6 i I
El
tint, a., a.. 1, . 188.ai
" - 5
m'
T. Eckert, Major and A. D. C. M tjor.—
Tour note, delivered by yourself thin day,
has been considered, For reply wa have to
say that we were furnished with a copy clf
the letter of President Lincoln to Francis
P. Blair, of the 18th of January oh., sooth
er copy of which is itp . pended to. Yrut note.
Our intentions are contained in a letter of
which the following Is a copy
Richmond, Jan. 2s, 1646.—1 n conformity
with the letter of Mr. Lincoln, of which the
fjregoing is a copy, you are to proceed to
Sashiugton city for informal conference
with him npon the issues Involved in the
saisting war, and for the purpose of securing
peace to the two cmatries. With great re
spect, your obedient servant,
Invirassos Darn.
Ifbe anbstantial object to be obtained by
the informal conference is to ascertain upon
what terms the existing ear can be termi
anted honorably. Oar instructions con
.flomplat• s personal interview between Pres
ident-Lincoln and ourselves, at Washington,
lint with this explanation we are ready to
;nest any person or persons that President
Lincoln may appoint, at each place as he
may designate. Our earnest desire is that
j'aßt and honorable peace may be agreed
upon, and we are prepared to receive or
to submit propositions which may possibly
lead to the attainment of that end.
Very respectfully yours,
A. H. Svern.rxs,
• U. M. T. Hoarse,
J. A Csueip . m..
; A nets of flies., gentle nently
addressed to• Gen , has already
. been given is 'a despatch of the
lit inst.
- lug
here saw, for the first time, the tot
s, -Mug note addressed by the Richmond
. '.,gentlemen to Maj. E-kert :
it - City Point, Va., Feb. 2, 1885. —Thninss
T. - Eckert, Major and. A. D. C: Major.—ln
• eerily to your verbal statement that your in.
etructions did not allow you to alter the
conditions upon which a passrort could be
given to us, we say that we are willing to
proceed to Fortress Monroe, and there to
base an informal conference pith any per
•r_
son or persons that President Lincoln may
appoipt, on the basis of his letter to F. P.
Blair, of the 18th of January, ultimo, or
dpon, any other terms or c-uiditions that
may hereafter propose, not inconsistent with
--- the essential principles of self-government
popular rights, upon which our
founded. It is our earnest wish
'•346 . itecertain, after a free Tnterehange of
jdepe sn'd fnformation, upon w hat •prinetples
anA terms, if any, a jnst and honorable
• pence can be established without the fnr
'ther effusion of blood, and to contribute our
utmost efforts to accomplish such a result we
think it better to add that in accepting your
;passports, we are not to ba understood as
• Committing ourselves to anything but to
Try to this.inbrinal conference the views
• and feelings above expressed.
Very iespeetfully; yours, Ace.,
A. H. Suenaws,
It M. T. Herm,
. .
J. A. CAMPAiLL.
above counnuoication was de
trend to me at Fortress Monroe, at 480 p.
m., Feb. 2, by Lieut. Col. Babcock, of Gen.
_ Graote atter. T. T. &we"
Major and A. D. C.
f •
T. On the morning of February Bd, the
Arco, gentlemen, Messrs. Stephens, Hunter
a.O Oanipbell, -came aboarti of our steamer
• and had an interview with the Secretary of
State and myself of several hours' duration.
•,
No question ofpreliminariee to the meeting'
was then and there made or mentioned. No
itber Jperson was present. No papers were
exchanged or produced; and it was in ad
vance agreed that the conversation was to be
informal and verbal merely. On our part
the whole substance of the instructions to
the Secretary of State heretofire recited
,yras stated and instated upon, and nothing
was said inconsistent therewith: while by
the other party it was not said that in any
event or an any coedition they ever would
sionsent to re-union, and yet they equally
.opittad-to declare that they would not con
sent. They.seemed to desire a postpone
peat of that question and the adoption of
some other course first, which, as some of
them seemed to argue, might or might not
lead to re-union, but which course we
thought would amount to an indefinite post
ponement. The conference ended. without
e molt.
. A:ha - foregoing containing as is believed all
the information sought, is respectfully sub
, mitted. A eittnAm Lotcoi.x.
Executive Mumma, February 10, 16.
1 •• -
lii•utheim Account of the
Peaee Oonference.
likslutge of Jefferson Davis.
WONT OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
WAhnnorroe, Feb. 11.
