The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-26
Interview with the President

We learn that delegation from five of the
Young Mems Christian Associations OF Bal
tImore, consisting Of six members of each yes
terday proceeded to Washington for an in ter
view with the President, the purpose being
TO intercede with him in behalf of peaceful
policy, and TO entreat him not to pass troops
through Baltimore or Maryland. Rev DR.
Fuller, OF the Baptist Church, accom- panied
the party, by invitation, as chairman, and
the conversation was cond nc ted mainly be-
tween him and Mr.. Lincoln, and was not
heard entire by all the members Of the dele
ga ton. .-f-s#
Our informant, however, vouches for what
we now write. He states that upon the in :
PRODUCTION they were received very cordially
by Mr.. Lincoln-a sort of rude familiarity Of
manner-and the conversation opened by DR..
Fuller seeking 10 impress upon Mr. Lincoln
the vast responsibility Of the position he oc-
cupied, and that pom him depended the issues
of peace OF war-on one hand terrible, frat
ricdal conflict, and on the other peace
But" said Mr.. Lincoln, what am to
dol"
why, sir, let the country know that Won
are disposed to recognize the independence OF
the Southern States. l say nothing of eeces
sion, recognize the fact that they have formed
n Government of their own, that they will
never be united again with the North, and
peace will instantly take the place of anxiety
and suspense, and war may be averted''
"And what is to become of the revenue -
l shall have no Governnent-no resources"
DIR. Fuller expressed the opinion that the
Northern States would constitute an impos-
ing Government, and furnish revenue, but our
informant could not follow the exact turn of
remark.
The conversation turning upon the passage
of troops through Maryland, DR.. Fuller ex-
pressed very earnestly the hope that no more
would be ordered over the soil Of the State
He remarked that Maryland had shed her
blood freely In the war of Iudependence-she
was the first to move for the adoption of the
Constitu ton, and had only yielded her cling
ing attachment to the Union when tho blood
of her citizens had been shed by strangers on
their way TO a conflict with her sisters at the
South.
Mr. Lincoln insisted that he wanted the
troops only for the defence Of the capital-not
for the invasion of the Southern States
And" he said, 81 must have the troops,
and mathema ticaliy the necessity exists that
they should come through Maryland. They
can't crawl under the earth, and they can
fly over 1t, and fundamentally they mus
come across 1t. Why, sir. those Carolinians
are now crossing Virginia to come here and
hang me, and what can do -
In some allusion to the importance of a
peace policy, Mr.. Lincoln remarked that If he
adopted 1t under the circumstances there
would be no Washington in that, no Jackson
In that, no spunk In that!''
DR.. Fuller hoped that Mr.. Lincoln would
not allow "spunk' to override patrio tism.
Mr.. Lincoln doubted if he or Congress could
recognize the Southern Confederaey. And
we eus pect that such Congress as the mex
will be- with all the Sou thern States out of it.
10 not likely to recognize it, With regard te
the Government, be said, "he must run the
machine IN he found it." And in reference to
passing troops through Baltimore or Mary
land he said, Now. sir, If you won't hit me
/ won't hit you" -.-s
As the delegations were leaving, Mr.. Lin
coin said to one or two of the young men, "Il
tell you a story. You have heard of the Irish
man who, when fellow was cutting hi.
throat with blunt razor, com planned that he
haggled it, Now, If can't have troops di-
rect through Mary land, and must have them
all the way round by water, or marched across
GU the way territory, l shall be haggled.'
The delegation, on leaving the presence, "
conferred together, and agreed on the hope
lessnsss of their errand and the sad prospect
of any good thing from such a source, and the
exclama ton WAS actually made, "4od have
mercy on us, when the Government is placed
Sun!