gautoter Nuttlligenter Nft a. INODAT;FEBRUARX-15, 1865 "The minting presses shall be free to every person who tuadertakes to examine the pro-. "lading' of the legislature, or any . 'branch of government; and no law shall . ever be made to reatrainthe right thereof:. Thetree commu nication of thought and opinions is one of the invaluable rights of men; and .every citizen may freely speak, write and print on any sub- Pet ; babw xesponsible.for the abuse of that liberty. In.prosecutions for the publication of papers investigating the official conduct of offi cers, or men in public capacities, or where the matter published is proper for public informa tion, the truth thereof may be given in evi dence."—llnetitution of Penny/yenta. Why the Peace _Conference Was a Failure. BCfOrethe correspondence which pass ed between Mr. Lincoln and the rebel authorities was made public, accompani ed by hisversion ofwhat occurred atthe conference at Hampton Roads, we were not willing to express what Was our be lief--that the negotiations on the part of Mr. Lincoln were insincere; that Peace and Union were put within his grasp, and that from sinister and un worthy motives he deliberately repelled them. We now assert boldly and with out fear of contradiction, and we appeal to the correspondence which we publish in full for the truth of what we utter, that in • this whole matter Mr. Lincoln acted a most treacherous part, deceiving and trifling, not with the rebel commis sioners alone, but with the people who ardently desired a speedy and honora ble Peace. In hialetter to Mr. Blair he declared that he would receive any agents who came, " with the view of securing Peace to our common country." What other interpretation could be put upon that assertion than that it meant that Mr. Lincoln was ready to make Peace on the simple condition-of a reunion of the States. Had not the rebel authori ties a right so to regard it ? Could they have taken it with any other meaning, unless they had anticipated the treach erous double dealing of Mr. Lincoln from the very outset? The truth is, Mr. Lincoln expected that the offer made through Mr. Blair would be refused by Jefferson Davis. He never calculated on seeing a delega tion of such men as came, applying for passes through our lines. The antece dents of these men was of such a char acter as was well calculated toalarm the radicals, who insist upon it that the War shall not end yet. Both Vice Presi dent Stephens and Judge Campbell had stood out long and manfully against Secession. There was alarm in The camp to the radicals. If Peace should be made now, the Abolition amendment of the Constitution would not be rati fied, and the war would end without the coin plete cxtinguishment of slavery. But what was to be done? First, Mr. Lincoln kept the rebel commissioners before our lines, in hopes they would leave in disgust at such treatment. In the meantime, Gen. Grant had a talk with them, and was convinced that they came with an honest desire to adjust the existing difficulties. He had, there fore, admitted them within the lines before the arrival of Major -Eckert, the special agent sent by Mr. Lincoln to interpose obstacles to their cooling. Had it not been for Gen. Grant him self, whb, being a plain blunt man, evidently did not understand the din ning tricks of the President, it is proba ble Major Eckert would have succeed ed in getting the commissioners sent back to Richmond without subjeiiting Mr. Lincoln to the annoyance of being compelled to hold a conference, which he had resolved beforehand should be without any result. Gen. Grant tele graphed to the President, speaking of the commissioners, "I A.:NI CI)NVINCED THAT THEIR INTENTIONS ABE AND THEIR DESIRE SINCERE To EE STORE PEACE AND UNION." With such a document as that on file against him, where it might at any time be brought to public view, Mr. Lincoln did not dare to send the commissioners back without a heaiiing. But it would not do to let them come to - Washington. That must be avoided. They Illi2ht completely upset the plans of himself and his radical friends. Sonic arrange - ment might be sprung upon the country by which a Peace might he concluded, vastly to the benefit of the white race of both sections, but without any spe cial reference to the negro. Accordingly Mr. Seward, a fit messenger for such an errand, was started in hot haste for For tress Monroe to stop the rebel envoylk there- His instructions were not to aid - in bringing about Peace and reunion, but to announce that there would he "iio 'receding by the Executive of the flitted Slates on the slavery quedion," and thus,to dispel any hope of Peace by repelling' the rebel commissioners at once. Seward had scarcely got out of NVoshington until Mr. Lincoln, with 'a single servant, followed. A conference was had, in which Mr. Lincoln laid t t dOwn his emancipation proclamation, his Niagara manifesto, and his negro policy in general, as his ultimatum Be re fused to listen to any other terms of Peace. The rebel commissioners, after hearing thls and a few of his stories, more cleanly it is to be hoped, than many which he tells, took their depar- Oro, and Mr. Lincoln and his foxy Secretary returned to Washington to give the account of their doings, which we publish elsewhere, and of which this is a correct summary. Was this a fair, honest, manly effort to obtain Peace and bring about a resto ration of the Union? Was it such an effort as the people had a right to ex pect ; such as the army had a right to expect; such as the whole civilized world had a right to expect of Mr. Lincoln? Is it not plainly evident that he made no fair effort to obtain Peace ; that he acted in such a manner as to repel any advances in that direction which the rebel commissioners might have come prepared to make? He de liberately choSe war in prefernee to Peace, and preferred the prosecution of the wild schemes of the more fanatical men of his own party to thebest interests of the people of both sections, 'and the chief good of our common country. He has stripped from the war the last ves tige of deceptive covering which has heretofore, to some extent, concealed its real chalacter. It is now openly and officially declared to be, not a war for the restoration of the Union ; not a war for the establishment of the supremacy of the Constitution ; not a war to yin - dicate the honorand maintain the power of the Federal Government ; not a war for the good of the white race in any re spect,' but a war for the benefit of the .negror, -, a war for the furtherance of the impracticable and impossible schemes of 4te:thost ultra of the Abolitionists. It 7 irttr' carried on for the purpose of levelMithe _white man downward and the t negro'tipward, and is to be prosecu ted until they are put upon a dead level of social and political equality. The fiat has gone forth. There is to be no peaeeintitil this is accomplished. Is it our ditty to sustain such a war as this ? Wltat- say the people? 'Alas! the day Whet:l - they had anything to say in the atraii.,4, : of this • Government seems to have_ passed: away: A vulgar despot now plays with . their- lives as if they were utterly valt!eless. Even now the ma chinerr la.-almost" ready which is to drag; thme.,:liunilied thousand more of thera.;to. the slaughter—three hundred thotisand ;More White men to be Imo lated'en the - bloody altar of the insatiate deui Aholitionisha; because Abra ,.. hanibincoln'tleliberatekV, and with the W=11;;f(n d . powor.. of a despot, declares . that.iteliall.boa. And yet wo ,all our solvea tteetner4 ",; • - • The Peace Failure. Such is the heading which is conspic - A . l9!lSintsPht.l . ol VaNtakr4 the head, of long columns of reading matter in every newspaper in the land. Lengthy and condensed as these col umns are, every word of them is eagerly devoured by:: the ,irumy millim4 ,of a much disappointedandittuch interested people. That the late peace movement was a most lamentable failure no one can deny. Why it was so hi a question in which everyman, woman and child in the country is directly and deeply interested. For many years the people of the United States have proudly boasted that they were the real sovereigns, and their rulers but the servants of them, the peo ple. In this respect they have been ac customed to regard themselVes as pecu liarly blessed, and have *condescended most graciously to pity, and most be nignly to sympathize with all who lived under forms of government seem ingly less free. All this may have been a mere delusion. Sure it is, that now no such happy boast can any longer be made by the masses of either one of the warring sections of our once happy country. The people of the North have become mere pliant tools in the hands of a set of fanatics, the people of the South tools in hands of a _set of ambi tious and designing men. Well might the poet point the finger of his bitter scorn at the huge armies which stand mustered in opposing array for the pur pose of slaughtering each other, and say : " In these behold the tools, The broken tools that tyrants cast away ay myriads, when they dare to pave their way With human hearts—to what? a dream alone:. Such they are, and nothing more.