_Major and Aid-de-Camp_.
On the morning of the 3d the three gentlemen, Messrs. Stephens, Hunter,
and Campbell, came aboard of our steamer and had an interview with the
Secretary of State and myself of several hours' duration. No question of
preliminaries to the meeting was then and there made or mentioned; no
other person was present; no papers were exchanged or produced; and it
was in advance agreed that the conversation was to be informal and
verbal merely. On our part the whole substance of the instructions to
the Secretary of State hereinbefore recited was stated and insisted
upon, and nothing was said inconsistent therewith; while by the other
party it was not said that in any event or on any condition they _ever_
would consent to reunion, and yet they equally omitted to declare that
they _never_ would so consent. They seemed to desire a postponement of
that question and the adoption of some other course first, which, as
some of them seemed to argue, might or might not lead to reunion, but
which course we thought would amount to an indefinite postponement. The
conference ended without result.
The foregoing, containing, as is believed, all the information sought,
is respectfully submitted.