The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-04-05

l
ference held in Hampton Ronds in February,
eS65," has been published Mr.. Seward
! introduces the narration with the following
! observations:
Sir: 1t is truism that in times of peace
there are always instgators of war. So
soon os war begins there are citizens who
impntiently demand negotiations for peace.
Tho advocates for war, after OH agitation
| longer or shorter, generally gain their fear
ful end, though the war declared is not fire..
quently unnecessary and unwisc So peace
agitators in time of war, ultimately bring
about IN abandonment of the conflict
sometimes without securing the advantages
which were originally expected from the
conflict.
The agitators for war in timo of peace,
and for peace in time of war, arc not ,eces-
sarily, or perhaps ordinarily, unpatriotic in
their purposes and motives. Results alone
determine whether they are wise or unwise.
The treaty of peace concluded at Gauda-
lupe liidalgo was secured by an irregular
negotiation under the ban of the govern
ment. 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, because they have employed
foreign rs well rs domestic agents others,
with whom you have had TO deal confden-
TALLY, are known to yourself, although they
have no; publicly transpired Other eff
forts hnve occurred here. which are known
only to the persons actually moving in them
and to this government. i am now to give
for your information an account of an affair
Of the same general character, which re-
Gently received much attention here, and
which doubtless will excite inquiry abroad
After detailing the circumstances which
led to the meeting, Mr. Seward proceeds
On the morning Of the 81 Of February,
the President, attended by the Secretary,
received Mcssrs. Stephens, Hunter and |
Campbell on board the United States steam
transport, 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 convcrsation, though |
earnest and free, was calm and court eous |
and kind son both sides. The Richmond |
party approached the discussion rather in. ,
directly, and at no time did they either mako !
categorical demands, or tender former stip- |
ulations. or absolute refiisals. Neyerthc-
less, during the conference which lasted I
iour hours the several points Mt issue be-
tween the Government and the insurgents
were distinctly raised and discussed fully, |
intelligently and in nm amiable spirit. |
what the inswgen: party seemed chiefly TO |
favor was n postponement of the question |
OF separation upon which the war wns wng-
cd, and mutual direction of the efforts of |
Government, us we'll rs those of the insur- |
gents, 10 some extrinsic policy or scheme |
for season, during which a passion might |
be expected to subside and the armies to be |
reduced, and trade and int ercourse between |
the people Of both sections resumed II |
was suggested by them that through such |
postponemcnt we might now have immediate |
peace, with some not very certain prospect
OF an ultimate satisfactory adjustment of |
political relations between this Government
and the States, section or people now en-
gagged in conflict with it,
This suggestion, though deliberately con-
sidcred, was, nevertheless, regarded by the |
President rs one Of nrmisticc or truce, nnd |
he announced that we can agree to no ces- |
sation or suspension of hostilities except on |
the basis of the disbandment of the insur.. |
gent forces and the restoration of the M |
tlonal authority throughout all the states in |
the Union. Collaterally and in subordina- |
iion to the proposition that was thus an |
nounced, the anti.slavery policy of the Uni
ted States was reviewed in all its bearings, |
and that tho President announced that he |
L:ust not lot be expected to depart from the |
position he had heretofore assumed in his |
proclamation of emancipation and other |
documents, as these positions were retera-
further declared by the President that the |
complete restoration of the national authori-
ty was IN Indispensable condition of any
assent on our part TO whatever form of |
peace might he propos d. The President
assured the other party that, while he must
adhere TO the position, he would be pre-
pared, so far as power is lodged with the |
executive, 10 exercise liberality.
His power is limited by the Constitution.
And when peace should be made, Congress
must necessarily act in regard to appro-
priations of money and to the admission of
representatives from the insurrectionary
States; The Richmond party were then in
formed that Congress had, on the 3lst ulti-
mo. adopted. ,bya constitutional majority.
Joint resolution, submitting to the several
states the proposition to abolish slavery
throughout the Union. and that thereis every
reason to believe it will be accepted by three
fourths of the States, so as to become q part
OF tho national organic law, The conference
came toanend by mutual acquiescence. with