The Richmond Whig of February rth
poliththei.ths tollosting :
0/11.1141,1..airtreirt Colorfeeervits Como.
arilissitimsers.
important documents were
,IPAPKOrs.Congress this forenoon :
Is the 4 5estsita' god Ifouse of Bspresentatives
of thf ertitedirate Stake al America.
.gming secently received a written nod&
AtsPieg which 'vilified me that the President
k of the T.Faited States was dispoied to confer
will) nnalicial agents that 'night
hreent. by me with 8 view to the restoration
I tweeted the Non. Alm ti.
. . (#0040114 Hoe. It. Y. T. Hunter and Hon.
:.compball lummeed *sough our
Aim i**l , to. * easiesenoe with Mr.
! 14mools winch pinions as he might depute
eeoAriyr seibniii fur the hiforatatisi
to CirOiriwaiss went Moms
Wilt* asaisik esiositmilogthui*.imi
11011 dibiria~kitkie
Mile ***,.-Sirwq ow Of Unit teplat4o-
. •
EEO
ly or to give to lour people apy ether terns
or guarenteesithan"those which a conqueror
may grant, or to permit ns to have peace on
any Other bawls than our unconditional sub-
Mint on to . r rule, coupled with the ac
ceptanqe- 'r recent legistation,including
en to the Constitution for the
enntapkaon of all negro slaves, and with
the right on the part of the "Federal Con
gress tw-legislatP on the subject of the rela
tions between the white and black popula
tion of each Sate.
STich is, as I understand, the effect of the
amendment to the Constitution which has
been adopted by the Congress of the ll.tited
States. (Signed)
JEFFERSON D A VIS.
Executive Office, Richmond, Feb. 6, 1865
RICHMOND, Feb. 5.
To the President tithe Confederate States.
Sic—Under your letter of appointment of
the With ult., we proceeded 7 to seek an in
formal conference with ASraliani Lincoln,
president of the United States upon the sub
ject mentioaed in your letter.
The conference n - tuo granted anti- Gook
place on the 30zh ult., on. bowl/LAO - earner
anchored it: Hampton Roads, - iere we met
President Lincoln and tl on Im.
Sward, Secretary of et of the United
S ates.
It continued fp ral hours, and was
both full and
,"cit." We lettrn Tram them
that the • e of President Lincoln to the
Lui ales Congress, in Decembar lust,
is clearly and distinctly his sentiments
as to the terms, condhions, and method of
proceeding by which peace can be secured to
the people, and we were not informed that
they would be modified or altered to obtain
that end. •
We understand from him that no terms or
proposals ot any treaty or agreement, looking
to an ultimate settlement, would be enter
tained or made by him with the authorities
ut the Confederate States, because that would
be a recognition of their existence as a sepa
rate power, which, under no circumstances,
would be done, and, for like reasons, that no
such terms would Are entertained by him
from States separately ; that no extended
truce or armistice, as at present advocated,
would be granted or allowed without assur
ance in advance ot the complete restoration
of the Constitution and lags ot the United
States, over all {daces within the States of
the Con federacy.
That whatever consequence may follow
from the re-establishment of that authority
must be accepted, but that i-dividuals, sub
ject to pains and penahiee; under the of
the United States, might rely on a veriliberal
use of the powerwontided to him to remit
their pains and penalties, if peace berestor
ed.
During the conference; the proposed
amendments to the Constitution of the Unit
ed States adopted by Congress ;on the 81st
ult., were brought to our notice.
These amendments provide that neither
slavery or involuntary servitude, except for
crimes, should exist within the United States,
or any place within their jurisdiction, and
that Congress should have power to enforce
this amendment by appropriate legislation.
Of all the eorrestiondenee that preceded
the conference herein mentioned and lead
ing to the game, you have heretofore bean
informed.
Very respectfully, your %obedient ser
.
Tants, ALEX. H. STEPHENS,
R. M. T. IHTNIE'R,
J. A. CAMPBELL.
The Rebel Peace Commissioner's.
The history and personal character of
he rebel Vice President, Alexander IL
Stephens, as well as the strenuous exer
tions to preserve the South from the fol
ly and crime of secession, are well known
to our readers. A. J. Campbell, of Al
abama, formerly occupied a seat on the
bench of the Supreme Court of the
United States. It will be remembered
that just previous to the capture of Fort
Sumpter, Mr. Campbell appeared in
Washington with Mr. Forsythe, of Mo
bile, Crawford, ex member of Congress
from Georgia, and Mr. Stephens, on a
mission do obtain the peaceful separation
of the South from the Union. Sinbe the
commencement of hostilities his name
has not been prominently before the pub
lic. Mr. H. M. T. Hunter was formerly
United States Senator from Virginia
He served a short time as rebel Secreta
ry of State -.--Erchange.
