The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-03 00:00:00

WILLS AND BEQUESTS.

The will of the Right Hon. Anne Baroness Grenville, of
Dropmore, near Beaconfiold, Bi:cks, and of South-street,
Park-lane, was proved in London, on the 4th ult., by the
Hon. George M. Fortescue, tho sole executor. The per-
sonalty was sworn under £25,000. Lady Grenville was the
daughter of the first Lord Camelford (title extinct), and
married, in 1792, the Right Hon. Wyndham Lord Gren-
ville (title also extinct), who died in 1861. Her ladyship
died in June, having executed her will in 1857, bf queath-
icy; an annuity of £5OO to Mary Phillirnore, of Shiplake,
daughter of Dr. Piailliraore, and to other annuities of £ 200
and £5O, as also an annuity of £5O to her housekeeper,
Her freehold estates in Cornwall and Bucks her ladyship
has devised to her executor, the said Hon. G. M. Fortescue,
the nephew of her &caused husband, and has appointed him
residuary legatee of her personal estate.

The will of William Salt, Eq., banker, Lombard-street,
and of Park-square, Regent's-park, formerly of Russell-
square, was proved in London by his relict, and the per-
sonalty sworn under £30,000. To his wife he has bequeathed
an annuity of £6OO, chargeable upon his landed property,
subject to which his several estates in Staffordshire are de-
vised to his four sons in certain proportions fully set forth
in the will. He has also left to his wife the residue of the
personalty. To each of his four sisters legacies of £5OO are
bequeathed, as also legacies to his nephews and nieces. To
each of the clerks in his banking house a legacy of £5O ; to
the porter and housekeeper each £2O ; to the housemaid £10;
and a like legacy of £lO to each of his own servants. To
the Stafford Infirmary and the Northern Dispensary, Eus-
ton. square, each £2OO, free of legacy duty.
The will of Henry Merceron, Esq., of Hackney-road,
was proved in the London Court, under £140,000 per-
sonalty, and probate granted to his relict and his daugh-
ter, Elizabeth Merceron, the joint acting executrixes
and trustees. The will was made in 1858 and a codicil in
1863. To his relict ho has bequeathed a life interest in
£30,000, which, upon her decease, will fall into the residue
left amongst his three daughters. To his son Joseph he
leaves an annuity of £500; and to his son Henry the estates,
subject to the said annuity and the wife's interest in the
residence. There are several legacies to his relatives and
friends, and bequests to the following institutions :—The
Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, Christianity
amongst the Jews, Enlargement of Churches, Education
in the Principles of the Established Church, Propagation
of the Gospel in Foreign Parts ; the National School, St.
John, Bethnal green, and Bloomfield Educational Fund—
each £lOO. To the Bread Charity, Bethnal-green, founded
by his late father and Mr Inman, £2OO ; and a like sum to
the eight almshouses in Bow-road founded by Mrs. Bowry,
also to the charity founded by the late Mr Thomas Par-
minster in Bethnal-green, £lOO, the dividends to be given
to the widows excluded from the almshouses by reason of
the death of their respective husbands who were the occu-
piers ; to each boy in the school founded by the said Mr
Parminster, £l, and to the Master £lo.—lllustrated London I
_Yews.

An Interview with President Davis.

