The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-26
MIR SEWARD TO MR.. ADAMS.

there are always insugatOTs of war. SO sooa Us a
war beglns there are citizens who Impatieutv de-
mand negotiations Tor peace. The adv Oca'os tor
war after an agitation longer or 81 hOrter generally
gain their ,eariul end, though the war declared Is
not unircqUenty unncc cary and unwise. So
peace aRilatUIs, in time OF war, Ultimately bring
without securing ihe advantages which were ongi.
naily expected rom the conflict
The agltators lor war in time of peace, and for
peace me OF war, not necessarily, perhaps
ordinarily, uDpariOtlc in their purposes and motives.
Results alone determine whether they are wise or
unWise. The treaty Of peace concluded at Guada-
iupe Hidalgo secured by an irregular negotia.
ton under the ban OF the government. Some OF the
efforts when have been maue TO bring about negO-
hations with view to end our civil war are known
TO the wboie world, because they have employed
foregn as well domestic agents. others, with
whom you have had to deal conhdenta ly, are
known to yourself, although they have not publicly
tIanspired. Other efforts have occurred here winch
are known only TO the persons actually moving IN
them anu 10 tins Government. l am now TO give
you tor our information an account of an afIaiI of
The same e neral character, Fhch recently received
much attention here, and which doubtless wall excite
inquiry abroad
land, Obtained IRON the President simOie leave 20
las through our mIiit .rY lines without definite
views known to the Government. MIR. Blair visited
Richmond and ON his return he showed to tho
President letter whlc Jefferson Davis haG written
to MIR Blair, in Which DAVIS wIote that Mr. Blair
at liberty to TO President Lincoln that DAVIS
was now, as he had always been, wiling 10 send
Commissioners, II assured they would bo received,
or to receive any that should be sent that he was
not Disposed TO find obstacles IN forms. He would
send CCmmlssone 10 Jniel with the President,
win view TO a restoration OF peace between tho
two countries, il he could be assured they would
The President thereupon, on the 18th of January,
addressed note to MIR. Blair III which the Presl-
dent, alter ACKNOWLEDGING that he mad read the note
OF Ear. Davis, SAID he was is, and always should be,
Wiling receive any agent tbat Mr.. Davis, any
other mfluontia. person. now actually resisting tho
authority Of the Government, might send TO confer
jniol lmaily with the President with view to the
| restoration OF peace to the people OF our common
country. Mr. bla visited Richmond with hIs letter
anc then came lack again to Washington On the
u NgFa thp nOt lfpII-
tenan "a enCral Grant thaV Alexander ii. Stevens,
| Ii. NJ. L. Hunter anO John A. ~anpbe were apply
ing Tor leave to pass through he lines to WASHINGTON
as Peace Commissioners to confer with the President.
| lney were permitted by the Lleuterant-Genera 10
come TO his heaoquaft rs 10 await there the decision
| OF President. Major Ecket sent down to
meet tie party from Richmond at General Grants
heaG quarters. The Major was directed 10 deliver TO
them copy of the Presidents letter to MIR. Blair,
with note TO be addressed 10 them and sIgned by
| the MAJOR, in whIch they were directly informed
that, II they shou be allowed 10 pass our lines, they
| wou be understood as coming tor an lnforma con-
ference upon the basis of aforesaid letter OF the
18Th o. January TO Mr. Biar. If they should express
their assent toths condition in writing, tnen Major
| Eckeri was directed to give them sale conuuct to
| Fortress Monroe, when q person coming from the
President wou d meet them 1t beng thought proba-
| blo from report or their conservation with Lieu
tenant General Grant, that The richmond party
| would in the manner prescribed accept the con-
| dihon men,ioned, the secretary of State was
charged by the President with the duty OF repre-
| sentiug this Government at the expected informal
| conference. The Secretary arrived at Fortress
| Monroe ON the night OF the 1st day OF February.
Major Eckelt me- him on the morning of The I'd of
February with tue information that the persons who
had coIne from Richmond had not accepted in
WIltng the condt on upon which he was a. 10 we'd to
| give them conduct to Fortress Monroe. The NJ jor
had given the same lnforma ZION by telegraph 20 the
| resident at Washington. On rCCe wing this IntOr-
nation, the resident prepared teleg ram dlrectn
| the Secretary to return 10 Washington.
The Secretary was preparing. at the same mo-
| ment, to do so, without waiting for instructions
from the President. But at this juncture Lieu c.
nant-6 enera Grant teegraphed to the Secretary of
War, as wei as TO the Secretary of State that the
| party from Richmond had recOnsldered and ac-
| copied the conditions rendered them through Major
| EckeTt and General tIr9nt urgently advises the
| PRESIDENT 10 confer III person with the Richmond
| party.
| Pres dents uncctIon remained at Fortress Monroe,
and the Pres dent joined hin there on the night of
| broUoft down the james river in United states
steam transport during the day and the transport
was anchored at Hampton Roads.
On tie morning OF The Sd the President attended
by lhe secretary, received Messrs Stephens Hur-
ter and Campbell on board the United States n
transport RtUer Queen, in Hampton Roads / he
conference was altogether informal. here was no
attendance OF secretaries erks, or other witnesses
though earnest ana free, was calm and courteous
and kind on both sides, The Richmond party ap.
preached the discussion rather indirectly and at nc
time did they either make categorical demands OF
tender formal stpulatiOns, or absolute retusals
Nevertheless. during the conference, which lasted
tour hours the several points at issue between the
Government and the insurgents were distinctly
raised and discussed iully, integently, and in an
amiable spirit
What The InsurVent party seemed chiefly to favor
was postponement OF the question OF repalation
upon which the war is waRed, and mutual direc
uon Of the efforts of Government, as well as those
OF the nsuI gents TO some extTinsc policy or scheme
| for O season, during which passion might be ex
pecleo to subside and the armies 10 be reduced aud
trade and intercourse 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 certain pros
pect OF an ultimate satisfactory adjustment Of poll
teal relations between TINS Government and thC
States section, or people now engaged In coniic
| with it.
This suggestion, though deliberately considered
was nevertheless regarded by the President as one
OF armistce or truce and he announced that we car
agree 10 no cessation Or t5 I hose % tS
nsurgent forces and the restoration OF the national
au hority throuqhout all the States IN the Union
oaterally and in subordnatlon TO the proposihor
that was thus announced, the anti-SlaYery policy
of the United states was reviewed IN all Its
bearings, and the President announced that he mus
not be expected TO depart from the position he haG
I CIpation and other documents as these positions
| were reiterated in his last annual message IL wal
tuIther declared by the President hat the complete
restoration of tine national authority was an indis
! pensable condition OF assent on our part Il
whatever form of peace might be proposed. Ihi
President assured the other party that while he mus
adhere 10 these positions he would be prepared, 81
far as power is lodged with the Executive, to eXer
else iberalty.
when peace should be made, Congress- must necessa
act in regard to appropriations OF money and Il
tho admission of Representatives from the Insurrec
tionary States. The Richmond party were then In
formed that Congress had, on the 8lst ult adopted
by constitutional majority, Joint re solution, sub
hitting to the several States the proposition to abo
Ish slavery throughout tine Union, and that there
every reason to expect that H will soon be accepted
by three tOurths of the States, SO as to become par
OF the national orPanlc law.
Ihis conference came TO an end by mutual acQui
eRcenOe without procuring an agreement Of view
upon the several matters discussed, or any of them
Nevertheless it s perhaps OF @ some linporance Una