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jhMumaU Hally iicvaUL
£ ■ KT. S. W. MASON AND CO.
THURSDAY, FSB. 16, 1966.
HBs AT HILTON HEAD.
RiUHtOW ESCAPE FBoiUL A
mUBADFUL CATASTROPHE..
OffiUKS BJILT; LTS3 sr2!!E!>.
fPm«swwt*NCS or thr Savannah Hkbalw.)
Hilton Hrad, S. C., Feb. 14, 1865.
■fflSfceo Head was threatened this morning with
a woat terrible catastrophe, which could have
bom averted, it would almost seem, only by
Davie* Interposition. In the midst of a high and
effid. North-east wind a fire broke out in
tbs £st#&nußost of the bnilding in the ordnance
fjasd st tMs .post, and threatened to sweep
the whole radge of s tor ebonies, filled as
Gbe? wnete with fixed ammunition, shot and shell,
ass? gunpowder in large quantities. Had the
incendiary (ior inceadiarUna it cer-
was,).been carried into effect, it mast have
rn*&e«tin the complete destruction of Hilton
jKfot&aml in a fearful loss of life.
■ * i. i j. j
*Z&e- Irewa»first discovered at about half-past
Osree A- JL, rn the office of Capt. W., Pratt,
©egotOiclnjmce Officer. The office, was a einalb
warxle* simcture, situated directly upon the
feeeribi. At about eight or ten yards distance
wtosaAs the large building where cartridges are
pnrps*rcd. JLSad the flames been communicated
to ifoat building, behind which stands the powder
cfesa l nothing could have prevented the most ter
rifejid? oansequencesf. The alarm was given and
fftyt fiiigaae was promptly upon the. spot.
Tfeevaost strenuous exertions were required to
«r*jfiua the fire to the office. Ladders were
jixcetf against the ammunition building, and its
mot and. walls were deluged with water. In the
i»rjstof the excitement at this point, too large a
K&raife.x of '.men. crowded upon one of |the ladders
—3iwan broken 1 and the firemen upon it were
tfrscmn to tbe ground. One fcll T striking upon
tSew&eelafa caisson, and was fatally injured.
were finally crowned with, success,
andlfibcr fames were subdued, though the offices
WRanslhsd.m ashes. Everything in the office was
jHefcniairg, of course, all the papers, accounts,
«bfee., of Capt Pratt.
auifng the time that an explosion was immi
. tmst, the greatest consternation prevailed. All
' wk«* were aware of the location of the fire left
' fftdrbaaßaa. for the fields. All the ambulances
sreltotfe wertrlboded with women and children
®nSw T«fflveyed away to a safe distance. Hap
jsßfr, bowever, the Savannah catastrophe was not
wyestiwt.
PWr«LN.*i>E Concert. — We hope that
•letoera will I>e a large attendance of citi-
WKX.H lovers of music, at this Grand
ifcsweev- The Ist Brigade Band will furn
iife fib® asaBBC. It will be a brilliant af
fair we dcrabt not, and as the afternoon
gssrKsesto be bright and pleasant, it will
Ibsr Teostfijr ©f attendance. The folio w
sag;- In the programme :
Qaicistep, (Borne, Sweet Home,? C. Bartt
fcKsafe.
fi. Gallop, Cwith introduction?.
3fc StoJJjp* from RinglesseD,
ft Lwsmm Waitz, (with introduction?.
S» Stented Bays.' -
ft Kiiifopi from Ringtesaeu.
•L Sti»>tSi«che.
& fi&3Sk>attl Airs. ■
'Eumma One’B Word.— The knot that
tundje me by the laws of courtesy pinches
m ijw- than that of legal constraint;
and I *m ranch more at ease when bound
Ifcgr a scrivener than by my self. It is not
wawfi®. that my conscience sbouid.be
■ksk# more engaged when men simply?
j«Sjr upon. it? In a bond my faith ewes
iMbing because it has nothing lent it.)—
Gei theta trust to the security they have
takm without me; I had much rather
ttseak the walls of a prison, and the laws
themselves, than my own word.—Mon
trngm. J a
? THE PEACE " CONFERENCE.
MESSAGE FROM FStSSX-
F DENT LINCOLN.
A Full and Complete History.
, How the Conference was
* **■'■*' iJrought About,
The Hampton Roads Interview
TH E INFLEXIBLE POSITION
Os THE PRESIDENT.
Sr* Seward’s Account of Me Affair.
UfSTRICTIOXS TO MUNSTER AD ASS.
Washington, Feb. 10.
To the Honorable, the House of Rep
fesentatives.: In response to your resolu
tion of the Bth inst., requesting informa
tion in relation to a ponference recently
held in Hampton Roads, I have the hon
or to state that on the day ot the date I
gave Francis P. Blair, Sr,, a card written
on as follows, to wit:
Allow the bearer, F. P. Blair,. Sr., to
pass our lines, go south and return.
