The Washington herald., 1915-01-31

of explicit notice in advance of their
proposed arrival at Petersburg, and in
part to a disinclination on their part
to accept unequivocally a condition
laid down by President Lincoln as the
only one on which they would be re-
ceived., This was that they should
come as citizens of the United States.
and not as representatives of another
government.
The appointment of the Confederate
Commissioners (Which resulted in their
meeting President Lincoln at Hampton
Roads, on February -, had grown out
of two voluntary visits to Richmond by
Francis p. Blair. sr., a prominent
Marylander.
Mr.. Blair, having secured a pass
through the lines from President Lin
coin. had laid before jefferson Davis
on January IL. a plan for ending the
war by the joint invasion of Mexico
by the armies of North and South.
Lincoln had declined to listen to such
a project, but on January IS had given
Mr.. Blair letter in which he stated
that he would receive any person that
Mr.. Davis might send him with the
view of securing peace to the people OF
our one common country" This letter
Mr.. Blair had presented to Mr.. Davis
on January 81.
it was apparent that Lincoln would
consider no proposal for peace that did
not involve the submission of the
Confederate States to the authority of
the United States government.
Mr.. Davis chose not to accept the
obvious meaning of President Lincolns
language. In appointing his commits
sioners he gave them a copy of Lin
coins letter and the following letter
OF instructions:
Richmond, Jan. 2S. 1855.
In conformity with the letter of Mr.
Lincoln. OF which the foregoing is a
copy, you are requested to proceed to
Washington city for informal confer
ence with him upon the issues involved
in the existing war and for the pur-
pose of securing peace to the two
countries.
Your obedient servant,
"JEFFERSON DAVIS"
The Three Commissioners.
The language of other letters showed
clearly that while the Confederate
peace delegates knew the terms upon
which Lincoln would receive them,
they were not left free to accept those
terms.
They hoped an armistice might be
gained by a conference. without the
concession Of the point whose accept
ance Lincoln made precedent to ne
gotiations.
Mr. Davis had chosen for his peace
delegation men well versed in the art
Of delicate negotiations.
Mr.. Stephens was one of the ablest
men in the South. At the beginning
of the war he was an opponent of Sc
cession. He had served in Congress in
the 4U's. and had made a strong i'm
preston on the public thought Of his
time by his mental force.
Mr. Campbell, a resident of Alabama,
at the beginning OF the war was one
of the justices OF the United States
Supreme Court. With a vigorous men
tality he had contributed in various
ways to the continuance of the Confed-
crate government. In January. 1865.
he was Assistant Secretary of War at
Richmond.
Mr.. Hunter was a native of Virginia
and a former member of the National
House. of which he was Speaker at the
age of thirty. in the twenty-sixth Con-
gress. He was elected to the United
States Senate in 1916. and reelected in
1852 and 1858. At the Charleston con-
ventiOn in 1860 he received the next
highest number of votes to Stephen A
Douglas. the nominee for the Presi-
dency.
He had served the Confederate gov
ernment as Secretary of State and in
its House of Representatives. In jan
oary. 1865, he was in its Senate.
The Confederate delegates were des-
tined to wait nearly three days before
gaining admission to the Federal lines.
After being admitted they would not
have met Lincoln but for the interces-
sion OF Gen. Grant, who believed they
should not be sent away without a
hearing.
(The movements of the Confederate
Commissioners will be further de-
scribed January 3D.