Lieutenant-General GRANT,
    City Point, Va.: 

  Let nothing which is transpiring change, hinder, or delay your military
  movements or Plans.

  A. LINCOLN.

Afterwards the following dispatch was received from General Grant: 

  OFFICE UNITED STATES MILITARY TELEGRAPH,
    War Department.

  The following telegram received at Washington 2.30 p.m.  February 1,
  1865, from City Point, Va., February 1, 12.30 p.m., 1865: 

  “His Excellency A. LINCOLN,
    “President United States: 

“Your dispatch received.  There will be no armistice in consequence of the presence of Mr. Stephens and others within our lines.  The troops are kept in readiness to move at the shortest notice if occasion should justify it.

  “U.S.  GRANT, Lieutenant-General."

To notify Major Eckert that the Secretary of State would be at Fortress Monroe, and to put them in communication, the following dispatch was sent: 

  WAR DEPARTMENT,
    Washington, D.C., February 1, 1865.

  Major T.T.  ECKERT,
    Care of General Grant, City Point, Va.: 

  Call at Fortress Monroe and put yourself under direction of Mr. S.,
  whom you will find there.

  A. LINCOLN.

On the morning of the 2d instant the following telegrams were received by me respectively from the Secretary of State and Major Eckert: 

  FORT MONROE, VA., February 1, 1865—­11.30 p.m.

  The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: 

  Arrived at 10 this evening.  Richmond party not here.  I remain here.

  WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

  CITY POINT, VA., February 1, 1865—­10 p.m.

  His Excellency A. LINCOLN,
    President of the United States: 

  I have the honor to report the delivery of your communication and my
  letter at 4.15 this afternoon, to which I received a reply at 6 p.m.,
  but not satisfactory.

At 8 p.m. the following note, addressed to General Grant, was received: 

  “CITY POINT, VA., February 1, 1865.

  “Lieutenant-General GRANT.

“SIR:  We desire to go to Washington City to confer informally with the President personally in reference to the matters mentioned in his letter to Mr. Blair of the 18th January ultimo, without any personal compromise on any question in the letter.  We have the permission to do so from the authorities in Richmond.

  “Very respectfully, yours,
  “ALEX.  H. STEPHENS. 
  “R.M.T.  HUNTER. 
  “J.A.  CAMPBELL.”

At 9.30 p.m.  I notified them that they could not proceed further unless they complied with the terms expressed in my letter.  The point of meeting designated in the above note would not, in my opinion, be insisted upon.  Think Fort Monroe would be acceptable.  Having complied with my instructions, I will return to Washington tomorrow unless otherwise ordered.