TliE JENNINGS ESTATE.-3lost of our
readers have undoubtedly beard, at
some time or other, that a large proper
ty in England, estimated at several
million pounds sterling, known as the.
Jennings estate, has been • claimed by
the American heirs, .descendants of the
brother and sister of tile English Jen
nings, the former of .which settled in
Virginia and the latter id lifesillamp
shire. The case has been in the Eng
lish Chancery Court for• many years,
and the American heirs have Teo
considerable sums of money in prose
cuting their claim to the estate, until at
last, as we are informed by one of the
heirs, they have obtained a judgment
an their favor The estate will be a
very handsome plu.n to divide, and the
heirs will make a respectable figure in
the list of income taxes when the reve
nue officers make their next annual re
turns.—Dostez Herald.
nat ion.
All the preliminaries up to the arrival and
detention of the confederate commissioners
at our lines, are consistent with the Flippo
sititin that the President desired pesee ; but
they are slso and equally consistent with
the idea that he was playing a political game
for his own advantage. But in all the sub
sequent proceedings, a determination that
no conditions should be allowed which the
rebels were not certain to reject, is pain
fully apparent. It is too clear for success
tul contradiction that the President dealt
deceitfully with the rebel authorities, and
has been practicing on the country.
Mr. Liucoln enticed the rebel government
to send commissioners by holding oat to
them the idea that simple reunion was the
sole condition on which he wonle insist.—
The "Petteieumm" Fire. That letter of his to Mr. Blair, which makes
Albert and Clayton Ware, respective- such a fignre in his narrative, is again and
ly aged 17 and 10 years, who, with again put forward by him as the basis on
their father, escaped during the great which he insisted. The whole emphasis of
conflagration in Philadelphia, on last that letter lies in the words "our common
Wednesday, have since died from Lee
country, used to describe the purpose of a
effects of injuries received. The father
permissible mission. Those wends are ren
was badly burned in the face, bat was
dared still more emphatic by the' inderse
still alive on • Friday evening. The
meat, in the Preeident's own hand, on the
only one left of 'the family is' a son in
back of his copy of the letter. Ile said, •in
the army of Gen Sherrnan. How sadi
it will be for him to learn that his moth- the letter, that he would receive.any agents I SeirMr. George B. McClellan, wife, child
er, Eisra sisters and two brothers perish.; who came "with the view of securing peace and nurse, sailed last Wednesday, in the
ed by the groat dire tern' The Scott "to oar mown country." ' China, fur Europe. A goodly number of his
family, se rtdd nabaing, are safe, but We put it to any caqikye a n d i n - friends attended them to the steamer, - whore
narrowly, C04V04 ta m ith . their lives.— telligonce, if , coosolerlailyna„,4 many felicitations were presented , not the
The bodies a tWO Clf the Nem Wa r e • did not full • •
y authorise the tof which was to Mr& McClellan, the
vele ( ta ti gpecta that the re union of the States nice onmfortalo little purse of thirty thous
' 41016;lpirld
, y cooaltion of peace winch the and Anal' a short NOM
sie•• taa wil te tall ut ll4 iw alin et. gmai r ' ja vr atanded to insist on as iniruspen: In London aNMsa, any will mowed to
Cto invent tars* to to u tts t o sal* The ampluitic nerds wore intended, Italy. May thoylitnie a -proiperons vdyag.
od •
agnate.— (Pam .as the President took pains to record is the arid a pleasant ttioi.'z
gite Z' manlier.
•`OneiCountry, One Constitution, One
Destiny."
k
0,.
7Ar
11/tt,!%SSW4%) Vtte
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 223 1865.
To our Subscribers.
On account Of the withdrawal of the
Senior Editor from the Messenger
es'ablishinent, it is absolutely necessary
that the outstanding accounts for sub-
script ion, advertising, &c. should be
immediately settled. .Oar patrons,
tlierefcre, what ever their 'indebtedness,
must. promptly settle their balances.—
Will they do so without a day's delay,
se• tne -debts - of the office, which are
numerous and large, mnAt be paid, and
paid promptly. "A hint to the wisp is
sufficient."
The President's Message on the
Peace Conference.
