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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