y such proposals voluntarily made.
Schleiden asked for a definite statement as to whether Lincoln would
recall the blockade proclamation and sign an armistice if Davis would
recall the letters of marque proclamation, but Lincoln refused to
commit himself.

This was scant encouragement from the President, but Seward still
thought something might result from the venture, and on that evening,
April 24, Schleiden started for Richmond, being provided by Seward with
a pass through the Union lines. He arrived on the afternoon of the
twenty-fifth, but even before reaching the city was convinced that his
mission would be a failure. All along his journey, at each little
station, he saw excited crowds assembled enthusiastic for secession,
bands of militia training, and every indication of preparation for war.
Already, on that same day, the Virginia secession ordinance had been
published, and the State convention had ratified the provisional
constitution of the Southern Confederacy. Schleiden immediately notified
Stephens of his presence in Richmond and desire for an interview, and
was at once received. The talk lasted three hours. Stephens was frank
and positive in asserting the belief that "all attempts to settle
peacefully the differences between the two sections were futile." Formal
letters were exchanged after this conference, but in these the extent to
which Stephens would go was to promise to use his influence in favour of
giving consideration to any indication made by the North of a desire
"for an amicable adjustment of the questions at issue," and he was
positive that there could be no return of the South to the Union.

On the afternoon of April 27 Schleiden was back in Washington. He found
that three days had made a great change in the sentiment of the Capitol.
"During my short absence," he wrote, "many thousands of volunteers had
arrived from the North. There was not only a feeling of security
noticeable, but even of combativeness." He found Seward not at all
disposed to pursue the matter, and was not given an opportunity to talk
to Lincoln; therefore, he merely submitted copies of the letters that
had passed between him and Stephens, adding for himself that the South
was arming _because_ of Lincoln's proclamation calling for volunteers.
Seward replied on April 29, stating his personal regards and that he had
no fault to find with Schleiden's efforts, but concluding that Stephens'
letters gave no ground for action since