Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-02-10

the ubisct of the existing war, and with vie "
or ascertaining upon what terms 1t may De Ter;
BY him in hts letter TO, Mr Blair OF January
as. 1885, OF which we presume You have copy;
and If not We wish 70 see you IN person, II
Jec. Very respectfully I!a yours sr.pur.s
: 81 a. G {, Mrnn1s -
I have sent directions to receive these gen
tlemen, and expect to have them at my head
quarters this evening, awaiting your ,nstruc-
uons. U D GRANT,
Lieut.. Gen Comd'g armies U. 5.
This, it will be perceived, transferred Gen.
Ord's agency in the matter to Gen. Grant
resolved, however. to send Major Eckert for
ward with his message. and accordingly tele-
graphed Gen. Grant as follows, to-wit;
"ExECUTIvR MANSION, Wdsh,n9ton, Janua-
~ 3lst, 1S65-AGjOr General q ant, City Point,
Ia: A messep ger is coming TO you on the BUSH
ness contained in your dispatch Detain the
gentlemen in comfortable quarters until he ar
rives, and then act upon the mess age he brings
as far as applicable, it having been made up
to pass through General Urds hands, and
when the gentlemen were supposed to be be-
yond our lines. Il. LINCOLN"
[Sent IN cipher at 80 p m
When Major Eckert departed, he bore with
him letter OF the Secretary of War to Gener
al Grant, as follows, to wit:
"WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, d. c., Jan.
80, 1865 Lieutenant General Grant, Command
ing etc.-General: The President desires that
you will please procure for the bearer, MAJOR
Thomas T. Eckert, an interview with Messrs.
Stephens. Hunter. ana Campbell, and II, on
his return to you, he requests il, pass them
through our lines to Fortress Monroe, by such
route and under such military precaltions as
you may deem prudent, giving then protec-
ton and comfortable quarters while there, and
that you let none Of this have any effect upon
your movements or plans.
By order of the President.
EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary Of War.
Surprising the proper point to he then reached,
l dispatched the Secretary OF State with the
following instructions, Major Eckert, how
ever, going ahead OF him:
"EXRcUTIyR MANSION, Washington, Jan. 81,
1S65.-Hon HtUiam II. Seavdrd, Secretary Of
State You will proceed to Fortress Monroe,
Virginia, there TO meet and informally confer
with Messrs. Stephens, Hunter and Campbell,
on the basis OF my letter to +. p Blair, Egg OF
January IL, 1865 copy Of which you have.
You will make known to them that three things
are Indispensable, tO-wit:
81. The restoration OF the national authority
throughout all the States
2 No receding by thu Executive of the United
States on the slavery question from the posi-
ton assumed thereon. IL the late annual mes
sage to Congress, and IN preceding documents.
No cessation OF hostilities short Of an end of
the war, and the disbanding OF all the forces
hostile to the Government. You Will inform
them that all propositions OF theirs not incon-
slstent with the above will be considered and
passed upon in spirit OF sincere liberaiity
1ou will hear all they may choose to say, and
report il 10 me. You will not assume TO def
nitely cons ummate anything. Yours, &c,
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
on the day Of its date the folio wing telegram
was sent to General Grant
"WAR DEPARTMENT., Washington, D. G.. Feb
ruary LIST, 1e65.-Lteut. Gen. Grant, City Potnf,
"a: Let nothing which is Transporting change,
hinder, or delay your military movements or
plans. a. LINCOLN.
[Sent in cipher at 30 a. M
Afterwards the following was received from
General Grant:
OFFICE U. S. MILITARY TELEGRAPH, War
Department.-[In cipher. The following tele-
gram received at Washington 30 p. m Fec
/, 1876 from City Point, Va Feb. L, u 80 p. m
"His Ezcellency A. Lincoln, President Of III:
United States: Your despatch received. There
will be armistice in consequence OF the
presence of Mr.. Stephens and others, within
our lines. The troops are kept in readiness TO
move at the shortest notice, IL occasion should
Justify it. U. s. GRANT, Lieut.. General
To notify Major Eckert that the Secretary OF
State would be at Fortress Monroe, and to put
them in communication, the folio wing dispatch
was sent:
"WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, ID. c.,
Feb LIST, 1e65.-Maj0r Z. Z. Eckert, care Gen.
roe and put yourself under direcuon of Mr.. s.,
whom you will find there. A LINCOLN"
On the morning OF the I'd instant the follow
ing kilograms were received by ma, respective
ly from the Secretary of State and Major
Eckert:
St CRTRRSS MONROE, v a, IL. ~ Z. te0, |
ls65.-The PreSidrnto Of the United States: arrived
at ten NTH this n sTsninF- WIN. Fl. SswAnp'
"CITY POINT, VA 10 +. N, Feb l, IS65-His
ErcelLency A. Lincoln, President United States:
have the honor to report the delivery OF your
commune alton and my letter at 4.l5 this after
noon, to which l received reply at p. m,
but not satisfactory.
At p. m. the following note, addressed to
General Grant was received
CITY POINT, VA, Feb. 1, iS65.-To Lism. Gen.
Er1uf-Sfr We dpEirp N
city to confer informally with the President
personally in reference 70 the matters man
toned in his letter to Mr.. Blair OF the 18th IAN
uary ulrimo, without any personal com promise
on any question in the letter.
We have the permission TO do so from the
authorizes at Richmond.
Very respectfully yours,
ALEX. IL. STEPHENS
r. M. T. HUNTER,
At $50 p. M, L notified them that they could
not proceed further unless they com piled with
the terms expressed in my letter. The point
Of meeting designated in above note would not,
in my opinion, be insisted upon. Think Fort.
ress Monroe would be acceptable Having /;
complied with my Instructions, l will retaEn
TO Washington tomorrow, unless otherwsei
ordered. THos. ECKERT, Major, sc.
In reading this dispatch OF Major Eekert, l
was about to recall him and the Secretary OF
State when the following telegram OF General
Grant to the Secretary OF Waa was shown me,
OFFICE U. S. MILITARY TELEGRAPH, fin
cipherl Var Department, The following tele-
gram received at washington 4.35 q. m Feb. 2,
1865, from City Point; VA. Feb. 1, 1865
"Hon Ed,Uin b. Stanton, Secretary Of War.
Now that the interview between Ma or Eckert,
under his written instructions, ana Mr.. Ste
phens and party has ended, will state conf
deHtialiy, but not officially, to become matter
of record, that am con vinced, upon CONVEX
sation with Messrs. Stephens ana Hunter that
their intentions are good and their desire sin.
cere to restore peace and union, l have not felt
myself at liberty to express even views of nv
own, or TO account tor my reticencY. This has
placed me in an awkward position which
couldhave avoided bynot seeing item IN the first
instance. 1 fear now their going back without
any expression from any one in authority will
have bad Influence. At the sama time | re-
cogniZe the difficulties in the way of receiving
these informal commissioners AT this time, and
do not know what to recommend. am sorry,
however, that Mr.. Lincoln cannot have an in
terview with the two named in this ispa.ch,
,Ct al fhraa lima