— Mere tools for the destruction of each other in the maddest and most useless strife the world ever saw, The tools of tyrants too—tyrants none the less des potic because they were put into the position they occupy by forms in which the people seemed to participate. There is no doubt but that the masses of both sections desired peace; no doubt that a vast majorityln the whole country, North as well as South, ardently and earnestly prayed to God that peace, a blessed, lasting peace might come out of what is now paraded in such words as " The Peace failure." Why was it a failure? Why? Because the tyrants on each side had resolved it should be nothing but a failure. When Mr. Lincoln made indecent haste to follow his cunning and unprin cipled Secretary to the conference at Hampton Roads, he left abundant as surances with his radical friends behind hith at Washington (the men who are growing rich on the spoils of war, and fattening like vampires on the blood of the people) that the terms of peace which he would offer should be such, and such Only as it was not possible for the rebel euthassadors to accept. They met him without authority, perhaps without in clination to offer any terms which he Would accept. Mr. Lincoln presented himself in the haughty attitude of a conqueror, demanding the abject sub mission of a vanquished foe. The rebel issioners faced him as the repre sentatives of bola, had men, who had staked their all upon a long-cherished olject of ambition. mr. T.inciln did not represent the views, the wishes, or the interests of any great hotly of the people, either North or South. He appeared at Fortress Monroe as the embodiment of the wildest and most unbridled fanati cism of the North. lie had no other character, and repre-enfed - nothing else. He was the personification of the spirit of that faction which would destroy the Constitution made by our fathers, over turn the free form of government be queathed to us by them, do violence to the natural instincts of the nobler race, and erase all the laws on our statute books which prevent the negro from' claiming as his right perfect and entire equality with the white rave. He ap peared On board the vessels at Hampton Roads, disguised it is true under the name and title of the President of the United States, but, in reality, lie was the representative, not of the people, but of the most ultra wing of the radi cal Abolitionists, and of that only. Mr. Lincoln was met by representa tives of that party of men in the South which have staked their all upon the existence of an independent Confederacy of States. How much the ambition of these bad men may have been shaken by recent reverses, i'vhether they would have accepted any terms of reunion, we may never know. Sure it is, nothing transpired to indicate that the rebel commissioners any more tru th fu fly represented the people of the South than Mr. Lincoln did those of the North. They were the representatives of one destructive political heresy, he of ano ther. The two care extremes, wide as sunder as the poles, which can never be brought together. Between them, and in no close sympathy with either, stands the great body of the American people with open veins, bleeding their life away. How could any peace come of such a conference! The columns of this paper will testify that we never ex pected it, and never bade the people hope for it. The saddest reflection con nected with the whole matter is to be found in the fact that neither the in terests, the wishes, or the feelings of the masses of either section were represent ed at the late peace conference. Had the people been faithfully represented, had their wishes been consulted and their interests regarded, not another gun would ever have been fired in this most horrid war. The 1: 7 D1011. would have been speedily restored, never to be broken again; and even the negro would have had reason to thank God for an event which would have saved him from coming miseries, compared to which the harshest plan tation life was happiness indeed. Is it not the verriest mockery for the people of this country to still claim to be sove- Local Elections Many men seem to regard the local' elections which occur annually in the boroughs and townships where:they re side as of but little importance. This is an entirely wrong view to take of the matter. The ollices to be filled, if of comparatively trifling magnitude, are nevertheless highly important, Much depends upon having the right kind of men for, Justices of the Peace, for constables, for school directors, and for election officers. It is the duty of every good citizen to take an interest and a part in the selection and the election of those who are to fill these comparatively humble positions. To Democrats we would say, nomi nate your very best men, and then make a vigorous effort to secure their election. We have known townships To be carried at a spring election by a little vigorous work, in which our op ponents had a decided and reliable ma jority. They trusted too much to their strength. It is important that the year should be begun aright. A manly effort made in the spring gives strength and energy for the more important contests that come off in the fall. Let our friends throughout the county see how well they can do at the coming election for township officers. A properly-directed effort, if vigorously and judiciously made, may enaple them to carry town ships they never carried before. We hope no reader of the Intelligeneer will fail to take such an interest in this mats ter as its importance demands, The Legislatuie has passed a bill'prohib iting the storing 9f petroleum in Philade/- hia. • The Rood Time Coming. There is a good time coming for the '.7W . 444l l l l QPJAKAlA.K o .46 l 64tediStatesiwilich' they may hasten by behaving them selves well and rendering an uncondi tional support to"the Republican leaders. If the same set of men whOow frame lxith eur..Natiortal and Stag laws are maintained in power by the people three or four years longer, the question will not beWhether the negro shall be per naitted to ride in the same cc with the white man, but whether white men shall be permitted to ride at all except as coachmen or footmen for wealthy "colored gentlemen." Under the lead of SUM - NE - Rat Washington, and LOWRY at Harrisburg, a revolution is in pro gress which promises to end in making masters of the negroes and servants of the white, men. If the rank and file of the Republican party are ambitious of driving coach, sawing wood or black ing boots for Lrazcoa,x's free Ameri cans of African descent,P (vulgarly called niggers,) they can have their am bition gratified by contintming to sup port SE3INER, STEVENS, LOWRY, and others of the.same kidney, all of whose efforts are directed to the exaltation of the black race. Last week Mr. SCHNEE- led a negro into the Supreme Court of the United States, and on his motion Mr. CHASE, the new Chief Justice, .Ordered Mr. Blackstone. Snowball to be sworn in as an Attorney of that Court. If NELSON or CLIFFORD should die or resign, the chances are at least ten to one that LIN COLN- would elevate Mr. Snowball to the vacancy on the Bench. , A State Convention of Negroes was held at Harrisburg the other day. The members of the Legislature were very properly invited to attend. The negroes certainly had a right to expect a very full attendance of the Republican mem bers. How many went we are unable to say, but we understand that Senator LOWRY did himself the honor to be present. This Convention met for the purpose of taking steps to secure "equal rights" to the colored population of Pennsylvania. " Education," " the right of suffrage," and kindred topics, ,were the themes discussed. The pres ent Legislature will perhaps not under take to amend our Constitution so as to allow negroes to vote. They regard their Luloption of the abolition amend ment to the Constitution of the United States as glory enough for one session. But give the Republican party the same majority in the