Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 29.djvu/201

 The Peace. Conference in //dni/tfu/t Himtls. 185

As soon as the foregoing telegram was shown to Mr. Lincoln, he telegraphed to General Grant as follows:

"70 Lieutenant- General Gra?it, City Point, Va.:

"Say to the gentlemen that I will meet them personally at Fortress Monroe as soon as I can get there.

"A. LINCOLN."

At the same time he sent to Mr. Seward, who had already gone

to Fortress Monroe, the following telegram:

i

"70 If on. William If. Seward, Fortress Monroe, Va.:

"Induced by a dispatch from General Grant, I join you at Fortress Monroe as soon as I can come.

"A. LINCOLN."

STEPHENS AND LINCOLN.

On the morning of February 3d, the commissioners met President Lincoln and Secretary Seward on board of a steamer anchored in Hampton Roads, near Fortress Monroe. Mr. Stephens and Mr. Lincoln had been acquaintances and friends in former years. They had been in the House of Representatives at the same time, had belonged to the same political party and as members of the "Con- gressional Taylor Club," had co-operated in the nomination and election of Zachary Taylor to the presidency in 1848.

At the beginning of the interview, Mr. Stephens, addressing him- self to Mr. Lincoln, made pleasant allusion to their former acquaint- ance and friendship, to which the latter cordially responded. After mutual inquiries as to former congressional associates, Mr. Stephens introduced the business of the meeting by inquiring of Mr. Lincoln if there was no way of putting an end to the existing troubles, and bringing about a restoration of good feeling and harmony between the different sections of the country. At this point Mr. Seward interposed and said it was understood that the conference would be informal; that there would be no clerk or secretary and no record made of anything that was said. The commissioners having as- sented to this understanding, Mr. Stephens repeated his inquiry, and in reply Mr. Lincoln said that there was but one way that he knew of and that was for those who were resisting the laws of the Union to cease that resistance. Mr. Stephens replied in substance that they had been induced to believe there might be some other ques- tion, some continental question that might divert the attention of