Quill Project

The Peace Conference of 1861

In February 1861, following the inauguration of Lincoln and the secession of seven states from the Union, a convention of 131 politicians from the remaining states met in Washington, D. C., at the Willard Hotel. They aimed to prevent civil war, and the secession of further states, by proposing an amendment to the Constitution that would protect the existence and practice of slavery, within certain parameters, by enshrining them in constitutional law. An amendment was eventually agreed and recommended to Congress, where it was not passed.

The Convention

The main session of the Conference.

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The list of documents under consideration by committee: The Convention at the end of its timeline.

Resolution to Open the Conference with Prayer

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 05 Feb 1861, 12:00

Resolution to Open the Conference with Prayer

People: Charles A. Wickliffe

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 05 Feb 1861, 12:00

The resolution offered by Mr. Wickliffe was adopted,

Communication from Messrs. Willard Placing the Hall in the Service of the Conference

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 05 Feb 1861, 12:00

Communication from Messrs. Willard Placing the Hall in the Service of the Conference

Communication from the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Washington Offering Police Officers

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 05 Feb 1861, 12:00

Communication from the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Washington Offering Police Officers

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-06

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 06 Feb 1861, 12:00

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-06

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 06 Feb 1861, 12:00

[Editors' Note: The Report of the Committee on Credentials was implicitly adopted by the Convention.]

Resolution to Appoint a Committee to Report Provisions to Restore Harmony and Preserve the Union

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 06 Feb 1861, 12:00

Resolution to Appoint a Committee to Report Provisions to Restore Harmony and Preserve the Union

People: James Guthrie

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 06 Feb 1861, 12:00

The resolution as modified was then adopted by the Conference without a division.

Communication from the President of the United States

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 07 Feb 1861, 10:00

Communication from the President of the United States

People: John Tyler

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-07

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 07 Feb 1861, 10:00

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-07

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 07 Feb 1861, 10:00

Which report was accepted, and the names of the Commissioners were entered upon the record.

Resolution to Procure Stationery and Provide for Printing Costs

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 07 Feb 1861, 10:00

Resolution to Procure Stationery and Provide for Printing Costs

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 07 Feb 1861, 10:00

The resolution of Mr. Wickliffe was agreed to.

Report of the Committee on Rules and Organization on the Secrecy Rule

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 07 Feb 1861, 10:00

Report of the Committee on Rules and Organization on the Secrecy Rule

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 07 Feb 1861, 10:00

The rule was adopted upon a count of the members voting.

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-08

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 08 Feb 1861, 12:00

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-08

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 08 Feb 1861, 12:00

[Editors' Note: The Report of the Committee on Credentials was implicitly adopted by the Convention.]

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-09

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 09 Feb 1861, 12:00

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-09

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 09 Feb 1861, 12:00

[Editors' Note: The Report of the Committee on Credentials was implicitly adopted by the Convention.]

Report of the Committee on Resolutions on the Resolutions of the Democratic Party

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 11 Feb 1861, 12:00

Report of the Committee on Resolutions on the Resolutions of the Democratic Party

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 11 Feb 1861, 12:00

[Editors' Note: No objection was made to the report.]

Letter from Crafts J. Wright

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 14 Feb 1861, 12:00

Letter from Crafts J. Wright

People: Crafts J. Wright

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 14 Feb 1861, 12:00

The President informed the Convention that the request of the Secretary had been complied with.

Resolutions to Honor the Death of John C. Wright

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 14 Feb 1861, 12:00

Resolutions to Honor the Death of John C. Wright

People: Salmon P. Chase

Resolution to Amend the Eleventh Rule to Allow Appeals from the Decision of the Chair

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 16 Feb 1861, 12:00

Resolution to Amend the Eleventh Rule to Allow Appeals from the Decision of the Chair

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 16 Feb 1861, 12:00

On the passage of this resolution a division was called for, and upon a count by the Secretaries, the President declared it adopted.

Resolution to Allow the President to Call any Member to Preside in Order to Speak

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 18 Feb 1861, 11:00

Resolution to Allow the President to Call any Member to Preside in Order to Speak

People: James Guthrie

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 18 Feb 1861, 11:00

Mr. Guthrie offered the following resolution, which was adopted unanimously:

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-23

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 19 Feb 1861, 11:00

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-23

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 19 Feb 1861, 11:00

No objection was made, and Mr. Granger's name was added to the list of delegates from New York.

Resolution to Cease Debate on the Report of the Committee Tomorrow

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 21 Feb 1861, 10:15

Resolution to Cease Debate on the Report of the Committee Tomorrow

People: Charles A. Wickliffe

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 21 Feb 1861, 10:15

Exclamations were heard from several members of, "Let us agree," and the question being taken on the first resolution as amended, it was adopted.

