The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-03-27
The Hampton Roads Cosfere'ace-LetterIr from
Secretary Se,oard to Mr.. Adams.

| faagea' i r.sr NEW O6h, MdrCu
The Tribune publishes letter nom Secre-
tary Seward to Minister Adams, dated Feb. Z,
1865 which. aftera lengthy account of prelim-
| inary matters long since known, gives the fol-
| lowing account of the famous Hampton Road
interview:
con the morning of the Sd, the President
attended by the Secretary, received Messrs.
| Stephens, Hunter, and Campbell on board the
United States steam transport River Queen
in Hampton Roads. The conference, alto
gether informal, was with no attendance of
Secretaries, Clerks, OIL other witnesses Moth
ing was written or read.
The conversation, though earnest and free,
was calm and courteous and kind on both
sides. The Richmond party approached the
discussion rather indirectly, and at no time
did they make categorical demands or tender
| formal stipulations or absolute refusals. New
| ertheless, during the conference, which lasted
four hours, the several points at issue between
the Government and the insurgents were dis
tinctly raised, and discussed fully, ntelligently
| and in amiablespirit. - -...... Ia 1850 4
| What the insurgent party seeIced chiefly to
| favor was the poStponement OF the question OF
separation, upon which war is waged, and mu-
tual direction of efforts of the Government as
well as those of the insurgents to some ex-
trinsic policy or scheme for season, during
which passion might be expected to sabside,
andarmies to be reduced, and trade and in
tercourse between the people of both sections
resumed. 1t was suggested by them that
through such postpOnement we might now
have immediate peace with some not very GER
tain prospect of an ultimate satisfactory adj
justment OF political relations between this
Government and the States, section or people
now engaged in conflict with it, 81 .3tN y
This suggestion, though deliberately con-
sidered, was nevertheless regarded by the
President as one of armistice or truce, and he
announced, "We can aggree to no cessation or
suspension of hostiitiess except ON basis of
disbandment of the insurgent force and res
t0Iation of national authority throughout all
all the States in the Union" p 2 H.--.-D -
go Collaterally and in subordination to the pro-
position that was thus announced the anti
slavery policy of the United States was re-
viewed in all its bearings, and the President
announced that he must not be expected to de-
part from the positions he had heretofore as
sumed in his Proclamation of Emancipation
and other documents, as these positions were
reiterated in his last annual message. 1t was
further declared by the President that COM
plete restoration of national authority was an
indispensable condition of any assent on our
part to whatever form of peace might be pro-
posed. 5 aE) AEA z 2 (
The President assured the other party that
while he must adhere to these positions, he
would be prepared so far as power is lodged
with the executive to exercise liberty. His
power is limited by the Constitution, and
when peace should be made, Congress must
necessarily act in regard to appropriations of
money and to the admission Of representatives
from insurrectionary States.
/. i The Richmond party were then informed
that Congress had, on the 31st uit., adopted
by a constitutional majority a joint resolution
submitting to several States proposition to
abolish slavery throughout the Union, and
that there is every reason to expect It will soon
lbs accepted by three-fourths Of the States, SO
to become part of the national organic'law
The Conference came to an end by mutual
acqqescenee, without procuring an agreement
of views upon the several matters discussed,
or any of them. Nevertheless, lit is perhaps
of some importance that we have been able to
submit our opinions and views directly to
prominent insurgents and to hear them an
swer in courteous and not un6iendly man
ner. : am sin, your obedient servant,S 4 ia
I ~ VIM. a. SEWARD.