Mr. Lincoln has at last satisfied public ex
pectation, save the N. E Worbf, and sent
to Congress his deferred message giving hi.
version of the history of the Ilamptm
Roads conference, with copies of the letters
and telegrams interchanged smorg the var
ious parties to that proceeding.
Thete is nothing in the nitration and
letters thus communicated inconsistent with
the supposition that the whole - affair was an
artful mat , ,cuver by the friends of the Presi
dent. to hoodwink and deceive the country
for his benefit. Its purpose was not peace,
but to silence hostile criticism on his admin
istration.
The . Democratic party asserted their be
lief, in the presidential canvass, that, if
they elected their candidate, peace on the
basis of re-uni'm would be possible soon af
ter his inauguration. The party that
nominated Mr. Lincoln put him on the plat
form of war; war .to be continued (see
the Baltimore resolves) without relaxation
until slavery is destroyed,. root tind branch.
Before Mr. Lincoln was formally declared
elected, it had become apparent that time
was vindicating the Democratic position.—
Evidences of wavering and dissension came
to us with every batch of Southern Jour
nals. Events seemed ripening for peace
with such rapidity that nothing was neces
sary but statesmanship to put an honorable
termination to the War previous to the 4th
of March.
The friends of the re-elected President
felt it necessary to meet, and by some means
gain-say, these accumulating proofs that the
Democratic party had formed a sagacious
and forecasting judgment of the possibilities
of the situation. If peace should be made
this spring, the abolition amendmeit to the
Constitution would not be ratified, and the
war would end leaving slavery unextinguish
ed, contrary to the demand of the Balti
more platform. But if no steps toward
,peace were taken, it no proffers were made,
if nothing was done, the Democratic party
would stand before the country fully vin
dicated ; and Mr. Lincoln's influence would
steadily decline from the day of his second
inauguration. It was a political —necessity
•that he should be rescued ; and the task
was undertaken by the same experienced
and long-headed, not to say crafty, poli
tician, who underto'ik, last autumn, to de
moralize the democratic party by trying to
induce Gen. McClellan to decline its nomi-
ore said indorseinent, no an offset and an
swer to the expression in Davis' letter to
Mr. 131 air about securing peace between tke
"two countries."
Mr. Lincoln seems to. have been surprise.]
and embarrassed at the prompt acceptance
of his proposition . Had it been refwed, as
he expected and counted on, his letter to
Mr Blair, and the indorsement he wrote.
upon it, would have been a damaging bomb
to explode, at souls fit opportunity, againpt
the Democratic party. Its publication
would have been regarded as conclusive
documentary evidence that the Democratic
party was wrong in claiinirig that peace was
possible on the basis of re-union. Every
thing seems to have been cut and dried with
reference to this expected failure, and this
use to be made of it.
El
Ths President was accordingly taken
aback and disconcerted, when the rebel
commissioners made their appearance at oar
with as application for a safe conduct
to Washington. Shrewd . as he is, he knew
■ot what to do ; he was at his wit's end.—
His political bomb seemed
.4)out to ex_
plode in lie own camp. lle first did an lie
could, and move than manly dealing could
warrant, to repulse the mission he had vir
tually invited. He kept the commissioners
knocking at our lines, and plainly would
have sent them back , Lnedniitted, if Gen.
Grant had not deranged his plans by ad
mitting them before the arrival of Major
Eckert, the agent sent by the President to
interpose obstacles. Even then, this agent
seems so well to have understood the wish
es of the President, that he accomplished
thiobject for wmich he was sent, and the
commissioners would have been immediate
ly remanded across the 'lines, had it nut
been for the interposition of Gin. Qrant.—
"I ass convinced," telegraphed Gen. Grant
to the President, "that their intentions are
"good, and „their desire eincore to restore
!Tam)" sin 'Liston." With this document
in existence to testify against Mr. Lincoln
whenever it should come to light, he was
checkmated in his intention to rend the
peace envoys back unheard. He according
ly set out at once, and proceeded as fast as
steam could carry him, to meet the peace
envoys in person, and exert his captious and
cunning ingenuity to put them in thew roug,
and render the negotiations abortive.
as soon as he learned of the arrival of
;he commissioners, he fbrthwith took the
precaution to erect a barrier against peace,
by furnishing to Secretary Seward written
instructions, in which he .changed the
ground on which he had originally invited
she 1116:40D. It was no longer simple re
union (as in the letter to Mr. Bair) on
which be insisted ; but h!. instructed Mr.