Dec. 28, 1861 . A. LINCOLN.
That at the time, I was informed-, that
Mr. Blaiy sought the card as a means of
getting to Richmond, Va., but he was
given no authority to speak or act for the
government, nor was I informed of any*
thing he would say or do on his own ac
count or otherwise. Mr. Blair told me
that he hid .been to Richmond and had
seen Mr. Jefferson Davis, and he (Mr.
Blair) at the saihe time left with we a
manuscript letter as follows, to wit :
Richmond, Va, Jan. 12, 1865.
F. P. Blair, Esq—Sir: I have deemed
.it proper, aild probably desifable to you,
.to give you in this foim the substance of
the remarks made by me, to be repeated
by you to President Lincoln, etc, etc.
I have*’ho disposition to find obstacles
in forms, and am willing now, as hereto
fore,. to enter into negotiations for the
restoration of peace.
I am ready to send a commission
whenever I have reason to suppose it
will be received, or to receive a commis
sion if the United States Government
shall choose to send one.
Notwithstanding the rejection of our
former offers, I would, if you could prom
ise that a commissioner, minister or oth
er agent would be received, appoint one
immediately, and renew the effort to
enter into a conference with a view to
secure peace to the two countries.
Yours, etc;,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Afterwardj with the view that it should
be shown to Mr. Davis, I wrote and de
livered to Mr. Blair a letter, as follows,
to wit-:
Washington, Jan. 18, 1865.
F. P. Blair, Esq.—Sir—You having
shown me Mr. Davis’ letter to you of the
12th inst., 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 me with a ' view of se
curing peace to the people ot our com
mon country. Yours, etc.,
A. LINCOLN.
Afterward, Mr. Blair dictated for and
authorized me to make entry on the back.;
of my retained copy of the letter last
above recited, which is as follows;
c Jan. 28, 1805.
To-day Mr. Blair tells me that on the
31st. he delivered to Mr. Davis the orig
inal of which the within is a copy, aim
left it with him. That at the time of de
livering Mr. Davis read it oyer twice in
Mr. Blair’s presence. At the close of
which he (Mr. B), remarked that the
part about our one ; common country re
ferred to the part of Mr. Davis; letter
about the two countries, to which Mr/
D. replied that he so understood it. /
A. LINCOLN.
Afterward the Secretary of War
placed in my hands the following tele
gram, endorsed by him, as appears— ?
/ ■) \ . v [Cipher.]/ ’-tun ,
Of?ice IL S. Military Telegraph,
War Dki'artmpnt,
The following telegram was received
at Washington, Jan,,27, 1865
From fihad 2 us Army of this James,
6.30 p. m., Jan. 29, 1885.
. -Hon. Edwin M, Stanton, Secretary of
War—The following despatch is just re
ceived from Major Gen. Parke, who re
fers to me for my action. I refer it to
you in lieu of Gen. Grant’s absence.
E. O. C. ORD,
r * Major Gen. Commanding.
Hkadq'rsArmy of Potomac — I P. M. j
Jan. 29, 1865. f
Major-Gen. E. 0. C. Ord. Headquarters
of the Army of the James :
The foliowing dispatch is forwarded to
you for your action. Since I have no
knowledge of Gen. Grant’s having had
any understanding of this kind, I refer
the matter to you as the ranking officer
present in the two armies.
JOHN G. PARKS,
Major General Commanding.
From Hkad’rs Nistfrr Army Corps, <
Jan. 29, 1865. f'
Major-Gen. John C- Parke, Headquarters
of the Army of the Potomac :
* Alexander H. Stephens, Li. M. T. Hun
ter and J. A. Campbell desire to cross
my lines, in accordance with an under
standing claimed to exist with Lieut.,
Gen. Graiit, on their way to Washing
ton as Peace Commissioners. Shall they
be admitted ? They desire an early
answer, so as to come through imme
diately. They would like to reach City
Point to-night, if they cap. If they can-,
not do this, they would like to come
through at 10 A. M. to-morrow.,
0. B. WILCOX,
Mijor-General com ding Ninth Corps.
Respectfully referred to the President
fpr feuch iqslructious as he may be pleas
ed to give.
EDWIN M. STANTON, and
< ! - , -of War. .
January 29, 1865—8.30 P. M.
It appears that about the time of plac
ing the foregoing telegram In my hands,
the | Secretary of War dispatched Gen.