-

The Atlantic Ilfwithly, in an article in the September
number, gives a narrative of Col. Jaques's interview with
President Davis, which took place some time ago, exciting
a good deal of curiosity at the time. The narrative is from
the pen of J. R. Gilmora, a companion of Colonel Jaques.
The substance of the communications between the Presi-
dent and the two negotiators was made public at the time,
but the following extract will give a better idea of the pro-
posals discussed
" Suppose," said. Cul. Jacquee, " the two Governments
agree to something like this :—To go to the people with two
propositions—say peace, with disunion and Southern inde-
pendence, as your proposition, and peace, with union,
emancipation, no confiscation, and universal amnesty, as
ours. Let the citizens of all the United States (as they
existed before the war) vote Yes' or No' on these two
propositions at a special election, within CO days. If a
majority votes disunion, our Government to be bound by it,
and to let you go in peace ; if a majority votes union, yours
to be bound by it, and to stay in peace. The two Govern-
ments can contract in this way, and the people, though
constitutionally unable to decide on peace or war, can elect
which of the two propositions shall govern their rulers.
Let Lee and Grant meanwhile agree to an armistice. This
would sheath the sword ; and if once sheathed would never
again be drawn by this generation."
" The plan is altogether impracticable. If the South were
only one State it might work ; but, as it is, if one Southern
State objected to emancipation, it would nullify the whole
thing, for you are aware the people of Virginia cannot vote
slavery out of South Carolina, nor the people of South
Carolina vote it out of Virginia."
" But three-fourths of the States can amend the consti-
tution. Let it be done in that way, in any way, so that it
he done by the people. I am not a statesman or a poli-
tician, and I do not know just now how such a plan could
be carried out; but you get the idea—that the people shall
decide the question."
"That the majority shall decide it, you mean. We se-
ceded to rid ourselves of the rule of the majority, and this
would subject us to it again."
"But the majority must rule finally, either with bullets
or ballots."

"I am not so sure of that. Neither current events nor
history show that the majority rules, or ever did rule.
The contrary, I think, is true. Why, sir, the man who
should go before the Southern people with such a proposi.
tion, with any proposition which implied that the North
was to have a voice in determining the domestic relations
of the South, could not live here a day. He would be
hanged to the first tree, without judge or jury."
"Allow me to doubt that. I think it more likely ho
would be hanged if he let the Southern people know the
majority couldn't rule," I replied, smiling.
"I have no fear of that," rejoined Mr. Davis, also smiling
good humouredly. " I give you leave to proclaim it from
every housetop in the South."

"But, seriously, sir, you let the majority rule in a single
State, why_not let it rule in the whole country ?"
" Because the States are independent and sovereign,
the country is not. It is only a Confederation of States;
or rather it was; it is now two confederations."
"Then we are not a people--we are only a political part-
nership ?"
"That is all."

" Your very name, sir, ' United States,' implies that,"
said Mr Benjamin. "But tell me, are the terms you have
named—emancipation, no confiscation, and universal am-
nesty—the terms which Mr Lincoln authorised you to offer
us ?"

"No, sir; .I%lr Lincoln did not authorise me to offer you
any terms. But I think both he and the Northern people,
for the sake of peace, would assent to some such conditions."
" They are very generous," replied Mr Davis, for the first
time during the interview showing some angry feeling, " but
amnesty applies to criminals. We have committed no crime.
Confiscation is of no account unless you can enforce it,
And emancipation 1 You have already emancipated nearly
2,000,000 of our slaves, and if you will take care of them
you may emancipate the rest. I had a few when the war
began. I was of some use to them ;. they never were of
any to me. Against their will you emancipated' them,
and you may emancipate' every negro in the Confederacy,
but it will be free. We will govern ourselves. We will
do it :if we have to see every Southern plantation sacked,
and every Southern city in flames."
"I see, Mr Davis, it is useless to continue this conver-
sation," I replied, and you will pardon us if we have
seemed to press our views with too much pertinacity. We
love the old flag, and that must be our apology for intruding
upon you at all."

As we were leaving the room Mr. Davis said, "Say to
Mr. Lincoln from ma that I shall at any time be pleased to
receive proposals for peace en the basis of our independence
It will be useless to approach me with auy other."
When we went out Mr, Benjamin called Judge Ould,
who had been waiting during the whole interview—two
hours at the other end or the hall, and we passed down
the stairway together, as I put my arm within that of the
judge, he said to me," Well, what is the result?" "No-
thing but war—war to the knife." "Ephraim is joined to
his idols—let him alone," added the colonel, solamnly.