Seward to insist inflexibly on other condi
tions as absolutely indispensable to peace.
Ile instructed him that therearould be "no
receding by the executive of the United
States on tie slavery question." Ile
would stand by w hat he said on this sub
ject in his late message and "in preceding
documents," namely, the Ernancil tv ion
proclamation and the Niagara manifesto.
It is incontrovertible, then, that the Pres
ident practiced upon the rebel commission
ers; first inviting them to a conference on
a basis which he supposed they would net
entertain, and when he unexpectedly foand
that they would, changing the basis and
erecting new obstacles to peace. It must
be evident to every reader of the doCuments
that this negotiation was, on the part ot,
Mr. Lincoln, insincere ; that peace and
Union were in his power, and that he delib
erately repelled them.
That an honorable terminati',n of the war
was in the power of our government is, if
possible, still more clearly evident in the
dispatch of the secretary of state to Mr.
Adams; but we cannot, at present analyze
that document.
Legislative News.
The following bills were introduced by Mr.
Rose, our representative, and passed : autho
rizing the School Directors of Wayne town
ship, Greene county, to levy a tea of four
instead of two :sr cent. for bounties. Also,
a bill allowing Greene township, Greene
county, to pay bounties.
An Act has been introduced to change the
manlier of selecting it/Fors in the several
counties of the Commonwealth. It is pro
posed to elect two citizens of each county
Jury Commissioners, whose duty it shall be
to select the grand and Pettit Jurors, in
like manner as they are now performed by
the Sheriff and County Commissioners, pro
viding, however, that but one candidate for
said 'office be voted for. This is another
Abolition trick for power.
SifirThe . anti=slavery amendment to
the Canstitrition; it will be -recollected,
u
p . sed the Senate at its last session by
the requisite two-thirds. It has now
passed the house, and is ready for sub
mission to the States, and several States
have ratified it in great haste. In ad
dition to the usual provision abolishing
slavery, there is an additional clause.
That "Congress shall have power to
enforce this article by appropriate
This is to give Congrest the
power to thrust its nose into all State
legislation, under the pretext that it is
appropriate to prevent or abolish
slavery. It will soon be found that
the siegro mast vote, hold office, serve
on juries, give testimony in court, in
order to protect his liberty and prevent
his becoming a slave. Observe that
the dominant party is progressive. If
there be anything worse than another,
that is to be expeeted.
PEACE.
We commend the, following extract from
an editorial in the Newark, New Jersey,
Daily Journal, to the careful• persual of our
readers :
What, in point of fact, do we mean when
we speak of Peace—Peace, as a termination
to the civil war now raging? 1. Do we
mean a renewal of relationship, intercourse
and unity between sovereign States, North
and South, such as existed before Abraham
Lincoln came into power? 2. Do we mean
a cessation of hostilities, a disbanding of
armies a reduction of taxes and a restora
tion of Law to its supremacy coupled with
recognition of the revolutionary rights
claimed by the Southern people, and for
which they have contended so resolutely ?
3. Do we mean that condition of incapacity
for further organized resistance which would
ensue upon the destruction of Lee's John
ston's Ilardee's and Kirby Smith's armies?
4. Or, do we mean that total prostration of
a whole people at the Conqueror's feet,
which is implied by the word "subjuga
tion ?" It is important for each one of us
to decide is his own mind which of these
conditions of things he understands by the
word Peace. For, of these various condi
tions, only the second, or the third, are by
any means possible. No man• in his sane
mind can believe it possible utterly to sub
jugate eight millions of free people, bewse
no one can believe it possible completely to
exterminate a population so extensive.—
Nor, while the present state of feeling exists
North and South, can the bright and cher
ished dream of Democracy be rehlized, of a
restoration of the glorious old "Union as it
was." There is too much blood between
the sections; there is too heavy a weight of
debt and taxes; there is too much bitterness
of hatred ; there are too many green
wounds, too many deep and festering sores.
Time may indeed bring our• hopes' to pass ;
but this generation will not live to rejoice
in the consummation. For a present Peace,
then, for a practicable and immediate ces
sation of this brutal and bloody strife, we
have the choice of two alternatives; either
the recognition of Southern independence,
or the annihilation of the Southern armies.