next two sessions that it has in the present session of the Leg islature, and an amendment to the Con stitution will be adopted, which will clothe the negro with the right to vote and hold office. This will make him a power in the State, and he will be courted by leading Republicans, who will ride into high official position on ids back. But in proportion as he is court ed he will grow insolent, ambitious and exacting, and his demands, however extravagant they may be, will be ac ceded to by the Republicans.. Thus the negro will find his way into the School Board, e the Town and City Councils, the Legislature, Congress, and possi bly the Presidential Chair itself! Major Shenk Grows Eloquent Over the Virtues (?) of Thaddeus Stevens. In the House of Representatives at Harrisburg, the other day, Major RV DOLPH W. SHENK, late of the 135th Regi ment P. V., now a member of the Lan caster Bar, and the " young man elo quent" from the Old Guard in the lower branch of the Legislature, made a few " highfalutin remarks on the subject of the amendment to the Constitution prohibiting slavery. He spoke of the eminent services and virtues (?) of Thad deus Stevens, and portrayed him as a very hod. We make room for one or two extracts from the Major's thrilling panegyric. History is called into requi sition. He says: " History has few !righter parallels—few brighter examples thun Tiiaddeus Stevens. When those little men, [we are glint to know that the Ma . ior is not one of them,] the cilti tiers of his great rep 0t 51100, shall have gone to their graves tinhonored and unsung,' the name of Thaddeus Stevens will stand out in letters of living light, and will point a moral upon ever - leg of A nwrivan his tory." Then the Major is going to present Thaddeus as an example to our chil dren, and hold up his virtues C.' to stim ulate us and them to deeds oC virtue and greatness. licar him: " His labors have accomplished th , s great work, and it will be but just to his great name that we make hint an example to our children—to hal up his virtues to stimulate ourselves, and to stimulate com ing generations to deeds of virtue:toil great ness." The Major reaches the sublimity of eloquence in his peroration. lie calls the roll of honor: "Mr. Speaker, when the roll of holior— the roll of the names of the great men to whose labor we are indebted — shall be call ed, if the prayer of the unchained slave is of any avail, the name of Thaddeus Stevens will lead them all." The Major took le is seat amid profound silence, and several meinbers, who had pealed onions in close proximity to their nasal organs, are said to have wept co pious tears. White Refugees The following announcement appear ed in the Philadelphia Press of Satur day, in the shape of a telegram: WAsul.N(iToN, Feb. 11.—A meeting is to be held here to-morrow (Sunday) evening to devise relief for the eighty thousand white refugees, who have been driven within our lines in the past twelve months. The most of them are females and children, and who have been driven from their homes by guerilla warfare, consciption, &c. Post master General Dennison will preside. That is the very first announcement of a meeting for the relief of such white sufferers from the war which we have seen in any 10.1/01 paper since the war began. We have had column after column filled with most earnest and heart-moving appeals in behalf of the negroes. They have been fed and clothed at the expense of the Govern ment; contraband camps have been es tablished for them wherever our armies have gone; freedmen's schools have been fitted up, and " Yankee school marms" paid out of the public treasury for teaching the I pickartinnies ; the grounds about the Presidential mansion have been given up to them as a pleas: ant and appropriate spot for pic-nic parties; and no expense has been con sidered too great, no indulgence too extravagant, for these pets and proteges of the Administration. But who, be fore the appearance of the above an nouncement, ever heard of any move being ,made to better the most misera ble and destitute condition of the many thousands of even the loyal white women and children of the South, who have been turned out naked and home less during the war. Why, it was only the other day that we read an account of four of these Wretched creatures being frozen to death in a railroad car, in which a large number had been crowded for removal from. Tennessee to the No - rth. It was only a news item in a Western paper, and excited no com ment. Had they. been negroes a howl of distress would have gone up to heaven from all Abolitiondom. We are glad to see that the sufferings of eighty thousand houseless, homeless, white women and children have beetOonsider ed worthy a passing notice. 4 shows . that they may look for some slight sym pathy after the negroes are all well pro vided for: It is to be hoped they will be so provokitikp.s to die of cold and starvation before that happens, Wall Papers, Window Curtain Papers, &c., &e. Bead adv. of bfesars, & Bourke, in this ieaye, This is au 014 and reliable 4 91189 . 0 1.0 t 4014 a call. The Peace Mission---Message from Pres ident Davis to ..Congress---011icial ReDPn 9 1. _Oe coaftfitt*.....c.cPL The Eichmond Dispatch of the 7th saysthe following important document* :were ": laid before Congress yesterday morning : - To the Senate and HouseOf Repregentatites of the. OMfeclerate States of America. . " Having recently received written notification which satisfied me that the President of the United States was dis posed to confer, informally, withunofft mai agents that might be sent by me, with a view to the restoration of peace I requested the Hon. Alexander H. Ste- phens, the Hon. R. M. T. Hunter and the Hon. John A. Campbell to proceed through our lines, and to hold confer ence with Mr. Lincoln, or such persons as he might depute to represent him. " I herewith submit, for the informa tion of Congress, the report of the emi nent citizens above named, showing that the enemy refused toenter into ne gotiations with the Confederate States, or any one of them separately, or to give to our people any other terms or guarantees than those which the con queror may . grant, or to permit us to have peace on any other basis than our unconditional submission to their rule, coupled with the acceptance of their le gislation, including an amendmetto the Constitution for the emancipation of all the negro slaves, with the right on the part of the Federal Congress to legislate on the subject of the relations between the white and blackpopulation of each State. Such is, as I understand, the effect of the amendment to the Consti tution which has been adopted by the Congress of the United States. "JEFFERSON DAVIS. ".4cectetire Office, Richwona Feb. 6, 1865. RICHMOND, AM.:, February 3, 1665. To the President of the amfetterutc Slates: Sin: Under your letter of appoint ment of the Nth ultimo, we proceeded to seek an " informal conference" with Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, upon the subject men tioned in the letter. The conference was granted, and took place on the 30th instant, on board a steamer anchored in Hampton Roads, where we met Presi dent Lincoln and the Hon. Mr. Seward, Secretary of State of the United States. It continued for several hours, and was both full and explicit. We learned from them that the mes sage of President Lincoln to the Con gress of the United States, in December last, explains clearly and distinctly his sentiments as to the terms, conditions, and method of proceeding, by which peace can he secured to the people, and we were not informed that they would be modified or altered to obtain that end. "We understood from him that no terms or proposals of any treaty or agreement looking to an ultimate-settle ment would be entertained or made by him with the authorities of the Confed erate States, because that would be a recognition of their existence as a sepa rate Power, which under no circum stances would be done; and, for like reasons, that no such terms would be entertained by him from the States separately; that no extended truce or armistice (as at present advised) would be granted or allowed, without a satis factory assurance, in •advance, of a com plete restoration of the authority of the Constitution and the laws of the United States over all places within the States of the Confederacy. " That whatever consequences may follow,m fro there-establishment of tha authority must be accepted. But that individuals, subject to pains and penal ties under the laws of the United States, might rely upon a very liberal use 01 the power confided to him to remi those pains and penalties if peace be re stored. " During the conference the proposed amendments to the Constitution of the United States, adopted by Congress on the 3lst ultimo, were brought to our notice. " These amendments provide that neither slavery nor involuntary servi tude, except for crime, should exist with in the United States or any place within their jurisdiction, and that Congress should have power to eh force this amendment by appropriate legislation. " Uf all the correspondence that pre veiled the conference herein mentioned, and leading to the same, you have here tofor,! been informed. " Very respectfully, " Your obedient servants, " ALEXANDER H. STEPHNS " It. M. T. HUNTER, .