Ord as follows, to wit—
War Department, 4 j
Washington City, Jan. 29, L
1865—10 P. M. i
Maj. Gen. Ord—This department has
no knowledge of any understanding bj r
Gen. Grant to allow" any person to come
w ithin his lines as commissioners of any
sort. You will therelore allow no one to
come into your lines Under such charac
ter or profession, until you receive the
President’s instructions, to whom your
telegrams will be submitted for his direc
tions*
J EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
[Sent In cypher, at 2 A. M.}
Afterward, by my directions, the Se
cretary of War telegraphed Gen. Ord as
follows, to-wit—
• War Department, Washington )
7 City, D C., [
Jan. 30, 1865—10 A. M. >
Major-Gen. E. O. C. Ord, Headquar
ters Army of the James —By direction of
the President, you are instructed to in
form the three gentlemen, Messrs.
Stephens, Hunter and Cawpbell, that a
messenger will be dispatched to them, at
or near, where they now are, without un
necessary delay.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
Afterward, I prepared and put into the
hands of Major Thomas T. Eckert the
following instructions and message.
Executive Mansion,!
Washington, Jan. 30, 1866* >
Major T. J\ Eckert.:
, y . Sir : You will proceed with the doc
uments placed in your hands, and on
reaching Gen. Ord will deliver him the
letter addressed him the Secretary of
. War. Then, by Gen. Old’s assistance,
procure an interview with Messrs. Ste-
Hunter and Campbell, or any of
them. 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 .conditions, will be your
warrant to ask Gen. Ord toopass them
through, as directed in the letter of the
Secretary of War. jlf by their answer,
they decline to come ,or propose other,
terms, do not have them passed through.
1 i.: . m iibd if t i
And. this b ing your whole duty, return
and report to me.
Yours, truly, A. LINCOLN.
Messrs. Alexander H. Stephens, J. 4u
Campell and R. M. T. Hunter—Gentle
men—l am instructed by the President
of U. S. to place this paper in your
hands, with the information that if you
passthrough the U. S- military lines, it
will be understood that you do so for
the purpose ot an informal conference
on the basis of that letter, a copy of
which is on the reverse side of the sheet,
and that if you choose to pass, on such
understanding, and so notify me in wri
ting, I will procure the Commanding
Generel to pass you through the tinea
and to Fortress Monroe, undersuch mil
itary 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 con
ference ; and, further, that you shall
have protection, safe conduct and safe
return,, in all events.
TnoS. T.. ECKERT,
Major and Aid-de-Camp.
Crrr Point, Va, Feb. 1, 1865.
' [The Letter referred to by Major Eckert.]
S. P. Blair, Esq.—Sir—You having
shown me Mr. DaWis’ letter to you of the
12th instant, .yon 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 T of
securiug peace to the people of our
common country.
£ Yours, &c. A. LINCOLN.
Afterward, but before Major Eckert
had departed the following dispatch was
received from &eh. Grant.
Officm United State Militart
War Department.
.[Gipher.]
. The following telegram was received
at Washington, Jans 31, 1865
His Excellency Abraham Lincoln,
President of the- United States—The fol
lowing communication was received here
last evening—
{ Petersburg, Va., Jan. 30, 1865.
Lieut. Gen. U. S. Grant, Commanding
Armies United States—Sir—We desire
to pass yoor fines under safe conduct,
and to proceed to Washington, to hold a
conference with President Lincoln upon
the subject of the existing war, and
with g view of ascertaining upon what
terms it may be terminated, in pursu
ance 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 eenler with you on.
the subject. Very respectfully yours*
ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS*
J. A. CAMPBELL,
R. M. T. HUNTER.
I have sent directions to receive these
gentlemen, jmd expect to have them, at
my quarters this evening awaiting yotr
instructions. U. 8. GRANT,
Lieut. Gen. Commanding Armies U. B
This, it will be perceived,
Gen. Ord’s agency in the matter to Gen. r
Grant. I resolved, however, to send
Maj. Eckert forward with his message,
and accordingly telegraphed Gen. Qrnnt
as follows, to wit— j
Executive Mansion, Washington ** *
Jan. 31, 1665.
Lieut. Gen* Grant, City Point. Virginia
—A messenger is coming to yon oa the 1
business contained in your dispatch.—
Detain the gentlemen in comfotablo•> .
quarters until he arrives, and the! act
upon the message he brings, as ar as
applicable, it having been made lip to
pass through Gen* Ord’s hand?) and '
when the gentlemen were suppled to
be beyond our lines. ]_ - ■
A. LINCOLN. i
Sent in cipher at 1:30 p. m. J
When Maj. Eckert departed » bom *
with him a letter of the Seerehry Os f
War to Gen. Grant as follows, p*Wit—
War Department 1
Washington, D. C., Jan. 30(1865.
Lieut. Gen. Grant, Commanding, etc.:
General—The President desiresfhat yon
will please procure for the beanr, Major 1
Thomas T. Eckert, an inter lew wi\h
Messrs. Stephens, Hunter and Campbell*
arid if on his return to you li requests *
it/ pass them through our lines' to Fort
ress Monroe, by such route, fad f under • *
such military precautions, ad you may
