WASHINGTON, January 18, 1865.
P. P. BLAIR, ESQ.
SIR:--Your having shown me Mr. Davis"s letter to you of the twelfth instant, you may say to him 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 to me with the view of securing peace to the people of our one common country.
Yours, etc.,
A. LINCOLN.
Afterwards Mr. Blair dictated for and authorized me to make an entry on the back of my retained copy of the letter last above recited, which entry is as follows:
January 28, 1865
To-day Mr. Blair tells me that on the twenty-first 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 delivering it 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 one common country" related to the part of Mr. Davis"
letter about "the two countries," to which Mr. Davis replied that he so understood it.
A. LINCOLN.
Afterwards the Secretary of War placed in my hands the following telegram, indorsed by him, as appears:
OFFICE UNITED STATES MILITARY TELEGRAPH WAR DEPARTMENT. The following telegram received at Washington January 29, 1865, from headquarters Army of James,
6.30 P.M., January 29, 1865:
"HON. EDWIN M. STANTON," Secretary of War:
"The following despatch just received from Major-General Parke, who refers it to me for my action. I refer it to you in Lieutenant-General Grant"s absence:
"E. O. C. ORD, Major-General, Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF POTOMAC, January 29, 1863. 4 P.M."
"MAJOR-GENERAL E. O. C. ORD, "Headquarters Army of James: "The following despatch is forwarded to you for your action. Since I have no knowledge of General Grant"s having had any understanding of this kind, I refer the matter to you as the ranking officer present in the two armies.
"JNO. G. PARKE, Major-General, Commanding."
""FROM HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY Cos, 29th.
"MAJOR-GENERAL JNO. G. PARKE, "Headquarters Army of Potomac: "Alexander H. Stephens, R. M. T. Hunter, and J. 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 admitted? They desire an early answer, to come through immediately. Would like to reach City Point tonight if they can. If they can not do this, they would like to come through at 10 A.M. to-morrow morning.
"O. B. WILc.o.x, "Major-General, Commanding Ninth Corps."
"January 29, 8.30 P.M.
"Respectfully referred to the President for such instructions as he may be pleased to give.
"EDWIN M. STANTON, "Secretary of War."
It appears that about the time of placing the foregoing telegram in my hands the Secretary of War dispatched General Ord as follows, to wit:
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON CITY, January 29, 1865. 10 P.M. (Sent at 2 A.M., 30th.) MAJOR-GENERAL ORD.
SIR:--This Department has no knowledge of any understanding by General Grant to allow any person to come within his lines as commissioner of any sort. You will therefore allow no one to come into your lines under such character or profession until you receive the President"s instructions, to whom your telegraph will be submitted for his directions.
EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
Afterwards, by my direction, the Secretary of War telegraphed General Ord as follows, to wit:
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D.C., January 30. 10.30 A.M.
MAJOR-GENERAL E. O. C. ORD, Headquarters Army of the James.
SIR:--By direction of the President, you are instructed to inform the three gentlemen, Messrs. Stephens, Hunter and Campbell, that a messenger will be dispatched to them at or near where they now are without unnecessary delay.
EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
Afterwards I prepared and put into the hands of Major Thomas T. Eckert the following instructions and message:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
MAJOR T. T. ECKERT. WASHINGTON, January 30, 1865
SIR:--You will proceed with the doc.u.ments placed in your hands, and on reaching General Ord will deliver him the letter addressed to him by the Secretary of War; then, by General Ord"s a.s.sistance, 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. Receive their answer in writing, waiting a reasonable time for it, and which, if it contain their decision to come through without further condition, will be your warrant to ask General Ord to pa.s.s them through, as directed in the letter of the Secretary of War to him. If by their answer they decline to come, or propose other terms, do not have them pa.s.s through. And this being your whole duty, return and report to me.
A. LINCOLN.
CITY POINT, VA.. February 1, 1865.
MESSRS. ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS, J. A. CAMPBELL AND R. M. 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 pa.s.s through the United States military lines it will be understood that you do so for the purpose of an informal conference on the basis of the letter a copy of which is on the reverse side of this sheet, and that if you choose to pa.s.s on such understanding, and so notify me in writing, I will procure the commanding general to pa.s.s 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 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.
WASHINGTON, January 18, 1865. F. P. BLAIR, ESQ.