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

A. LINCOLN.

TO THE PRESIDENT:

The Secretary of State, to whom was referred a resolution of the Senate
of the 8th instant, requesting "the President of the United States, if, in
his opinion, not incompatible with the public interests, to furnish to the
Senate any information in his possession concerning recent conversations
or communications with certain rebels, said to have taken place under
executive sanction, including communications with the rebel Jefferson
Davis, and any correspondence relating thereto," has the honor to report
that the Senate may properly be referred to a special message of the
President bearing upon the subject of the resolution, and transmitted to
the House this day. Appended to this report is a copy of an instruction
which has been addressed to Charles Francis Adams, Esq., envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States at London,
and which is the only correspondence found in this department touching the
subject referred to in the resolution.

Respectfully submitted,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, February 10, 1865.

MR. SEWARD TO MR. ADAMS.

(Extract.) No. 1258.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, February 7,1865

On the morning of the 3d, the President, attended by the Secretary,
received Messrs. Stephens, Hunter, and Campbell on board the United
States steam transport River Queen in Hampton Roads. The conference was
altogether informal. There was no attendance of secretaries, clerks, or
other witnesses. Nothing was written or read. The conversation, although
earnest and free, was calm, and courteous, and kind on both sides. The
Richmond party approached the discussion rather indirectly, and at no time
did they either make categorical demands, or tender formal stipulations or
absolute refusals. Nevertheless, during the conference, which lasted
four hours, the several points at issue between the Government and the
insurgents were distinctly raised, and discussed fully, intelligently, and
in an amicable spirit. What the insurgent party seemed chiefly to favor
was a postponement of the question of separation, upon which the war is
waged, and a mutual direction of efforts of the Government, as well as
those of the insurgents, to some extrinsic policy or scheme for a season
during which passions might be expected