` .1. A. CAMPBELL." Voice of the Rebel Press on the Peace Mission and its Results. PUBLIC MEETINGS IN RICHMOND. The Richmand Whiej of the Gth says: tun.' ." Peace Conlinissioners" have re turned. They were not alh'iwed to enter the enemy's capitol, No commissioners on the part of the enemy were appointed to meet them. But Lincoln, alter the 111111111(ar (.1 ancient potentates, hintselt gave them an audience in person, and listened to their er- rand. In his ewn backwomds style, he was civil, and, as he never fails to be, jocose and aneedotieal. frr assured our commissioners that he had no terms to otter, or listen to, that did not rest upon our submission to Federal authority, and the return of our States to the Federal ruinu. Such, we have reason to 'relieve, was the gist of the inter view between Lincoln and Seward on the one. side, mat Messrs. Stephens, limiter and Campbell on the other, at Fortress :Monroe last week. Time ends the interlude. and the tragedy goes on again. The readers of Tie' 117,ig have not been encouraged to look lbr any other result. For our own part, we derive no little satis faction from the fact that that the matter has been so promptly disposed of. loping next to nothing of good from the embassy, we feared seriously that the tricky Sewarl might bring sonic devil's device into play, to prolong negotiations, deceive our I 'omis sioners mislead our people, and divert our authorities from those indispensabl e prepa rations for the coming campaign that will enable us once more to meet 'the shock of the enemy's onset. Tins great peril the sa gacity of our Commissioners or the unusual frankness of Seward has saved us from.— We now see where we stand and what is be fore us, and every man knows his duty. A liberal and open and honorable effort has been made to terminate the bloody strife in which we are engaged. The most anxious advocate fir negotiations cannot object that theCommissimiers selected did notfitly rep resent the sentiments of our people. Neither were they objectionable, on any personal- or other ground, to the Wasington authorities. The experiment has been fairly made, and has completely and signally fabled. What these gentlemen could not obtain, no one could obtain, whether they represented the Confederate States in a body, or any one of them singly. Subnai.srsion is the only condition on which we can have peace. The man who is not satisfied with this effort at negotiation is a factionist, and will be held by all as an enemy iif the cause. To talk now of any other arbitrament than that of the sword is to betray cowardice or treachery. We must beat hack this enemy thirsting for our blood, or be destroyed by him. There is no alter native. We must male good our indepen dence, defend our institutions, and maintain our rights, or give up the houses we have built, the lands we have tilled, the slaves we have owned, the institutions we have inherited, the religion, civilization and traditions in which we have been reared, the laws, customs, and habits to which we have been used, the hopes we have cherish ed, the name we have aspired to—all indeed that makes .existence valuable—and go forth, with nothing left but a worthless as vagabonds and mendicants. Here, then, our people bid adieu to all thoughts of peace, except a peace to be wrung from vain-gloriousness and insolence by the might of a universal and all-power ful resolve to conquer or die. They are throughly conscious that they are innocent of blame in the matter ; they know that from the foundation of the:Union they were the victims of wanton, continued and con stantly increasing insult and outrage ; that they bore these things with a forbearance and patience that bordered on pusilanimity; that, when filially they broke loose from an association that had become intolerable they did so with no other view than to secure the tramp - tiny that had been denied them in the 'Union, and that they askednothing bitt to be let alone. Their moderate wish was not granted them, The malignity that had so long covertly assailed them broke out into an open and gigantic effort to overwhelM and destroy them, and the war which has followed has been marked on the part of the enemy with a fiendishness of temper and an atrocity of conduct never surpased by barbarians or savages. The people of the South have lbr four. years met the efforts and measured the strength of their foe. Theyfeel an unquali fied assurance that they can continue to meet him successfully. They know with absolute certainty that if their cause is lost it can only be through murderous misman agement or suicidal lack of spirit. And these they will now no longer fear. A new head is to direct all military operations--a head in whom people and army confide to the verge of reverence. The civil. de niirtments, it is believed, will imdergo re terms equally beneficial. They will feel that their lives are not to be bootlessly thrown away, nor their' valor and strength exhaust ed in wild campaigns and hopeless enter prises. The people will feel that their con tributions to the cause - are not to be wasted or misclitected. Unitedly, army and people will recognize the fact that neither life nor Property are too valnable to be given, to theft drop•of 14.09 d 0414 the last, crumb cf t carries down a came which if I°3 life or pos 13.wrh_il!'w • hat is w — ortli — anty than life _.,,griliady the fire has broken out in the *any, and is spreading, with noble contag ion from company to company, and corps toOorps. From this date we shall mark a xeVival among the peopfe,], glorious" ardor and sublime self-consecration of 1861 and - 1862 will show themselves again. 6 `.411 that a man hath," says the sacred book, "will he give for his life;" and - all that a people have will they give to a cause dearer • to all, manly natures than life. We have men and means enough to carry on this war from generation to generation. They will come forth now, and there is every prospect that the campaign this year will bring us victories more illustrious and more fruitful than any past campaign, however glorious.' , The Richniond Enquirer of the 7th inst. speaks editorally asfallo*a • - When the first mission of Mr. Blair to this city was announced ; and his certain arrival known, we could not understand its meaning nor explain its significance. To suppose that the enemyvy,es about to lOwer his demands appeared p sterous ; having refused to negotiate 101862, when disastrous defeat had von him from before Rich mond, we could not suppose that Mr. Lin coln would treat for peace when his armies were victorious, atleast in hisopinion. But Mr. Blair came and returned, and again visited Richmond and returned, and the third time sent a written communication soliciting an interview, and begging Presi dent Davis to appoint commissioners. It seemed impossible that an old man in the grand climacterie oflife was deliberately en gaged in the work of decdption and practicing upon so grand and important a subject the low arts and contemptible tricks of a politi cal partisan. The war which for four years has ravaged the country had driven from the midst of these people the subterfuges and deceptions of politicians, and filled them with more serious and honorable mo tives. Anxiously desirous of peace, Mr. Blair was accepted a,s an honorable agent seeking truthfully to bring about a lasting peace. Deceived by his appearance ' his pledges and his professions, the overtures he made Dr Mr. Lincoln were revonded to, and the three Commissioners departed on what was believed by these people to be the most blessed mission upon which men ever started—the mission of peace, prosperity and happiness. But the whole thine . turns _out to be a trick, deceptive not only of these people, but also of the Culled States Con gress. Mr. Seward originated the mission of Mr. Blair to deceive the peoph of these