Is there any prospect of an immediate
peace in either of these ways? In other
words, is our government ready to let the
South go? Or, has it the means now in
hand to defeat and destr.ly the Southern
armies? We do not care who -the person
may be who propounds these questions to
his secret heart, nor how sanguine he is
He must answer that it will require at least
another bloody campaign. The North , is
unt ready to let the South go; the South is
not yet weak enough to - abandon the con
test.
How we will- stand, or what will be the
condition of things one year hence, is a ques
tion we do not propose to discuss or to spec
ulate upon, even if we had the heart to do
it. Suffice it to say that we do not see how,
in the present tertiper of parties, peace can
be attained, without the cost and horrors
and terrible bloodshed of another ruthless
campaign like the last. Are we ready for
it ? Dare we contemplate the thought of it,
even i though we were sure that at the end
of it would come such a peace as is capable
of hereafter subsisting upon this continent?
For, we must always recnl'ect that, no
matter how bright the auspices under which
it may come, peace will not bring us back
to "the good old times” . when we were
"brothers still." We rosy re-nuite, bnt it
will not be a marry marriage feast. How
can it-be, when such hosts of ghastly spec
tres will come trooping.- unbidden, to as
sist at the ceremony, and sit down, Banquo
like, in the vacant places ? And the debt—
will it not keep vivid the consciousness in
our minds that the festival is unpaid for?
If we repudiate will we not call ruin and
beggary down upon tens of thousands of
households now comparatively happy In
their faith in the national honor? We may
re-unite, or we may stand apart, separate
Republics, but, in either event, we can nev
er attain to a closer friendship than sub
sists between brothers who have quarreled
and exchanged blows.. Whatever - issues
we may come to, the Shenandoah will not
be forgotten, Chambersbhrg will not be for
gotten. Nor Camp Chase, nor Salisbury ;
nor Point Lookent, nor Andersonville ; nor
Charleston, nor Fort Pillow.
Peace ! The thought thrills every nerve
in us, and God knows we would not by word
or deed mar the dear prospects ! But,
there isno use for the American people to
deceive themselves at this late day, ncr to
dream of impossibilities. The prospect is
very dark, very gloomy. We have conjur
ed up infinite evis..s and they are falling up
on us and devouring us, 'We have sowed
the storm with reckless hAnds, in blindness,
and mad fury, and with infinite disregard
of history and of reason now, the whirl
wind has sprung up at our feet, and we
must reap it in shame and sorrow, how we
can. At least let us perform our self-im
posed task with humility, calling no names,
hut gleaning what good we may even out
of the midst of evil.
Major-General Butler, LL.D., in
his Boston speech last Saturday even
ing, uttered a trite moralism, that
"wickedness seems for a time to es
cape punishment," and quoted the
much-quoted line :
The mills of Cod grind sh wly, yet they grind exceed
Ing small
They do indeed ; nor do we know an
instance where they have ground more
slowly, yet in the final gi;ist more, "ex
ceeding small," than in the case of But
ler, aforesaid LL.D.
itiirlrbe papers are abounding in witti
cisms as the expeoee of General Putter.
We select a few
Why is Butler like the Monroe Doctrine ?
Because he is "played out."
A correspandeut to the New York Yew
wants to knOw what Butler has dace with
the "fey to Richmond," which ho boasted
was in his on last August.
It is &'aid the reason Butler Sid not take
Port Miller was, that, in his hurry to get
there, he forget his "cotton hooks."
Ex-Senator Foote's Visit to this City
—The "Rsoonstrurtionists" of the
South—Mr. Fouta:s Views of the
Situation in the South
D iring his short stay in New York, ES
senator Foote had several interviews with
gentlemen of this city, his forin?..r aequaint
ances. In the course of the conversation,
which was condacted on his part with his
usual wrainth of feeling, he expressed his
views as to the actual condition of the
confelercy and its future prospects.
His opinions, it they are not entitled
to full confidence, hire an interest which,
I think, commends them to the attention Or
the public.
The most important of Mr. F) - ne's state
ments is, that there is in the S iuth a con
siderable party of secessionists who are now
ready to abandon their views and doctrines,
if they could see a way to come back into
the Union without prejudice to their honor
and interests. Tnese men are tired of the
war, tired of the useless sacrifices they have
made, thed of the despotism tinder which
they live, and would gladly embrace the first
opportunity to throw off the yoke, if the
terms offered to them were such as would
not, in their opinion, bring humiliation and
sha:ne upon their names. They formed the
nucleus of the peace party which caused
Jeff. Davis to send three peace commission
ers to the North, and wo ild have ccinpelled
him to make peace, had the condition pro
posed by Mr. Lincoln been in the least de
gree acceptable.
