gton
and Jackson as a defender of the liberty of the country" and if
"in delivering Mexico he should model its States in form and
principle to adapt them to our Union and add a new Southern
constellation to its benignant sky," he would attain further glory.
This and more talk of like kind seemed to command Davis' attention,
for Mr. Blair says he pronounced the scheme "possible to be solved."
Mr. Davis declared he was "thoroughly for popular government."

There was nothing agreed upon, though the interview covered much
ground as reported by Mr. Blair. Mr. Davis was evidently anxious
for some arrangement, for on the 12th of January he addressed to
Mr. Blair, who was still in Richmond, a note saying among other
things he had "no disposition to find obstacles in forms," and was
willing "to enter into negotiations for peace; that he was ready
to appoint a commissioner to meet one on the part of the United
States to confer with a view to secure peace to the _two countries_."
This note was carried to Washington by Mr. Blair and shown to
President Lincoln, who, January 18th, addressed him a note saying,
he had constantly been and still was ready to appoint an agent to
meet one appointed by Mr. Davis, "with the view of securing peace
to the people of our _one common country_." With Mr. Lincoln's
note Mr. Blair returned to Richmond, and without any authority from
any source, shifted to a new project, namely, that Grant and Lee
should be authorized to negotiate. This failed to ripen into
anything. Mr. Lincoln's note proffering negotiations looking alone
to "peace to the people _of our one common country_" placed Mr.
Davis in a great dilemma. The situation was critical in the extreme.
The Confederate Congress had voted a lack of confidence in Mr.
Davis; Sherman had not only marched to the sea, but was moving up
the Atlantic coast through the Carolinas; Lee reported his army
had not two days' rations; and many of Davis' advisers had declared
success impossible. At last Mr. Davis, on consultation with Vice-
President Stephens and his Cabinet, decided to appoint a commission,
composed of Mr. Stephens, Senator R. M. T. Hunter, and ex-Secretary
of War John A. Campbell. This commission was directed (January
28, 1865) to go to Washington for informal conference with President
Lincoln "_upon the issues involved in the existing war, and for
the purpose of securing peace to the two countries_." Mr. Davis
was advised by his Secretar