Resolution to Limit Each Speaker to Five Minutes of Debate on an Amendment

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 21 Feb 1861, 10:15

Resolution to Limit Each Speaker to Five Minutes of Debate on an Amendment

People: Charles A. Wickliffe

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 21 Feb 1861, 10:15

The resolution was then adopted, together with the resolution relating to motions to strike out and insert.

Resolution to Prevent a Motion to Strike Out from Being Divided

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 21 Feb 1861, 10:15

Resolution to Prevent a Motion to Strike Out from Being Divided

People: Charles A. Wickliffe

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 21 Feb 1861, 10:15

The resolution was then adopted, together with the resolution relating to motions to strike out and insert.

Resolution to Amend the Resolution Limiting Debate on Amendments

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 22 Feb 1861, 10:00

Resolution to Amend the Resolution Limiting Debate on Amendments

People: Franklin C. Backus

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 22 Feb 1861, 10:00

The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Ayes.—Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont—11. Noes.—Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina,...

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-22

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 22 Feb 1861, 10:00

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-22

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 22 Feb 1861, 10:00

[Editors' Note: The practice of the Convention is to consider a proposed delegate a member when the Committee on Credentials report in his favor.]

Resolution that Stone's Credentials be Recommitted to the Committee on Credentials

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 22 Feb 1861, 10:00

Resolution that Stone's Credentials be Recommitted to the Committee on Credentials

People: David Dudley Field

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 22 Feb 1861, 10:00

The resolution offered by Mr. Field was adopted without a division.

Resolution to Allow Wool to Record His Dissent in Writing

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 23 Feb 1861, 10:00

Resolution to Allow Wool to Record His Dissent in Writing

People: Greene C. Bronson

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 23 Feb 1861, 10:00

This resolution was agreed to without a division.

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-23

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 23 Feb 1861, 19:00

Report of the Committee on Credentials 1861-02-23

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 23 Feb 1861, 19:00

The PRESIDENT:—The Secretary will make the entry, as no objection is made.

Proposals of Amendment to the Constitution of the United States [Final]

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 26 Feb 1861, 11:00

Proposals of Amendment to the Constitution of the United States [Final]

Report of the Committee on Finance on the Expenses of the Conference

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 27 Feb 1861, 10:00

Report of the Committee on Finance on the Expenses of the Conference

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 27 Feb 1861, 10:00

And the resolution was unanimously adopted.

Resolution to Adopt the Report of the Committee on Finances

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 27 Feb 1861, 10:00

Resolution to Adopt the Report of the Committee on Finances

People: George H. Browne

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 27 Feb 1861, 10:00

And the resolution was unanimously adopted.

Resolution to Thank Messrs Willard

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 27 Feb 1861, 10:00

Resolution to Thank Messrs Willard

People: Augustus W. Loomis

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 27 Feb 1861, 10:00

And the resolution, which was unanimously adopted, was as follows: Resolved, That the thanks of this Convention are justly due, and are hereby given, to the Messrs. Willard, for the liberal and generous tender, free of charge, of the use of the Hall...

Resolution to Thank the Mayor and the Council of the City of Washington

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 27 Feb 1861, 10:00

Resolution to Thank the Mayor and the Council of the City of Washington

People: William E. Dodge

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 27 Feb 1861, 10:00

Mr. Dodge offered the following resolution, and that, too, was unanimously agreed to: Resolved, That the thanks of this Convention are justly due and hereby given to the Mayor and Council of the city of Washington, for their kindness and liberality to...

Resolution to Thank the President of the Convention

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 27 Feb 1861, 10:00

Resolution to Thank the President of the Convention

People: Thomas Ewing Pleasant A. Hackleman

Last decision:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 27 Feb 1861, 10:00

The resolution being seconded by Mr. Hackleman, it was unanimously adopted;

Preamble and Resolutions Adopted by the General Assembly of the State of Virginia on 19 January 1861

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 04 Feb 1861, 12:00

Preamble and Resolutions Adopted by the General Assembly of the State of Virginia on 19 January 1861

Report of the Committee on Rules and Organization as Considered by the Convention

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 05 Feb 1861, 12:00

Report of the Committee on Rules and Organization as Considered by the Convention

Rules of the Conference

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 06 Feb 1861, 12:00

Rules of the Conference

Resolution to Grant Members Leave to Communicate to Their State Authorities the Proceedings of the Convention

Creator event:

The Peace Conference of 1861, Date: 13 Feb 1861, 12:00

Resolution to Grant Members Leave to Communicate to Their State Authorities the Proceedings of the Convention

People: Daniel M. Barringer

Communication from Horatio Stone Inviting the Members of the Convention to Visit His Studio

Creator event: