rgents under Executive sanction, I transmit a report from the
Secretary of State, to whom the resolution was referred.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 10, 1865_.

_To the Honorable the House of Representatives_:

In response to your resolution of the 8th instant, requesting
information in relation to a conference recently held in Hampton Roads,
I have the honor to state that on the day of the date I gave Francis P.
Blair, sr., a card, written on as follows, to wit:

December 28, 1864.

Allow the bearer, F.P. Blair, sr., to pass our lines, go South,
and return.

A. LINCOLN.

That at the time I was informed that Mr. Blair 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 anything he would
say or do on his own account or otherwise. Afterwards Mr. Blair told me
that he had been to Richmond and had seen Mr. Jefferson Davis; and he
(Mr. B.) at the same time left with me a manuscript letter, as follows,
to wit:

Richmond, Va., _January 12, 1865_.

F.P. BLAIR, Esq.

SIR: I have deemed it proper, and probably desirable to you, to give
you in this form the substance of remarks made by me, to be repeated
by you to President Lincoln, etc., etc.

I have no disposition to find obstacles in forms, and am willing, now
as heretofore, to enter into negotiations for the restoration of peace,
and am ready to send a commission whenever I have reason to suppose it
will be received, or to receive a commission if the United States
Government shall choose to send one. That notwithstanding the rejection
of our former offers, I would, if you could promise that a commissioner,
minister, or other agent would be received, appoint one immediately, and
renew the effort to enter into conference with a view to secure peace to
the two countries.

Yours, etc.,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Afterwards, and with the view that it should be shown to Mr. Davis, I
wrote and delivered to Mr. Blair a letter, as follows, to wit:

WASHINGTON, _January 18, 1865_.

F.P. BLAIR, Esq.

SIR: Your having shown me Mr. Davis's letter to you of the 12th 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 t