The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-03-30
The Peace Conference.
Mr.. Stewards Official Account of the
Hampton Roads Negotiations.

NAoAAhNAbAt W. A1DUs
Sir 1t is q truism that in times of
peace there are always instigators of
war. So soon as a war begins there are
/ citizens who impatiently demand nego-
tiations for peace. The advocates for
war, after an agitation longer or shorter,
generally gain their fearful end, though
the war declared is not unfrequently
unnecessary and unwise. So peace
ag~itators, in time Of war, ultimately
bring about an abandonment of the
conhict-sometimes 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, In
patriotic in their purposes and motives.
Results alone determine whether they
are wise or unwise The treaty of peace
concluded at Guadalupe Hidalgo, wal
secured by an irregular negotiation I'M
der the ban Of the Government Some
Of the efforts which have been made to
bring about negotiations with a view to
end our civil war are known TO the
whole world, because they have en-
ployed foreign as well as domestic
agents; others, with whom you have
had to deal c~onfdentially, are known
to yourself, although they have not
publicly t%raaspired. Other efforts have
occurred here, which are known only
TO the persons actually moving in them
and to this Government / am now 10
give you for your information an ac-
count of an affair of the same general
character, which recently received
much attention here, and which doubt
less will excite inquiry abroad.
A few days ago francis p. Blair, Esq.
of Maryland, obtained from the Presi-
dent q simple leave to pass through vi
military lines without definite views
known to the Government Mr.. Blair
visited Richmond, and on his return he
showed to the President a letter which
| Jefferson Davis had written to Mr..
Blair, in which Davis wrote that Mr.
Blair was at liberty to say to President
Lincoln that Davis was now, as he had
always been, willing TO send Commits
s%ioners, if assured they would be re-
ceived, or TO receive any that should be
sent that he WAS not disposed to find
i 0UbAhIAGh III lOlNA5. liz hpuAA EEAl4
Commissioners to confer with the Pres
ident, with a view to q restoration of
peace between the two countries, If he
could be assured they would be re-
ceived. The President thereupon, on
the 18th of January, addressed a note
to Mr.. Blair, in which the President,
after acknowledging that he had read
the note of Mr.. Davis, said he was, is,
and always should be willing to receive
any agent that Mr.. Davis, or any other
influential person, now actually resist
ing the authority of the Government,
might send to confer informally with
the President with a view to the resto-
ration of peace to the people OF u
common country. Mr.. Blair visited
Richmond with his letter and then
came back again to Washington. On
the 29th inst. we were advised from
the camp of Lieut-Gen. Grant that Al
exander ii. Stephens, r NJ T. Hunter
and John A. Campbell we're applying
for leave to pass through the lines to
! Washington as Peace Commissioner to
confer with the President They were
permitted by the Lieutenant-Genera 10
/ NBAlC " III AEhAAAAhA NNAEf W @HhAA ANA
the decision of the President Major
Eckert was sen down to meet the party
from Richmond at Gen. Grants head
quarters. The Mejor was directed TO
deliver to them a copy Of the Presi-
dents letter to Mr.. Blair, with a note
10 be addressed to them and signed by
the Major, in which they were directly
informed, that if they should be al
lowed to pass our lines they would be
understood as coming for an informal
conference upon the basis of the atort-
named letter of the 18th of January to
Mr.. Blair. lfthey should express their
assent 20 this condition in writing,
then Major Eckert was directed 10
give them safe conduct 10 Fortress
Monroe, when a person coming from
the President would meet them 1t
being thought probable, from a report
of their conversation with Lieuten8t
General Grant, that the Richmond
party would in the manner prescrib-
ed accept the condition mentioned,
the Secretary of State was charged by
the President with the duty of repre-
senting this Government at the ex-
pected informal conference. The Sec
Rotary arrived at Fortress Monroe on
the night of the lst day of February.
Major Eckert met him in the morning
of the I'd Of February with the infoTma-
ton that the persons from who had
come from Richmond had not accepted
in writing the condition upon which
he was allowed 10 give them conduct to
Fortress Monroe. The Major had given
the same information by telegraph to
the President at Washington. On re-
ceiving this information, the President
prepared a telegram directing the Sec
Rotary to return TO Washington. The
Secretary was preparing, at the same
moment 10 do so, without waiting for
instructions from the President But
At this juncture Lieut.. Gen. Grant tele-
graphed to NE Secretary Of War, as
well rs the Secretary Of State, that the
party from Richmond had reoOpsidered
and accepted the conditions rendered
them through Major Eckert and Gen.
Grant urgently advised the President
to confer in person with the Richmond
party.
Under these circumstances the Secre-
tary, by the Presidents direction, Ie.
manned az Fortress Monroe, and the
President joined him there on the
night of the ID Of February. The Rich
mond party was brought down the
James river in q United States steam
transport during the day, and the
transport was anchored at Hampton
Rosds
On the morning Of the Sd the Presi-
dent attended by the Secretary, re-
ceiyed Messrs stephens, Hunter, aud
Campbell, on board the United States
steam transport River Queen, in
Hampton Roads. The Conference was
altogether informal There was no at
tendance Of secretaries, clerks, or other
witnesses. Nothing Was written or
read The conversation, though earn
est and free, was calm and courteous
and kind on both sides The Rich
mond party approached the discussion
ssther indirectly. and at 10 time did
they either make categorical demands,
or tender formsl stipulations, or alb
solute refusRlA Nevertheless, during
the conference, which lasted four
hours, the several pOinta 1t issue be-
tween the Government and the insur-
gents were distinctly raised aud dis
cussed Tally, intelljgentiy, and in an
smiable spirit What the insurcent
party seemed chiefly to favor was a
postponement Of the question OF repair
alton upon which the war is wseed.
and a mutual direction OF the eforts
OF Government Is well SIS those Of the
insurgents, 10 some extrinsic policy cr
scheme for q season, during which pas.
sion might be expected to subside and
the armies 20 be reduced, and trade
sud intercourse between the people Of
both SECTIONS resumed IA vas ana