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 #98 
 
 Message or the 
 Conf Pam 12mo #98 
 
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 Richmond, Va , March 13, 1865. 
 
 To tie Senate and House of Representatives : 
 
 I herewith transmit for your information, copies of the corres- 
 pondence referred to in my message of this date, in regard to the 
 proposed conference to adjust terms of peace by means of a mili- 
 •tarv convention. 
 
 JEFFERSON DAVIS. 
 
 LETTER OF GENERAL R. E. LEE. 
 
 Headquarters C. S. Arises, ( 
 2d March,. 1865. { 
 
 Lt. Gen. U. S. Grant, commanding U. S. Armies : 
 
 General : — Lt. Gen. Longstreet has informed me that, in a recent 
 conversation between himself and Major General Ord, as to the 
 possibility of arriving at a satisfactory adjustment of the present 
 unhappy difficulties, by means of a military convention, Gen. Ord 
 stated that if I desired to have an interview with ycu on the sub- 
 ject, you would not decline, provided I had authority to act. Sin- 
 cerely desiring to leave nothing untried which may put an end to 
 the calamities of war. I propose to meet you at such convenient 
 time and place as ycu may designate, with the hope that upon an 
 interchange of views, it may be found practicable to submit the sub- 
 jects of controversy between the belligerents to a convention of the 
 kind mentioned. 
 
 In such event. I am authorized to do whatever the result of the 
 proposed interview may render necessary or advisable. Should 
 you accede to this proposition, 1 would suggest that, if agreeable 
 to you, we meet at the place selected by Generals Ord and Long- 
 street for the interview, at 11 A. M., on Monday next. 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 (Signed) R. E. LEE, General. 
 
 Official copy : 
 
 (Signed) C. S. Venable, A. A. G. 
 H eadquarters, March 7, 1865. 
 
LETTER OF GENERAL U. S. GRANT 
 
 Headquarters Armies U. S.. ) 
 March 4, 1865. j 
 
 Gen. R. E. Lee, commanding C. S. Armies : 
 
 General : — Your two letters of the 20th inst., were received yes- 
 terday. In regard to any apprehended misunderstanding in refer- 
 ence to the exchange of political prisoners, I think there need be 
 none. Geji. Ord or Gen. Longstreet have probably misunderstood 
 what I said to the former on the subject, or I may have failed to 
 make myself understood, possibly. A few days before the inter- 
 view between Generals Longstreet and Ord, I had received a dis- 
 patch from Gen. Huffman, Commissary Gen. of prisoners, stating 
 in substance that all prisoners of war who were or had been in close 
 confinement or irons, whether under charges or sentence, had been 
 ordered to City Point for exchange. I forwarded the substance of 
 that dispatch to Lieut. Col. Mulford, Asst. Agent of Exchange, and 
 presumed it probable that he had communicated it to Col. Ro. Ould. 
 A day or two after, an offender, who was neither a prisoner of war 
 nor a political prisoner, was executed, after a fair and impartial 
 trial, and in accordance with the laws of war and the usage of civ- 
 ilized nations. It was in explanation of this class of cases I told 
 Gen. Ord to speak to Gen. Longstreet. 
 
 Reference to my letter of February 16th will show my under- 
 standing on the subject of releasing political or citizen prisoners. 
 
 In regard to meeting you on the 6th inst, I would state that I 
 have no authority to accede to your proposition for a conference 
 on. the subject proposed. Such authority is vested in the President 
 of the United States alone. 
 
 Gen. Ord could only have meant that I would not refuse an in- 
 terview on any subject which I have a right to act ; which, of 
 course, would be such as are purely of a military character, and on 
 the subject of exchange, which has been entrusted to me. 
 I have the honor to be 
 
 Very respectfully, your obedient servant. 
 (Signed) U. S. GRANT, Lieut Gen. 
 
 LETTER OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 Richmond, Va., February 28th, 1865. 
 Gen, R. E. Lee, commanding, 4'C, Sfc. 
 General :— You will learn by the letter of Gen. Longstreet, the 
 
3 
 
 result of his second interview with Gen. Orel. The point as to 
 whether yourself or Gen. Grant should invite the other to a con- 
 fenence, is not worth discussing. If you think the statements of 
 Gen. Ord render it probably useful that the conference suggested 
 should be had, you will proceed as you may prefer, and are clothed 
 with all the supplemental authority you may need in the considera- 
 tion of any proposition for a military convention, or the appoint- 
 ment of a commissioner to enter into such an arrangement a? will 
 cause at least temporary suspension of hostilities. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 Signed) JEFFERSON DAVIS. 
 
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