
en- into their trap, the independence {
the Confederacy would have been secure
and our Government would have been 8
the mercy of JEFF. Davis. while we woul
have been plunged into a foreign wa
and rendered powerless to defend oul
selves against the traitors of the South
DEPARTMENT OF SrArE,l
WAsHINGroN. Feb. g.
SIR: 1t is a truism that. in times O
peace, there are always instigators of war
So soon as war begins there are citizen
who emphatically demand negotiations O
peace The advocates of war, after an api
tation, longer or shorter, generally gain
their fearful end, though the war declared
is not unfrequently unnecessary and un.
wise. So peace agitators in time of wal
ultimately bring about an abandonment ol
the conflict, sometimes without securing
the advantages which were originally ex-
pected from the conflict The agitators
for war in time of peace. and for peace in
time OF war, are not necessarily, or per-
haps ordinarily, unpatriotic in their pur-
poses or motives. Results alone deter
mine whether they are ~ise or unwise.-
The treaty of peace concluded at Guada-
loupe Hldalgo was secured by irregular
negotiation. Some of the efforts which
have .been made to bring about negotia.
tions with view to end our civil war, are
known to the whole world, because they
have employed foreign as well as domestic
agents Others with whom you have had
to deal confidently ara known to yourself,
although they have not publicly trans
pirsd. Diner efforts have occurred here
which are known only to the persons ac-
tually moving in them and to this Gov
ernment
J am now about to give for your infor-
nation an account of an affair of the same
general character, which recently received
much attention here, aud which doubt
less will excite inquiry abrood.
A few days ago Francis p Blair OBJ
tanned from the President simple leave
to pass through our lines, without definite
views known to the Government. Mr..
Blair visited Richmond, and on his re-
turn he showed to the President letter
which jeff. Davis had written to Mr.
Blair, in which Davis wrote that Mr..
Blair was at liberty to say to Mr. Lin
coin that DAVIS was now, as he always
had been, willing to send commissioners,
il assured they would be received, or to
receive any that would be sent that he
was not disposed to find obstacles in
forms that be would send commissioners
to confer with the President, with a view
to the restoration of peace between the
countries, if he could be assured they
would be received.
The President, therefore, on the 9Th |
of January, addressed note to Mr. BAR, |
in which the President, after ackpowledg. |
ing that he had read the note of Mr.. Da
Wis, said that be was, is, and always should
BE-, wiling to receive any agents that Mr.. |
Davis or any other influential man now
actually resisting the authority of the
Government might send, to confer infor-
maly with the president. with view to
the restoration of peace to the people of
common country. Mr. Blair visited
Richmond with this letter, and then again
came back TO Washington.
On The Goth ultlmo we were advised
from the camp of Lieut.. Gen. Grant that
A. II. Stephens, X. M. 7. Hunter. and
j. A. Campbell we're applying for leave
to pass through the limos to Washington,
as Peace Commissioners to confer with
the President. They were permitted by
the Lieut.. Gen. TO come to his headqusr-
ters, to await there the decision OF tie
President. Major Eckert was sent down
to-meet the party from Richmond at Gen.
Grants headquarters. The Major was
directed to deliver to them copy Of the
Presidents letter to MIR. Blair,with a note
to be addressed to them, and signed by
tne MdJor. III "hicIA lney were uirecty
informed that, if they should be allowed
to pass our lines, they would be under
stood as coming for an informal confer
ence upon the basis of the aforesaid named
letter Of the 18th of January to Mr. Blair
If they should express their assent to this
condition in writing, then Major Eckert
was directed to give them safe conduct to
Fortress Monroe, where person coming
from the President would meet them. 1t
being thought probable, from report of
Of their conversation with Lieut.. General
Grant, that the Richmond party would. 10
the manner prescribed, accept the condi-
tion mentioned, the Secretary of State
was charged by the President with the
duty of representing this Government in
the expected informal conference.
The Secretary arrived at Fortress Mon
roe on the night of the lst day of Febru-
airy. Major Eckert met him on the morn
ing of the I'd, with information that the
persons who came from Redmond had
not accepted in writing the condition up.
on which he was allowed to give them
conduct to Fortress Monroe. The Major
had oiven the same inflammation hv tsla