The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-04-18

at tie same moment, to 90 so, WltnCut Wa!tiNS
for Instructions from the President. But st
this iuncture Lieutenant General Grant tcle-
erarhcd to the Secretary Of War, as we'll As tc
the Secretary of State, that the party. from
Richmond lad rcconSdercd and accepted the
Conditions rendered them through Major Eek
cit, and General Grant urgently advised tic
President to confer in person with the Rlch-
mond party.
Under these circumstances the Secretary,
by thes Presidents direction, remained at
Fortress Monroe, and thc President Joined
him there on the night Of the 2d OF February.
The Richmond party was brought down the
James River III United States Steam trans
port daring the Gay, and the transport was
anchored at Hampton Roads.
On the morning Of IL 81, the President,
attended by the Secretary, received Messrs,
Stephens, Hunter and CSAhpbeI!, on hoard the
United States steam transport River Queen,
in Hampton Roads, The conference was alto
gethcr informal. There was no attendance Of
Secretaries, clerks, or other witnesses. Moth
ing was written or read. The conversation,
though earnest and free, was calm, and court
cous, and kind on both, sides. The Richmond
rrty approached the discussion rather indl-
rcctiy, and at no time did they either make
categorical demands or tender formal St1Faa-
tons, Or absolute rcCuSaIs. Nevertheless; du-
ring the conference, which lasted four hours,
the several points at issue between the Govern
mcnt and the Insurgents were distinctly raised
and discussed, fully, intclIigcntly and III an
amable spirit What the insurgcnt party
seemed chiefly to favor was postponen!cnt
of the question Of separation upon which the
war is waerd, and mutual direction Of the
efforts OF Government as we'll as those Of the
insurgents to some cXtlinsic policy or scheme
for season, during which passion might be
expected to SubS;de, and the armies to be re-
duccd, and trade and intercourse between the
people Of both sections resumed. 1t vas Sug-
gcStctl by them that through such postpone
mcnt We might now have immediate peace,
with s(1ne not very certain prospect OF an ul-
innate satisfactory adjustment Of political re-
iations between this Government and the
States, sections or people now cnGagedin in con-
Hirt with it,
This suggestion, though deliberately con-
Si1crcd, was, nevertheless, regarded by the
President rs one Of aImiSticc or truce, ard so
announced that we can agree to 10 cessation
or suspension of hostilitics except en- the basis
Of the diSbandnclt of the insurgcNt forces and
the restoration CT the national ac:' ritz
throuEhout ali the States in the Cnio;l, Con
scCpcut and in s;ltoTdinat;ou to the PROPOSE
tiols which were thHs announced, the anti
slavery policy ofihe United States was review
cd in ali its Bearings, ard the President an
nounccd that he must not be expected to de-
part from the positions he had heretofore as
sumcd 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 the
comnIctc restoration Of the national authority
vas an indispensable condition Of any assent
on our part to whatever form of peace might
be proposed. The President assured the other
patty that while he must adhere to these posi-
tionS, he wo&N be prepared, as far as power
is lodged with the Executive, to exercise hbe-
rality.
Ills power is limited by the Constitution.
And when peace should be made, Congress
mnst necessarily act in regard to approprla-
tons Of money and to admission OF Repre-
scutativrs from the irsuTectlonory States.
The Richmond party were then informed that
CONGRESS- had on the 3lst u!timo adopted, by
a constitutional minority, Joint Resolution,
submitting to the several States the proposition
to abolish slavery throughout the Union, and
that there is every reason to expect tha. 1t
will soon be accepted by thrcc-four tbs of the
States, 50 as to become part Of the national
organic law. The conference came to an end
by mutual acqucsccncc, without procuring an
agreement Of views upon the several matters
discussed, or any Of them. Nevertheless, 1t IS
perhaps of some importance that We have been