The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-04-04
THE iapEAoE CONFERENCE


Secretary Stewards letter to Minister Adj
ans giving an official history of the " con- 4;
ference held in Hampton Roads in FEBRUARY;
1865" has been published Mr. Seward IN
PRODUCES the narration with the following
observations:
Sir: 1t is truism that in times of peace
there are always instigators of war. So soon.
as war begins there are citizens who I'M
patiently demand negotiations Rr peace.
The advocates for war, after an agitation long
er or shorter, generally gain their fearful end,
though the war declared is not unfrequently
unnecessary and unwise. So peace agitators,
in time of war, ultimately bring about an
Abandonment of the confiict-sometlmes
without securing the advantages which were
originally expected from the conflict.
The agitators for war in time OF peace, and
for peace in time of war, are not necessarily,
or perhaps ordinarily, unpatriotic IN their
purposes and motives. Results alone deter
mine whether they are wise or unwise. The
treaty of peace concluded at Guadalupe
Hidalgo was secured by an irregular negotla-
ton under the ban of the Government. Some
of the efforts which have been made to bring
about negotiations with view to end our
civil war are known to the whole world, be-
cause they have employed foreign as we'll as
domestic agents; others, with whom you
have had to deal confdentially, are known to
yourself, although they have not publicly
transpired. Other efforts have occurred here
which are known only to the persons actually
moving in them and to this Government. I
am now to give you for your information sn
account of an affair of the same gelt ral
character, which recently received much -
tention here, and which doubtless will excil,
inquiry abroad.
After detailing the circumstances which
led to the meeting, Mr.. Seward proceeds
On the morning of the 3D. of February,
the President, attended by the Secretary, re-
ceived Messrs. Stephens, Hunter and Camp
bell, on board the United States steam trans
port River Queen, in Hampton Roads. The
conference was altogether informal. There
was no attendance of secretaries, clerks, or
other witnesses. Nothing 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 either make categorical de-
mands, or tender formal stipulations, or alb
solute refusals Nevertheless, during the
conference, which lasted four hours the sew
eral points at issue between the Government
and the insurgents were distinctly raised and
discussed fully, intelligently and in an amia-
BILE spirit What the insurgent party seemed
chiefly to favor was a postponement of the
question of separation upon which the war
is waged, and mutual direction of the eff
forts of Government, as well as those of the
insurgents, to some extrinsic policy or
scheme for season, during which passion
might be expected to subside and the armies
to be reduced, and trade and intercourse be-
tween the people of both sections resumed.
It was suggested by them that through such
postponement we might now have immedi-
ate peace, with some not very certain pros
pect of an ultimate satisfactory adjustment
of political relations between this Govern
ment and the States, section or people now
engaged in conflict with it.
This suggestion, though deliberately con-
sidered, was, nevertheless, regarded by the
President as one of armistice or truce, and
he announced that we can agree to no cessa-
ton or suspension of hostilities except on
the basis of the disbandment of the insur-
gent forces and the restoration of the national
authority throughout all the States in the
Union Collaterally and in subor(lination to
the proposition that was thus announced, the
anti-slavery policy of the United States was
reviewed in all its bearings, and the Presi-
dent announced that he must not be expec
ted to depart from the positions he had here
tofore assumed in his proclamation of eman-
cipation aud other documents, as these po-
sitions were reiterated in his last annual
message 1t was further declared by the
President that the complete restoration of
the national authority was an Indispensable
condition of any assent on our part to
whatever form of peace might be proposed.
! 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 literality
His power is limited by the Constitution
And when peace should be made, Congress
must necessarily act in regard to appropria
lions of money and to the admission of Rep
resentatiyes from the discretionary States
The Richmond party were then informed
that Congress had, on the 31st ultimo, adop
ted, by constitutional majority, joint res
olution, submitting to the several States thu
proposition to abolish slavery Throughout
the Union, and that there is every reason tt
expect that it will soon be accepted by three
fourths of the States so as to become par
of the national organic law The conference
came to an end by mutual acquiescence
without procuring an agreement of view
upon the several matters discussed, or any o
them. Nevertheless, it is perhaps of som
Importance that we have been able to sub
nit our opinions and views directly to prom
inent insurgents, and to hear them answer il
courteous and not unfriendly manner.
am, sir, your obedient servant,
WILLIAM FL. SEWARD.
Charles Francis A dams Esq &c &c