.
'R.M.T. HUNTER.'

"I have sent directions to receive these gentlemen, and expect to have
them at my quarters this evening, awaiting your instructions.

"U.S. GRANT
"_Lieutenant-General, Commanding Armies United States _"

This, it will be perceived, transferred General Ord's agency in the
matter to General Grant. I resolved, however, to send Major Eckert
forward with his message, and accordingly telegraphed General Grant as
follows, to wit:

EXECUTIVE MANSION,
_Washington, January 31, 1865_.
(Sent at 1.30 p.m.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT,
_City Point, Va._:

A messenger is coming to you on the business contained in your dispatch,
Detain the gentlemen in comfortable quarters until he arrives, and then
act upon the message he brings as far as applicable, it having been made
up to pass through General Ord's hands, and when the gentlemen were
supposed to be beyond our lines.

A. LINCOLN.

When Major Eckert departed, he bore with him a letter of the Secretary
of War to General Grant, as follows, to wit:

WAR DEPARTMENT,
_Washington, D.C., January 30, 1865_.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,
_Commanding, etc._

GENERAL: The President desires that you will please procure for the
bearer, Major Thomas T. Eckert, an interview with Messrs. Stephens,
Hunter, and Campbell, and if on his return to you he requests it pass
them through our lines to Fortress Monroe by such route and under such
military precautions as you may deem prudent, giving them protection and
comfortable quarters while there, and that you let none of this have any
effect upon your movements or plans.

By order of the President:

EDWIN M. STANTON,
_Secretary of War_.

Supposing the proper point to be then reached, I dispatched the
Secretary of State with the following instructions, Major Eckert,
however, going ahead of him:

EXECUTIVE MANSION,
_Washington, January 31, 1865_.

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
_Secretary of State_:

You will proceed to Fortress Monroe, Va., there to meet and informally
confer with Messrs. Stephens, Hunter, and Campbell on the basis of my
letter to F.P. Blair, esq., of January 18, 1865, a copy of which you
have.

You will make known to them that three things are indispensable, to wit:

1. The restoration of the national authority throughout all the States.

2. No receding by the Executive of the United States o