President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of State William H. Seward meet with three Confederate envoys to discuss a possible end to the war. Lincoln insists that no terms can be accepted without restoring the Union and ending slavery.
Category: Reconstruction
Lincoln Leaves to Talk Peace
President Abraham Lincoln accepts a suggestion to meet with Confederate envoys in person to discuss possible peace, despite political opposition in the North.
Peace Talks: Confederate Envoys Arrive
Three Confederate emissaries cross the siege lines at Petersburg to meet with Federal officials and discuss a possible end to the war. President Lincoln sets terms for peace negotiations, emphasizing national authority and an end to slavery.
The Confederate Peace Commission
Elder statesman Francis P. Blair, Sr. returns to Richmond to deliver President Abraham Lincoln’s letter regarding potential peace negotiations to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
Securing Peace to Our One Common Country
President Abraham Lincoln meets with statesman Francis P. Blair, Sr. and responds to Confederate President Jefferson Davis’s offer to negotiate an end to the war. Lincoln’s response angers many within his own political party.
The Wade-Davis Manifesto
Two members of the U.S. Congress bitterly denounce President Abraham Lincoln’s veto of a bill designed to give Congress the authority to impose a harsh reconstruction program on the Confederate states. This exacerbates the internal conflict within the Republican Party during an election year.