PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



711 



tbem passed through. And this being your whole 

 dutv return and report to me. 



Yours truly, A. LINCOLN." 



" CITY POINT, Feb. . 

 Messrs. Alexander II. Stephens, J. A. Campbell, and 



J!. J/. T. Hunter .- 



Gentlemen : I am instructed by the President of 

 the United States to place this paper in your hands, 

 with the information that if you pass through the 

 United States military lines, it will be understood 

 that you do so for the purpose of an informal confer- 

 ence on the basis of that letter, a copy of which is 

 on the reverse side of this sheet ; and that you choose 

 to pass on such understanding, and so notify me in 

 writing. I will procure the Commanding General to 

 pass you through the lines and to Fortress Monroe 

 under such military precautions as he may deem pru- 

 dent, and at which place you will be met in due time 

 by some person or persons for the purpose of such 

 informal conference ; and, further, that you shall 

 have protection, safe conduct, and safe return in all 

 events. THOMAS T. ECKERT, 



Major and Aide-de-Camp." 



Afterward, but before Major Eckert had departed, 

 the following despatch was received from General 

 Grant : 



"OFFICE U. S. MILITARY TELEGRAPH, J 

 [CIPHER,] War Department ) 



The following telegram was received at Washing- 

 ton, Jan. 31, 1865, from City Point, Ya., 10:30 A. n., 

 Jan. 31, 1865 : 

 ' His Excellency Abraham, Lincoln, President of the 



United Si 



The following communication was received here 

 last evening : 



- PETERSBURG. YA.. Jac. P 



Llcut.-Gcn. U.S. Grant, Commanding Armies of the 

 ''d States : 



Sir We desire to pass your lines under safe con- 

 duct, and to proceed to Washington to hold a con- 

 ference with President Lincoln upon the subject of 

 the existing war, and with a view of ascertaining 

 upon what terms it may be terminated, in pursuance 

 of the course indicated by him in his letter to Mr. 

 Blair of Jan. 18, 1865, of which we presume you have 

 a copy, and if not, we wish to see you in person, if 

 convenient, and to confer with you on the subject. 

 Very respectfully, vonrs, 



ALEXANDER II. STEPHENS, 

 J. A. CAMPBELL. 

 R. M. T. HUNTER." 



I have sent directions to receive these gentlemen, 

 and expect to have them at my quarters this evening 

 awaiting your instructions. 



U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-General, 

 Commanding Armies of the United States.' " 



This, it will be perceived, transferred Gen. Ord's 

 agency in the matter to Gen. Grant. I resolved, 

 however, to send Major Eckert forward with his mes- 

 sage, and accordingly telegraphed Gen. Grant as fol- 

 lows, to wit : 



' EXECUTIVE MANSION. WASHINGTON. ) 

 Jan. SI, laiw. )' 

 L^ut.-Gen. Grant, Cdy Foird, Ya. : 



_A messenger is coming to you on the business con- 

 tained in your despatch. Detain the gentlemen in 

 comfortable quarters until he arrives, and then act 

 upon the message he brings as far as applicable, it 

 having been made up to pass through Gen. Ord's 

 hands, and when the gentlemen were supposed to be 

 beyond our lines. A. LINCOLN." 



L SEXT in CIPHER AT 1:CO P. M.] 



When Major Eckert denarted he bore with him a 

 Tetter of the Secretary of *War to Gen. Grant as fol- 

 .ow3, to wit : 



- WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 30, 1865. 

 Lieut.-General G-rant, Commanding. d~c. 



General : The President desires that you procure 

 for the bearer, Major Thomas T. Eckert, "an interview 



with Messrs. Stephens, Hunter, and Campbell, and 

 if, on his return to vou he requ- them 



through our lines to fortress Monn.e by uch route 

 and under such military precautions as you may 

 deem prudent, giving them protection and comfort- 

 able quarters while there, and that you let none of 

 this have any effect upon any of your movements or 

 plans. Bv order of the President, 



EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War." 



Supposing the proper point to be then reached, I 

 despatched the Secretary of State with the following 

 instructions, Major Eckert, however, going ahead of 

 him: 



" EXECUTIVE MANSION, Jan. 31. 1SC.1 

 Hon. Wm 71. Seicard, Secretary of State : 



You will proceed to Fortress Monroe, Ya., tbere to 

 meet and informally confer with Messrs. Stephen?, 

 Hunter, and Campbell on the basis of my letter to F. 

 P. Blair, Esq., of Jan. 18, 1865, a copy o"f which you 

 have. You will make known to them that three 

 things are indispensable, to wit : 1st, the restoration 

 of the national authority throughout all the States ; 

 2d, no receding by the Executive of the United States 

 on the slavery question from the position assumed 

 thereon in the late annual message to Congress, and 

 in the preceding documents ; 3d, no cessation of hos- 

 tilities short of an end of the war and the disband- 

 ing of all the forces hostile to the Government. You 

 will inform them that all propositions of theirs not 

 inconsistent with the above will be considered and 

 passed upon in a spirit of sincere liberality. You will 

 near all they may choose to say and report it to me. 

 You will not assume to definitely consummate any 

 thing. Yours, 4c., ABRAHAM LINCOLN." " 



On the day of its date the following telegram was 

 sent to Gen. "Grant : 



u WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 1SG5. 

 .-General &rant, City Point, Ya. : 



Let nothing which is transpiring change, hinder, 

 or delay vour military movements or plans. 



A. LINCOLN." 

 [SENT ix CIPHER AT 9:30 A. M.] 



Afterward the following despatch was received from 

 Gen. Grant : 



" OFFICE U. S. TELEGRAPH, WAE DEPAETME:::T 

 [Lv CIPHER.] 



The following telegram was received at Washington 

 at 2:30 P. M., Feb. 1, 1S65, from City Point, Ya., Feb. 

 1, 12:30 p. M., 1865: 

 ' His Excellency A. Lincoln, President of the United 



Your despatch is received. There will be no ar- 

 rnistice in consequence of the presence of Mr. Ste- 

 phens and others within our lines. The troops are 

 kept in readiness to move at the shortest notice if 

 occasion should justifv it. 



U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-Gen.' " 



To notify Major Eckert that the Secretary of State 

 would be "at Fortress Monroe and to put them in 

 communication, the following despatch was sent : 



" WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON. Feb. 1, 1S65. 

 T. T. Eclcf.rt, care Gen. Grant, City Point, Ya. : 



Call at Fortress Monroe and put yourself under 

 the direction of Mr. S., whom you wif! find there. 



A. LINCOLN." 



On the morning of the 2d inst. the following tele- 

 grams were received by me from the Secretary of 

 State and Major Eckert : 



"FORTRESS MONROE, Ta. 11:30 p. it, Feb. 1, 1565. 

 The President of the United States : 



Arrived here this evening. Richmond partv not 

 here. I remain here. W. H. SE^ ARC." 



' CITT POINT, Vs., 10 p. M.. Fe\ 1, 1565. 

 His Excellency A. Lincoln, I - the United 



St':; 



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 6 p. M., but not satis- 

 factory. At 8 P. sc. the following note, addressed to 

 Gen. Grant, was received: 



