views and feelings above expressed.

Very respectfully, yours, etc.,

ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS.
J.A. CAMPBELL.
R.M.T. HUNTER.

Note.--The above communication was delivered to me at Fort Monroe at
4.30 p.m. February 2 by Lieutenant-Colonel Babcock, of General Grant's
staff.

THOMAS T. ECKERT,

_Major and Aid-de-Camp_.

On the morning of the 3d the three gentlemen, Messrs. Stephens, Hunter,
and Campbell, came aboard of our steamer and had an interview with the
Secretary of State and myself of several hours' duration. No question of
preliminaries to the meeting was then and there made or mentioned; no
other person was present; no papers were exchanged or produced; and it
was in advance agreed that the conversation was to be informal and
verbal merely. On our part the whole substance of the instructions to
the Secretary of State hereinbefore recited was stated and insisted
upon, and nothing was said inconsistent therewith; while by the other
party it was not said that in any event or on any condition they _ever_
would consent to reunion, and yet they equally omitted to declare that
they _never_ would so consent. They seemed to desire a postponement of
that question and the adoption of some other course first, which, as
some of them seemed to argue, might or might not lead to reunion, but
which course we thought would amount to an indefinite postponement. The
conference ended without result.

The foregoing, containing, as is believed, all the information sought,
is respectfully submitted.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

WASHINGTON, _February 13, 1865_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives_:

I transmit to Congress a copy of a dispatch of the 12th ultimo,
addressed to the Secretary of State by the minister resident of the
United States at Stockholm, relating to an international exhibition to
be held at Bergen, in Norway, during the coming summer. The expediency
of any legislation upon the subject is submitted for your consideration.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

WASHINGTON, _February 13, 1865_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives_:

I transmit to Congress a copy of a note of the 2d instant, addressed to
the Secretary of State by the Commander J.C. de Figaniere a Morao, envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of His Most Faithful Majesty
the King of Portugal, calling attention to a proposed international
exhibition at the city of Oporto, to be opened in August next, and
inviting contri