Introduction by Richard Behn. The Lehrman Institute. In January , pressure intensified on Mr. Lincoln to bring the Civil War to a speed close. Francis P. Blair, Sr. Secretary of State William H. Seward detailed the events leading up to the Hampton Roads conference in a letter to U. Minister to England Charles F. A few days ago Francis P. Blair, Esq. Blair visited Richmond and on his return he showed to the President a letter which Jefferson Davis had written to Mr.
Blair, in which Davis wrote that Mr. Blair was at liberty to say to President Lincoln that Davis was now, as he always had been, willing to send commissioners, if assured they would be received, or to receive any that should be sent; that he was not disposed to find obstacles in forms.
He would send commissioners to confer with the President, with a view to a restoration of peace between the two countries, if he could be assured they would be received. The President thereupon, on the 18th of January, addressed a note to Mr. Blair, in which the President, after acknowledging that he had read the note of Mr.
Davis, said that he was, is and always should be willing to receive any agents that Mr. Davis or any other influential person now actually resisting the authority of the government might send to confer informally with the President, with a view to the restoration of peace to the people of our one common country.
Blair visited Richmond with this letter, and then again came back to Washington. Stephens, R. Hunter, and John A. Campbell were applying for leave to pass through the lines to Washington, as peace commissioners, to confer with the President. They were permitted by the Lieutenant General to come to his headquarters, to await there the decision of the President. Blair, with a note to be addressed to them, and signed by the major, in which they were directly informed that if they should be allowed to pass our lines they would be understood as coming for an informal conference, upon the basis of the aforenamed letter of the 18th of January to Mr.