So strong is Mr. Fwe's belief in the
power of the peace . rnen in the S mth, whom
he calls "the reconsttuctionists," that he
wrote to Mr. Seward in order to know if, in
the last interview at Fortress Monroe, Mr.
Lincoln had given his ?iltimatuti l , and it
better and more reasonable conditions could
not be made to the South by the federal
government. In that case Mr. Foote
bgrind himself to go back to the South end
to rally the peace party, the reconstruction
ists, in suppert of the Union. It appears
that Mr. Seward did not deem it proper to
satisfy Mr. Foote on that subject, for he
said to his friends that the answer of the
Secretary of Sate was unsatiAfactory.
Being questioned upon the power of re
sistance of the South, the ex-rebel senator
said that in all probability Charleston, Wil
mington, F'schniond, and M ,bile would he
evacuated, for there were not men enough
in the South to fight the northern armies
on as equal terms as they had hitherto done.
Still he did not believe the evacuation of
these cities would be ee signal of the cav
ing Mof the confederacy, which, he said,
could resist for seveial years to come. Of
course, left to herself and without assistance
from abroad, she was bound to perish paiont
the hour of her death was very remote.
Mr. Foote lett for Europe Saturday last,
with the intention of acting as a voluntary
diplomat toward foreign powers. His idea
is to induce England and France to act as
meditators in the present conflict, and to
stop, it he can, the shedding of blood on
both sides.— 1t hi
iit6.
VERY LATE3f NEWS.
Sherman Marching Victori
ously.
COLOMBIA CAP) BRED I
Charleston Probably Evacuated?
WARDE I' TZTNIE NT,
Washington, Feb. 18, 1855.
Gen. Rle—The • announcoment
of the occupation of Columbia, S. C., by
Gen. Sherman. and the probable evacu
tion of Charleston, has been communi
cated to the Department in the follow
ing telegrams just received from Lieut.
n. Grant. (Signet)
E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
C/TY POINT, 4:45 r.
February 18, 1865
Hon. E. 31. Stanton, War Department—
The Richmond Dispatch, of this morning
says : Gen. Sherman entered Columbia
yesterday morning, and its fall necessi
tates, it presumes, the fall of Charleston,
Which it thinks is already being evacu
ated. (Signed)
U. S. GRANT, Lieut. Gen.
Important from South Carolina,
THE YANKEE FORCES ONLY TWO MILES
FROM CHARLESTON.
SHERMAN . ACROSS FRE SALKARATCBIE
RIVER.
The Rebels Completely Outflanked.
A SHARP ENGAGEMENT AT RIVERS
BRIDGE.
WAstusorox, Feb. 15.—The Rich
mond Whig of the 13th inst. f contains
the following important intelligence ;
"CHARLEsTos, S. C., Feb. 10.—A
force of the enemy, believed to be from
2,000 to 3,000 strong, landed at Gim
ball's, James island.. at eight o'clock
this morning and drove in our pickets.
Some skirmishing took place, but there
was no general engagement. Gimball
is on Stone River, and two miles south
west of Charleston. The Ashley river,
2,000 yards wide, intervenes. The
enemy are making demonstrations at
various points, but are believed to be
feints.
"A force attacked our troops on the
Salkahatchie this mornin - , but were
easily repulsed.
"The enemy also advanced upon the
Charleston road near the Blue House,
and opened with artillery, but made nq
impression upon our lines. Itetimts
from the road to-day say that, the. epo
my has poSsession of the Edist(?, at Ben
arkero bridge._ The enemy are• now
moving on Edisto.
"It will be remembenat that on Fri
day, the 4th inst., Shuman crossed the
Salkahatchie between Blackville and
Stone river bridge, thereby completely
outflanking our forces and compelling
them to fall back to Branchville.
"We have since learned that the
Yankees forded the river through water
waist deep at I tiver's bridge.
"A sharp engagement took place
here, which lasted several hours, .in
which General .liVheeler's cavalry in
flicted a very severe injury upon the
evenly.
"Oa th^ Bth, a cavalry culurnn of
Yankee infantry, struck the South Car
lina at Grahamsville, about
oighteen miles west of Branchville, while
Kilpatrick with a cavalry force, occu
piell Blackville, on the same side, about
nine miles northwest of Grahamsville.
