JANUARY
29, 1865:
The
Confederate Peace Commissioners arrive at Union lines without notice. A flurry
of telegrams passes between the front line, General Grant’s headquarters at
City Point, the War Department and The White House, among which are these:
'Alex. H. Stephens, R.
M. T. Hunter, and J. A. Campbell desire to cross my lines, in accordance with
an understanding claimed to exist with Lieutenant-General Grant, on their way
to Washington as peace commissioners. Shall they be admitted? They desire an early
answer, to come through immediately. Would like to reach City Point to-night,
if they can. If they cannot do this, they would like to come through at 10 a.m.
to-morrow morning.
'O. B. WILLCOX,
' Major-General, Commanding Ninth Corps.'
and
"Respectfully
referred to the President for such instructions as he may be pleased to give.
"EDWIN M. STANTON,
"Secretary of War."
President
Lincoln finds himself in a bind. The unexpected arrival of the Peace
Commissioners is timed (whether by chance or by intention) to throw the ongoing
debate and the upcoming vote on the Thirteenth Amendment into chaos. Believing
that the Confederates are about to surrender, many fence-sitting Congressmen
who have doubts about Emancipation suddenly announce that they will not vote
for the Amendment if the war can be ended without it.
Lincoln
has to convince the fence-sitters that there is no chance of peace without
Emancipation, but as long as the meeting is pending he cannot prove any such
thing, and if he meets with the Southerners he may ultimately be accused of
trading peace for Emancipation. Playing for time, Lincoln stalls. And "Honest Abe" fibs
to Congress.
