It ended where it began.

But there is ample evidence that he went to Hampton Roads resolved to commit himself to that proposition.

He did, according to the official reports, refer to it in specific terms, having already formulated a plan of procedure.

This plan exists and may be seen in his own handwriting.

It embraced a joint resolution to be submitted by the President to the two Houses of Congress appropriating $400,000,000 to be distributed among the Southern States on the basis of the slave population of each according to the Census of 1860, and a proclamation to be issued by himself, as President, when the joint resolution had been passed by Congress.
There can be no controversy among honest students of history on this point.