A portion of shermaws ,opium, it
was reported yesterday, moved forward,
using the South Edisto and flanking
Branchville on the west.. This army
then advanced to Orangeburg, on the
Columbia and Branchville road, eigh
teen miles west of the latter point.—
Orangeburg is a beautiful village about
one thousand inhabitants and has been
a fworite retreat of refagess from Char
leston. It was largely engaged in the
manufactur of indigo before the war,
DELPHI Feb. 15 —The Even-.
ink .1311, 1 1;.tit's Washington special says :
Rid papers confirm the report of
Sherman's occupiaiou of Branchville and
Orangeburg. An advance on Columbia
was anticipated. Wheeler's cavalry ap
pears to be the only forei... operating
against Sherman.
From Grant's Army
Another 'Movement Shortly
Probable.
Lee's Army Estimated at 60,000 Men.
Ni w Yo . %IC, Feb 15.—The
army of the Potomac special of the 12,
says: The Boynton road is not in our
hands—it is about three miles from the
present line. The enemy cling to it
with tenacity. Our cavalry on the left
found out, in a reconnoissance, that the
rebels have not built any branch from the
Weldon railroad to the north side. It,
is hinted a move will soon take place,
that may force the enemy to relinquish
a great part of his line of works. The
left of oar line now forms an apex of the
of the sth corps, having itsleft
thrown back so as to cover a flank.—
Any move of the enemy to get around
our left would be foiled. This is the
only point of the line they are at all like
ly to attack.
The t'ribune's correspondent estimates
Lee's army at 60,004 men, organized
into four corps of infantry, and two of
cavalry, with artillery in a ratio of two
batteries to each division, and a reserve
of half that ratio. The first and third
cores are the strongest, threJ, divisions
being in each; in the second and fonrth
there are only two divisions.
LR'CIITIOIIJT SEI CAROLIII
The Town of all saints Captured.
$lOO,OOO Worth of Cotton Destroyed.
Dispatch from Admiral Porter.
WASHINGTON, February
ral Porter has forwarded the following
to the Navy Department: •
U. S. S. MONTIC ELIO,
Off Wilmington, N. C., Feb. 9, '65. ;
Sir: I have the honor to report that I
entered Little River, S. C., on the night
of the 4th inst., and proceeding abtint
eight miles with four boats and fifty men,
landed in the town of All Saint's Parish,
on the Little River. The town was
placed under guard without the knowl
edge of the inhabitants, and I succeeded
in capturing some soldiers and arms.
I held the place all the next day, and
discovered and destroyed 'sloo,ooo
worth of cotton. I also captured two
fiats at the mouth of the harbor, con
taining twenty-three bales of cotton,
which had some time been removA to
!ighten her. These we brought off,
together with some negroes. .
The South Carolina planters, and all
the men whom I Met, professed to be
willing to come back under the old gov
ernment, and most of them seemed to be
loyal men, only awaiting the emancipa
tion proclamation.
On the 6th I sent two boats' crews
ashore in Charlotte Inlet, under the com
mand of Acting Master C. A. Pettit.—
He surprised and routed the rebel force
detailed to collect provisions in that
country ? capturing six soldiers with
their arms and equipments, and destroy
ed the stores which had been gathered
for the enemy at Fort Anderson.
The soldiers lately stationed at Om
lotte had been withdrawn to assist in the
defence of Wilmington. A hundred sol
diers are still at Lockwoods 'Ferry.—
The woods are full of deserters.
Very respectfully, your obedient ser-
1, ant,
W. 13. CusiiroNG, Liet. Com'dg
To Rear Admiral D. D. Porter, com
manding the North Atlantic Squadron,
Cape Fear River, North Carolina.
Important Concerning the Draft.
WAsiusGTos, Feb. 15.--The
follow
sng are the instructions issued on Mon
day, from the Provost Marshal General's
office :
WAR DEPT. PRO. MAR. GES's. BURRAII,
Washington, Fel,. 13, 1865.
To all Acting Assisting Povost Mar :
Alai Generals except in Connectipt4
lowa, California and Oregon ;
See that all Boards of Enrollment
your jurisdiction which are not busily . .
employed in examining and mustering
recruits prepare at once to commence,
drafting ? . Report as soon as possible
what districts are not, rapidly filling,their,
quotas, and the day on, which the Board :
in each WiH be prepared to draft, so,
that the order for the draft may issue,
from, this office. Signed,
J. B. Fay,
Pro. Mar. Gen.
4.7. , Thirty million gallons of petro
km have been exported Once Fokr:
ruary 1,, 1864.