States into sending Commissioners, and then used the fact of our sending Commis sioners to deceive the - United States Con gress into the adoption of an amendment abolishing slavery in all the States. It was a double trick of fraud and deception, to accomplish all object in which he had tailed before. Mr. Blair was either the knave or dupe of Seward, and played the shameful part either in ignorance of the designs of Seward, or he is a participator in the crime of hav ing deceived his own Congress. Everything may be fair in war, but there are some things that overreach the designs and pur poses of their authors. Mr. Seward might have secured this amendment without de mption and fraud, for no matter how ob tained, its adoption was ithmaterial and unimportant to the people of these States. But Mr. Seward has done us a service. Be- line he undertook to use the high and holy purpose of peace-making to serve the low and mean ends of party, the people of these States were somewhat divided. A. portion of them believed that the enemy would yet give them fair and honorable terms of peai.e, provided they agreed to reconstruct the Union ; and under this belief there was a growing party which insisted on negotia tion. An honorable and manly course on the part of Mr. Seward might )lave made that party dominant in those States, and ended in reconstruction. But Ins tricks and deception, his trilling with the sacred cause of peace, as undeceived the reconstruct ion ists, and taught them to believe with the rest of their fellow citizens, that thith, truth and honor are unknown to the authorities of the enemy. He has united the people of these States in the same spirit which aid mated them in 1861; and, having destroyed the last hope of of peace, reconciled them to war and to lighting it out. Lighting is now the sole business of this people, to it every thought should be turn ed, every energy devoted. The solemn ded ication of every kind of property in the State to the cause is the first duty of the Legislature of Virginia. To call upon the people to give their gold and silver, their jewelry and plate, and the solemn dedica tion of all to the good of the cause and the carrying on of the war, followed by the abolition of Shivery and the conscription of negroes into the army—to work and to fight is now the duty of the Legislate ce, and will be, we sincerely believe, the pleasure of the people. The authorities have exhausted all means of an honorable peace; tins people can hope for nothing from the enemy but disgrace and ruin. _The , impoverishment and enslavement of our people are the only terms oflerd by the enemy. Mr. Lincoln promises to be reasonably merciful ; lie will not shed unnecessary blood, not more than decimate us—one in every ten fur the gallows, so much he can promise. But as to confiscation, that is the law of the land, and until repealed, must be exe cuted ; that his people hare a great debt, his soldiers deserve much at his hands, and while he would like to be merciful in the matter of property, justice to his soldiers will not permit hint to hold out any great hope that much property can be spared to the people of these States. He is humane, but he must be just. Rebellion is sin ; loyalty is virtue; the one must be punished, the other rewarded. Such are the prospects of peace. Thank ;tat that the prospects of war are much brighter—cannot be darker than those of peace. At most, we can only be killed in the fight, and that is the worst that Mr. Lincoln promises. Then war and fight is to be our work. Let us go manfully to our duty, and let is leave peace in the hands of (lod, until his wise Providence shall see good to bless us with its honorable attain ment. Public. Meeting at the African Church. In response to the call cif Governor Smith of Virginia, to meet him ;it the African Church, the greatest concourse of people assembled in that building last evening t Feb. it.) that ever before was at one time collected under its roof'. The meeting, was advertised to be held at 7I o'clock. Before it o'clock , every seat and position where a man could stand was occupied, and each moment the crowd became greater by ad ditional arrivals, until at last what had been a crowd became a jam. The galleries were so closely packed that serious fears were entertained that they would give way under their weight and crush all heneath them. It was gratifying to see this immense at tendance at a meeting whose object was to hurl back into Lincoln's teeth the insult put upon the Southern people by his answer to the Confederate Commissioners sent to confer with him on the subject of a peace between the two countries. Standing in that in:Linens° assemblage, and hearing the patriotic expressions of the citizens and sol diers there gathered together, one was in voluntarily carried back by the sight and by the eager spirit that animated all pres ent, to the first days of secession. Never before has the war spirit burned so fiercely and steadily. The firm resolve to resist to the very death the demands of the Northern tyrant that now animates the whole South ern people was plainly visible in that meeting, About 7 o'clock Gov. Smith, attended by President Davis and several distinguished citizens, came upon the stamk Theproeee dimt.s were opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Burrows, of the Baptist-Church. The Governor addressed the multitude in a pa triotic and soul-stirring speech, during which he was frequently interrupted by thunders of applause. He was followed by President Davis in an address of about three quarters of an hour, during which he was frequently interrupted with the wildest out bursts of applause. Upon the subject of the-H recent peace commission, President Davis said he himself had never entertained much hope of affecting honorable terms so long as our cause was meeting with reverses ; but, under the circumstances, when semi-official representatives had so frequently visited our Government, intimating that negotia tions might result in a siaislactory adjust ment of our .difficulties, and when it was plain that the sufferings of the people die toted that every effort on his part should be made to bring abotit a cessation of hos tilities, he-felt it his duty, a .9 he had always done, to appoint those whomffie regarded as among the best men we had, Who were most calculated to heal the existing breach which severed us, and obtain that independence for the Confederacy from the Federal Gov ernment which no other Power on the face of the earth but the Yankees Would think of denying. ' As to the conditions of peace, President Davis emphatically asserted that none save the independence of the Confed eracy could ever receive lis sanction.— He had embarked in Übe cause with a full knowledge of the tremendous odds against us ; but, with (he approval of ajust Providence, which he conscientiously be lieved was on our side, and the united re solve of our people, he doubted not that vic tory would yet crown our labors. In his cor respondence with Lincoln, that functionary had always spoken of the United States and the Confederacy as our afflicted country; but, in his replies, he (the -speaker) had never failed to refer to them as separate and distinct governments, and sooner than we should ever be.'united again, he would be willing to yield up everything he had on earth, and, if it -'Were possible, would sacri fice a thousand lives before he would. sue-. cumb. It was impossible at the late hour when President Davis coachnled to give anything like an accurate summary of his remarks. Suilice it to say, that. it was everything which might have been expected &Om so distinguished a patriot; and no one of the vast concourse present failed to be enthusiastically grained. , lie concluded by exhorting those' at-home who are able to bear arms to unite with those alreadyin the army in repelitng the foe, believing that thereby we wotild compel the Yatikeee . less than twelve months to petition us for peace upon our own,terma. 'epeea~' Gov: Bmtifi ' airose an 3 read the fol lowing resolutions seriatim, which were unanimously adopted as the sentiment of the meeting: Whereas, The Commonwealth of in concert with other . American . the year' 1776, solemnly 'set. . fiirth that when any.-"form of gavernMent becomes: destructive of the happiness or: &Mg.:alms to the liberties of the people, it lathe right and the duty:of the people to alter'or abolish it ; in pursuance whereof they .diCdeciare themselves independent States ; and whereas, her separate indepen dence and that of the coacling States was afterwards acknowledged by the world; and whereas, Virginia did subsequently form with other States, a common govern ment, or agency, for the management of their foreign affairs and other specified general purposes, which said common gov ernment or- ageney received no other or further recognition by foreign Powers th , as the representative of the several State sovereignties already recognized • and whereas, Virginia,in entering into this asso ciation or federation, did expressly reserve for herself, and therefore for her co-States, the right which attached to the act itself of resuming the powers granted whensoever the same might be perverted to their injury or oppression: and whereas, the Common wealth of Virginia did, in sovereign conven tion, in April, 1361, decide and determine that the circumstances had arrived which made it imperative duty, as it was her in disputable right, to withdraw from the association known as the 'United States of America, and resume her separate soy ereintity and whereas, this, her legitimate act,'has been followed by an atrocious war upon her and upon the States with which she subsequently formed a new confederacy, by the States from which she and they withdrew, for the purpose of subjectini , her and them to the absolute and tyrannictil do mination of the United States ; and whereas, after four years of hostilities, conducted on the part of enemies with a barbarity equaled only by the wickedness of their designs, their authorities did invite a conference with a view to the establishment of peace, which invitation was responded to by the Con federate an th. ; and Kb ereas,it appears, from the report of the Confederate commis sioners to said conference, that it was de clared, in the part of our enemies, that nothing should terminate the existing war but .air uneonditiiinal submission to their ' yoke alai acknowledgment of their absolute authority ; that their laws for the confisca tion of our property and execution of our citizens should be entbreed by judges and other officers - whom they would appoint for that purpose; that the only palliation of our wretchedness should Is the voluntary mercy of those who, for years,have murder ed our people and ravagol our homes; that our social system shall be immediately up turned, and hereafter regulated at their will; that the uniform which our soldiers have made SO IV , 11 ,, rable must be stripped front their persons, and the flag, under which they have so often marched to victory must be trailed in the dust and thrown away forever ; therefore be it ReN(dCr'd: That We, the citizens here as st,mbled, do spurn with indignation due to so' gross an insult, the terms on which the President of the 1. - nited States has proffered peace to the people of the Confederate States. Resolved, That the circumstances under which that proffer has been inade add to the outrage, and starnp it as a designed and pre meditated indignity to our people. Resolved, That our prol'oundest gratitude is due to the soldiers who, for four years, have_ maintained our liberties against the utmost efforts of our enemies ; and that while \ V! , look to them to illustrate in the future the fanie of the past, we will sustain their eflbrts by every means and resource at our command. 11,volt/ea, That in this presence, and in the thee of the world, reverently invoking thereto the aid of Almighty Clod, we renew our resol VII to muiutaiu our liberties and in dependence; Jto this we mutually pledge uurlives,onri tines, and our sacred honor. After the 7u dtion of the foregoing pre amble and reso' dions, lofid t•alls were made for Vice President A. 11. Stephens, Hons. enry of Tennessee, Hunter of Vir ginia, Oldham of Texas, and Rev. Dr. Dun can of Itichlllund. The two latter re sponded in at Tropriale speeches, of about I wen tv Mutes each; after which the meet ing adjourned with three cheers fpr each of the speakers. 'rhe Hall of the House of Delegfiles was crammed on Saturday night by an enthu siastic audience listening to the address of the distinguished orator and soldier whose name heads this paragradlt. Although we reached the capitol at an early hour, it was ,impossible to gain access to any part of the'building, building, so dense was the crowd. Large numbers were unable to gain admittance, and were obliged to retire. We understand the speech was worthy of the Veteran Ora tor's ancient renown. As his remarks were written out, we presume they will be given to the press. We are gratified to see that not only in this city. hut in other parts of the Confeder acy, public meetings are being held, and the gifted patriots of the land are appealing to their countrymen in behalf of the cause in words of burning eloquence. Keep the ball rolling. Speak to the soldiers—speak at the County Courts—in the cities and in the country. Stir up the laggards, cheer the desponding., encourage the patriotic,and raise a storm of enthusiasm that will sweep over • the country, and unite all in a grand rally loot the defense of our rights, our lives and our independence. The folh,wing call appears is all the :liehmond papers: :rent Meeting of the People to he held ttt the -ffelertn Church, on Thursdnp, the _Vinth tiottet nt Tenth,' o'cloel: PRESIDENT : lion. It. T. M. HUNTER. VICE PRESIDENTS: llis Excellency Governor 'Thos. \V. Mei ',wee, Judge Wm. 11. Lyons, Abraham Warivick, Raleigh 'l'. Daniel, George K. Crutchfield, Dr. J. A. Cunningham, John Purcell, \Vellington Goddin, George W. Munford, John S. Caskie, Wm. IL Macfarland, Jolin Dooley, John Randolph Tucker, Gen. J. R. Anderson, Peachy R. (=rattan, Thos.) 1. Price, Dr. Ito) ert G. Gabel!, A. 1... Stokes Lortin N. Ellett. sla : Nathaniel Tyler, James McDonald, James A. Cowardin. R. M. Smith. sI'EAKERS : Hon. Hugh W. Shelley of Virinia ; lion. A. B. Stephens of Georgia; HUD. .J. A. Gilmer of North Carolina ; 119 n. .J. I'. Benjamin of Louisaua ; Hon. G. A. Henry of Tennessee; I lon. thunphreyMarshall of Kentuek Couldn't Stand the Pressure The Philadelphia Sunday Mercury announces that the Fifth and Sixth street passenger rail Way, which opened its cars to the uegroes, and allowed them the privilege of riding along side the whites, soon found their vehicles run ning al most empty. The whites shunned them, as they still fortunately have the right to do. This_brouglit the negro equality corporation to its senses, and they have concluded to compromise matters by putting on cars for the ex clusive use of negroes. The Mercury suggests that a discerning public should continue to discriminate against the cars of the company. So think we. Any remedy to bring the crazy fanatics to their senses, and punish them for at tempting to force their odious doctrines on the public_ The Draft to be Enforced this Week. Fifty days having expired since the last call for three hundred thousand men, the draft will be enforced in most of the districts during the present week. Such is the brief announcement made in a telegram from Wa.shington to the New York herald of yesterday. The country has got so used to seeing drafts postponed that we suppose there are few who really believe that the one now so imminently impending will come off at the time set. That it must be en forced very speedily is a . fixed fact. More men will be imperatively demand. ed for the opening campaign, and they can only be had by conscription. The com i ug draft will be more terribly severe than all those which have preceded it combined. Tbe men must be had. Volunteering is at a stand-still=most emphatically played out—and the draft must be enforced, and that at once. War In Somerset County. On last Thursday, the Provost Guard stationed at Somerset went to Lower Turkeyfoot township to capture some delinquent drafted men. They suc ceeded in capturing eight. With two of them they had quite a battle. We learn that a squad of 21 proceeded to the house of a Mr. Murray, at 4 o'clock in the morning, when a regular skirmish commenced between Air. Murray, his wife and son in the house and the guard without lasting until noon that day, when Mr. Murray was taken prisoner. One or two of the guard were severely Wounded in the scuffle. The prisoners were taken to Chambersburg. The Conference. 'PritiMikilarifilitteiroCt — of the Debi.' ing in Hampton Roads—All the Docu ments in the Case,illow Jeff. Davis Came to Send Commissioners North— A Queer Way of Negotiating The Tennis of Settlement Prescribed in Ad- Vance by A. lLineoln,-The Abolitifin of Slavery a Sine Qua Non:fbr Reunion— Armistice Not to Iffillionght of—Gen. Grant Confident of the Good Intentions of the Southern Commissioners, &c. Wesinsarow,, February 10. To the Honorable the House of Representatires: In response to your resolution of the Bth instant, requesting information in relation to a conference recently held in Hampton Roads, I have the honor to state that on the day of the date I gave Francis P. Blair, Sr., a card, written on as follows, to wit : Allow the bearer, F. P. Blair, senior, to pass our lines, go South and return. A LINCOLN. December 28 , 1864 that at the time I was informed that Mr. Blair sought the card as a means of getting to Richmond, Va.; but he was given no au thority to speak or act for the government, nor was I informed of anything he would sag or do on his own account, or otherwise. Mr. Blair told methat he had been to Rich mond and had seen Mr. Jefferson Davis; and he [Mr. Blair] at the same dints left with me a manuscript letter, as follows: Jefferson Davis's Letter to .11r.Blair. RICHMOND, Va., Joalllary_l2. P. P. Blair, Esq. : SIR—I have deenied it proper and pro bably desirable to you to give you in this form the substance of the remarks made by me to be repeated by you to President Lin coln, etc., etc. I have no disposition to find obstacles in forms, and am willing now, as heretofore, to enter into negotiations ibr the restoration of peace. lum ready to send a commission whenever I have reason to sup pose it will be received, or to receive a com mission, if the United States government shall choice to send one. :Notwithstanding the rejection of our former offers, I would, if you could promise that a commissioner, minister, or other agent would be received, appoint one it nmediately, and renew the ef tbrt to enter into a conference with a .111'W to secure peace to the two countries, Yours, ete.' [Signed' JEFFERSON DAVIS. Afterwards, with the view that it should he shown to Mr. Davis, I wrote and deliver ed to Mr. Blair a letter, as follows, to wit Mr. Lincoln to Mr. Moir WASII I NtiTON„lan• 18, 1565. F. P. Male, Eo7. : Sin—Your having _shown me Mr. Davis' letter to you of •the 12th inst., you may say to hint that I have constantly been, am now, and shall continue ready to receive any agent, whom he or any other influential person now resisting the national authority, may informally send rue with a view of se curing peace to the people of our common country. Yours, etc., A. LINCOLN. kfterwards Mr. Blair dictated for and authorized me to make an "entry, on the back of my retained copy of the letter lust above recited, which is as tbilows: Indorsement of Mr. Lincoln's Letter To-day Mr. Blair tells ow that on the 21st instant he delivered to Mr. Davis the original of which the within is a copy, and left it with him; that at the time of deliver ing Mr. Davis read it over twice in Mr. Blair's presence, at the close of which he (Mr. Blair) remarked that the part about our common country related to the part of Mr. Davis's letter about the two countries, to which Mr. Davis replied that he so un derstood it. A LINCOLN. Application of the Northern to Conte North. Afterward the Secretary of War placed in my hands the following telegram, in dorsed by him, us appears: OFFICE S. MI rATA 1:11 1 TELL(( RA Pl 7, 1 WA EI) EPA TIT ENT. j (Cipher.) The following telegram was received at Washington, Januaty 29, 186. - ,: FROM HEADQUARTERS AB) IV Or THE JAMES-13.30 P. M!", January 29, 1865. } Hon. h. M. Stanton, Secretary of War: The following dispatch is just received from Major-General Parke, who reline it to me for my action. I refer it to you in lieu of General Grant's absence. E. 0. C. ORD, Major-GeueraLCommanding. HEADQUARTERS „ 101 Y 01' THE POTOMAC-4 P. Al., January 29, 1865. ) 21.faior-Ueneral E. 0. C. (h-d, Headquarters of the Army of the .Tames: The following dispatch is forwarded to you for your action, since I have no know ledge of Gen. Grant's having had any un derstanding of this kind. I refer the mat ter to you as the ranking officer present in the two armies. JOHN G. PARKE, Major General Commanding. I EA. Nil•• ARTEHM STU ARMY CORPS, January I. mifjnr-urmyra .101111 0 Parke, Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac: Alexander IL Stephens, R. M. T. Hunter, and .1. A. Campbell desire to cross my lines, in accordance with an understanding claimed to exist with Lieutenant General Grant, on their way to Washington as peace commissioners. Shall they be admit ted? They desire an early answer, so as to come through immediately. They would like to reaeh City Point to-night if they can. If they cannot do this they would like to come through at 111 A. M. to-morrow morn ing. 0. B. WILSON, Major General CoMdg Ninth Corps. Respectfully referred to the President for such instructions as he may he pleitsed to give. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary War. January 2d, 1565, 8.30 P. Al. Secretary Stanton to General Ord It appears that about the time of placing the foregoing telegram in my hands, the Secretary of War dispatched Guncral Ord as follows, to wit: \VAR tup.k.wrmENT, WAsnixoTos, t January 29, I`U5-10 P. M. .:11 - Qiar General Ora: This department has no knowledge of any understanding by General :rant to allow any persons to come withinhis lines as com missioners of any sort. You will therefore allow no•one to come into your lines under such character or profession until you re ceive the President's instructions, to whom your telegrams will be submitted for his directions- EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. [Sent in cypher at 2 A. M. Second Dispntel) from Secretary Stanton to General Ord Afterwards, by my directions, the Secre tary of War telegraphed General :Ord as follows, to wit : WAR DEFAJLTMENT, WASIIINGTON (AT)", a C.-10 A. M. , IJanuary :10. Major-General 0. E. C Ord, Headquarters of the Army of the AMU'S: By direction of the President, you are in strueted to inform the three gentlemen Messrs. Stephens, Hunter and Campbell that a messenger will he dispatched to them at or near where they now are, without un neeessary delay. E=MMMI Secretary of War. Mr. Lincoln's Order to Major Eckert Afterwards, I prepared and put into the hands of Major Thomas T. Eckert the fol lowing instructions and message: EXIIPUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, Jun. 30. ; .ifrtj,r ,T. T. Eckert : Sin—You will proceed with the docu ments placed in your hands, and on reaching General Ord will deliver -him the letter addressed him by the Secretary of War. Then by General Ord's 118sistunce procure an interview with Messrs. Stephens, Hunter, and Campbell, or any of them. Deliver to him or them the paper on which your own letter is written. Note on the copy which you retain the time of delivery, and to whom delivered. Receiye their an saver in writing, waiting a reasonable tune for it, and which, if it contain their decision to come through withoutfurther conditions, will be your warrant to ask General Ord to pass them through as directed in the letter of the Secretary of War. If by their answer they decline to come, or propose other terms, do not have them passed through. And this being your whole duty return and re port to me. Yours truly,A LICOLN. Major Eckert to the Southern Coolants stoners. Messrs. Alexander H. &evens, A. Campbell, and R. M. T. Hunter: Gentlemen.: I am instructed by the Presi dent of the United States to place thispaper in your hands, the information that if you passthrougnihe United States military lines, it will be understood that you do so tbr the purpose of an informal conference on the basis of that letter, a copy of which is On the reverse side of this sheet, and that if you choose to pass on such understand ing, and so notify me in writing, I will pro cure the commanding general to pass you through the lines and to Fortress Monroe, under such military precautions as he may deem prudent, and at which place you will be met in due time by some person or per sons for the purpose of such informal con ference, and further that you shall have pro tection, safe conduct, and safe return in all events. TKOs. T. EcKERT, • Major and Aid do Camp. City Point, Va. Feb. 1. Mr. Lincoln to Mr. Blair. WASHINGTON, Jan. 18. F. .R Blair Esii • Sllt—You having shown me Mr. Davis's letter t o you of the I2th inst.; you may say to him that I have constantly been, am now, and shall continue ready toreceive any agent' whom he, or any other influential puma pow reeimaug the naldonta authority; may informally informally send to me - with the view of 84 N-V rI X I ~Abe g , 10 0 1 2 40-441xixanmon country.-- - al; ' - • • ••- PO,N: Aateriiitrue but ',afore Major Eckert had departed, the following dispatch was re ceived from General Grant : OFFICE 11, S. AtllattAßY TELEGRAPH, WAR DEPARTMENT, • (Cipher.) The following telegram was received at Washington January 31, from City Point, Va.,10.30 A. M., January 31 : His Excellency Abraham Lincoln, President of the United ,States . . The following communication was-receiv ed here last evening : PETEnsnr - rw, Va., Jan. 30.' Lieutenant-Genral U. S. Grant, Commanding Armies United States : Sin—We desire to pass your lines under safe conduct and to proceed to Washington to hold a conference with President Lincoln upon the subject of the existing war, and with- a view of ascertaining upon what terms it InaY be terminated, in pursuance of the c nurse indicated by him in his letter to Mr. Blair of January 18, 1865, of which we pre ume you have a copy, and if not, we wish to see you in person, if convenient, and to e ,, refer with you on the subject. Voi respectfully, yours, .1 I .EXANDER H. STEVENS, A. CAMPBELL, I:. M. T. HUNTER. L. has • -cut directions to receive these gen tlemen. and expect to have them at my quarter, [his evening, awaiting your in struethu,. IT. S. GRAXT, Lieut.. :en. 'unedg ArmiesU rifted States. This, I will lie perceived, transferred Genern Rd's a gen 'y in the matter to Gen. Grunt. t resoteed, however, to send Major Eckert :orward, with his inessaL , e, and, 111.- eordin y, ,legraphod General Grant as Col lo NV, I , • wit Mr. Liu c" • lI'S Dispatch to Getacral Grant '.ll - TIVE MANsIoN, \ * .tstriNiiTON, Jaallary, Licia, Ura.l, City Point, ine--••nger is coining to you on the bus iness co w:tined in Vane dispatch. Detain the genii. men, in comfortible quarters. un til he arri .i s, and then net upon the me,- sage he tnin,L.,:is li n • its applicable, it haVilllZ hOell 11DH 1.. up to pas, through lira. Ord's hainls, :onl when the gentlemen were sup posed to b,. I wy. Hid our lhies. A. LINMI,N. (Sent in eipher at Id o'clovk P. M.) Letter From Secretary Stanton to General IVlten Nlajor Eekert departed, he I ro with hitt' t letter of the Secretary of War to thlteral : runt, as follows, to wit : IN - An DErAwrgENT, WASIIINUTON, D. (1., Inn. aO, j . Licrilentr lor-Gem,rl Ural, Cr.E GENEN \I.: The President desires that you will please.proctire thr the bearer, Maj. l'homas T. Eckert, an interview with Messrs. Stephens, Butler, I lunter and Camplael ; and, if on Ills return to von he requests it, pass them through our fhws to Fortress NlUnroe lay such route 1111 d. under such mi litaxy precautions as you may deem prudent, giving them protection and lawn thrtahle quarters while there ; and that you let none of this have any etreet upon your movements or plans. By order of the President, EDWIN M. STAN TON , Secretary of NVar. Mr. LincoluSilnst ructions to 3lr. Seward. Supposing the proper point to he then reached, I dispatched the Secretary of State with the following instructions, Major Eck ert, however, going ahead of him: January 2S EXECUTIVE :MANSION, ) WASHI . NOTON Januany 31. Hue. Will Orot IL .Slooard,Stiolaro of state : You will proceed to Fort ressld mroe, Vir ginia, there to meet :Ind informally confer with Messrs. Stephens, Hunter and Camp bell, on the basis of my letter to F. P. Blair, Esq.? of January 18, a copy of which you have. Y.tu will make known to them that three things are indispensable, to wit: First, the restoration of nationalau thority through out all the States; second, no receding by the Executive of the United States on the slavery question trout the position assumed thereon in the late annual message to Con gress and in the preceding doeuments ; no cessation of hostilities short of an end of the war and the disbanding of all the forces hostile to the govern uncut . Von will inform them that all propositions of theirs not, in consistent with the above, will be considered and passed upon in a spirit of sincere lib erality. You will hear :ill they may choose to say, and report it to Ile'. Yell will not assume to definitely consummate anything. Yours, tic., A. LINCOLN. Mr. Lincoln to General Grant On the day of its date the following telo grain was sent to Gen. Grant : WAR DEPARTMENT, WAHRINTON, 1 February, Ist, 1865. Lieutenant f.'encral Grant, 011,y Point Lot nothing which is transpiring change, hinder,. delay ynumnilitary moven . a.ntsnr plans. A. LINCOLN (S(.llt in cipher at 9.30'A. M.) Reply of General Grant. Afterwards, the following dispatch wass received front (dcneral Grant : (tt•rn:t: I:. S. :NI: LITARY TELE“ RA • WA It DEPARTMENT. (In cipher.: The following telegram, received :it Washington, 2.30 P. M., February 1, 1805. From City Point, Virginia, Eehritary I, 12.30 P. AI., 1505: Lax Execllent..4l, .1. Lincoln, P,,,vith-nt of (he United VW, Y.' Your dispatch received ; there will lie no armistice in cumsequence of the presence if Mr Stephen, and others within our lines. Tla• tmIICIpS all' kapt in readiness to move at the shout not lee, if "evasion should justify L. S. GRANT, Lieutenant General. Mr. Lincoln to Major Eckert. TO Eotif . V Mator Eckert that the Secretary or State a • 011 1 ,1 he at Fortress Monroe, and < 4 l, to put thciii in coniniunientArt the following dispateli was ,ent : W.‘ I) EPA urn ENT, February 1, j Mnio, T. T. P , lort, fil,l , ,fi OM/It, 010/ Point, I'n fall at Fortress Monroe, tool put yourself under direction of Mr. S., whom you will find there. A. LINCOLN. On the morning of the *.ld ins*, the follow ing telegrams were received by nit‘ respee tively, from the Secretary of State and Major .17xkert: Dispatch troni;Secretary Seward. FORT IiESS MONROE, Virginia, Feb. 1-11:30 P. The President of the United ,S7niss: Arrived at 10 this evening. Richmond party not here. I remain here. W. U. SEWARD. Dispatch f 'Major Eckert. (TIT POINT, Va., Feb..l-10 P. 31, HiB EreetL•neet A. Lincoln, President of the United' Stntes : I have the honor to report the delivery of your communication and my letter at 4.15 this afternoon, to which I received a reply at ii P. 31. but not satisfactory. At 8 P. 3E. the following note addressed to General Grant was received: CITY POINT, February I. To Lieutraant General Grant: SIR: We desire to go to Washington city to confer informally with the President, personally, in reference to the matter men tioned in his letter to Mr. Blair of the 15th of.) an nary MIMI.. Without any personal compromise , 01 any question in the letter., we have the permission to do so front the authorities in Richmond.. Very respectfully yours, ALEX. H. STEPHENS, R. M. T. HUNTER, A. CAMPBELL. At 9:30 P. M., I notified them that they could not proceed further unless they com plied with the terms expressed in my letter. 'The point of meeting designated in the above note tonhi not, in my opinion, he insisted upon. I think Fortress Monroe Would be acceptable. Having complied. with my instructions, I -will return , to Washington to-morrow, unless otherwise ordered. TII.O3LAS T. ECKERT, Major, &e. On reading this dispatch of Major Eckert I was about, to recall him and the Secretary of Skte, when the following telegram of GenZral Grant to the Secretary of War was shown me: Dispatch- from General:G.zant to Secre-. tary Stanton, OFFICE OF nip. U. 5. MILITARF TELEORPH, WAR DEPARTMENT. (In cipher.) The following telegram received at Wash ington at 4.33 A. M., February 2,1865, from City Puha, Va., February 1, 10.30 P. M.: Hon. E. Si. ,Stanton, S' of War : Now that the interview between' Major Eckert, trader his written instructions, and Mr. Stephens and party, has ended, I wilt state confidentially, but not officially, to be come a matter of record, that I am convinc ed,u pen conversation with Messrs. Stephens and Hunter, that their intentions are good and their desire Sincere to restore peace and union, I have not felt myself at liberty to expriAs even views of my own, or to ac count for my reticence. 'This as placed me in an awkward position, which I could have avoided by not seeing them in thefirst instance. I fear now their going back, without any expression to any. one in au thority, will have a bad inditenee. 'At the same time I recomaiie the ditlicultieS in:the way ofreceiving the informal commissioners at this time, and I du not know what to re, commend. I am sorry, hoWever, that,Mr. Lincoln cannot have an interview with the two named in this dispatch, Knot all three now within our.lines. Their letter to me was all that the President's instruethaia • contemplated, to secure their safe eenduct,:- , if they had used the same language to Major , • Eckert. U. S. GRANT. • Lieutenant General, The preajdoilt ceisoludes;:ta lies* the Tfi4g, dispatchQf Qeueral cirint .040401,1,
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