Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-15
no a, EdItor oflhe Chleaqe TImesi

TO he Editor Of the Chicago Timesi
On Wednesday morning. October 2od. 1869.
while engaged IN my employment M an orna'
mental japanner, In the shop OF Mr John Dun
lap. dealer Ia tia plate eheet.irou brass. copper,
sc, and manufacturer Of Iapanned ware. &c.
southwest corner Of Market and Second streets.
Piitsbufg. Pa, was called upon by gentleman
who said he was Bitimorcan; aud having
learned that my wife was from the same city, aud
] myself somewhat acquainted there, ho took the
liberty 10 call upon me for the purpose Of spend
ing half or three quarters Of an hour In friendly
chat. | expressed the pleasure II would afford
me. As The subject OF the war was, as II now IA,
the chief theme Of conversation, ours very natu
rally turned upon IL, aud very soon gllded Into
matters connected with the Mexican war. by
some apparently casual remark was led To speak
OF service rendered by myself In that war. aud Of
my having there made the acquaintance Of Mr.
Davis, nov President OF the Confederate States
My visitor very soon made himself aware Of the
fact that, while politically was opposed 70 Mr.
Davis, personally was friendly. lie then stated
that he had been recently IN Richmond and had
seen and conyersed with Mr. Davis. who mentioned
me % him aud he desired 70 know fhe might talk
conhdentially with me a. messenger from Mr.,
Davis, ! replied that would depend upon the ma
turo of the communications he had 10 make, IL
he desired To enlist me la the service OF the
Confederate States, In any capacity, he had bet
ter not say anything; but. II such WIS not his
desire, he might speak freely, lie then distinctly
stated that he had no written communication 10
me from Mr Davis-he not deemng ID prudent
TO be the bearer of such thing; but that Mr..
Davis greatly desired should go 10 him NJ Rich
mond Immediately. AZ such request |
surprised aud amazel. inquired what forY My
visitor asserted he did not know, and persisted IN
the assertion. | asked him who he was when he
gave his name rs Horace N Wilson. formerly
connected with the detective police In Baltimore,
but now a resident Of Richmond greatly
feared. on hearing this announcement. that some
trap was being laid for me. or some trick about
TO be played, which might place me in an equiyo-
cal or embarrassing position But soon became
treasured, as the consciousness was aroused with
in me of having never, by word or act, occupied
for moment n false or disloyal position toward
the Federal Government or of having performed
any act which the Confederate Government
might have deemed of sufficient importance TO
revenge | was unprepared for an answer them
and so told Mr.. Wilson. / told him he might
call again in the afternoon, and that he might
rely upon my secrecy. He went away, and on
his returning, about the middle Of the afternoon
/ ! questioned him closely as TO his knowledge of
Mr.. Davis object in sending such a strange re-
quest, compliance with which would be attended
with so much peril. All knowledge Of the object
he denied, as before; but secuted the idea Of peril.
IL by that ] meant risk of personal safety
told him it was that; when he undertook to con
| vince me need have no fears He then into
mated that il might be productive of good to the
whole country. though in what way he pr0fessed
not to know; and finally wound up by saying
that. ii | hesitated through fear, he thought Mr..
Davis was mistaken in the estimate he put upon
my promptitude and bravery. He said Mr.. Davis
| had epoken 10 him of the deliberate GOODNESS and
dauntess courage which / manifested in Mexico.
These complimentary remarks. artfully thrown
/ IN just as j was feeling the sting of the former
ones, decided my mind. ! resolved to accom-
pany him and run the risk On the ensuing
morning started with him for Richmond, by
way OF Wheeling, StauntOn, and Charlottesville.
We arrived in Richmond on Sunday morning, the
'2hth; and, after putting myself in order. and
eating breakfast, was conducted to Mr.. Davis
presence.
1t may, perhaps, be proper that i should here
say something rs to my previous acquaintance
with Mr. Davis AS before intmated, was in
military service in Mexico. | was connected with
Captain Showers Battery, Third Artillery. At
the battle of Buena Vista, Mr.. Davis was Colonel
of the Mississippi Ritlemen. Two days previous
to the battle. | was incidentally brought into a
position which enabled me TO render Mr.. Davis a
personal service, which he deemed Of sufficient
| Importance to extend 10 me his grateful friend
ship, and which of such a nature rs to ii K the
kindly recollectiOns OF a gentleman upon the actor
in such a scene for life On this point details
would here be out OF place and unnecessary.
| saw Mr. Davis in Washington. ID. c., twice
afterwards On each occasion, his greetings we're
of the most cordial nature; and the pressing invi-
/ tltlOns 70 visit him at his residence together with
the delicate manner in which he more than offer
| ed may say urged-his services TO promote
my personal interests, left no room for doubt in
my mind that the part / took in the affair in
Mexico was as vivid in his recollection and re-
1 - -
the first. never correspOnded with Mr. Davis,
although on the occasion OF each of our partings,
he urged me to do when | should reach my
home; and, ON each of my calls upon him at
Washington, he expressed his regret that had
not done so. | saw Mr.. Davis no more until
brought TO him in Richmond.
Mr. Davis reception of me on that last meet
ing was not only fully as cordial as before, but
| believed, not merely from his expressions but
from the manner of his expression and action,
that it was source OF intense qualification to
him that was still willing TO render him a ser.
vice, although called upon in strange a man
ner, and entirely ignorant OF the nature Of the ser
vice required. promptly expressed my willing
ness TO serve him in any way that would not
trench upon the duties and obligations / owed to
the Constitution of the States loyal to the Fed
erAl Government. He assured me that what he
desired of me of as much service to the Feds
eral Government as to that of the Confederate
States; and Immediately informed me that being
DESTROYS of a termination of this war and an ami
cable adjustment of the differences between the
North and the South, he wanted some person upon
whom he could rely who would 20 to Mr. Lin
coin and present to HIM informally, but plainly
and verbally certain propositions which he
thought might lead to the desired end He said
that, after thinking over nearly hundred per-
sons, he decided IL try and procure me, and had
| therefore sent tor me. L very naturally inquired
why he had chosen me; and added, II am but a
plain man, unknown to fame as a politician, and
unaccustomed TO dealing with statesmen on ques-
tiOns OF state" He replied that those were the
very reasons why he had selected me, and that,
being such a man, he had confidence his PROPOSE
tions would be presented as he expressed them,
without encumbering them with side issues or
minor details, which were to be an after consid-
Grafton and officially determined.
Before stating his propositions, he desired to
know il | would 90 to Mr. Lincoln with them.
/ hesItateL, in view of the risk to my personal
liberty, which thought incurred. Mr.. Davis
assured me he would get me within the Federal
lines as safely ms he had brought me to Rich
mond, and laboTed to assure me that would re-
ceive no harm in going TO Mr.. Lincoln. | still
hesitated, in view OF the arbitrary arrests made
by the authorities at Washington; and urged that,
! although | was yet unacquaInted with his propo-
sails, il Mr. Lincoln should reject them, might
be sent TO Fort Warren or Fort Lafayette, or be
confined i'm other place, for the purpose of
slencing me. Going directly TO Mr.. Lincoln
could not reconcile with my personal safety; but
finally. at the suggestion of Mr. Davis. 1 con-
/ scented that would drop letter to Mr.. Lincoln,
which, while il should give no particulars of my
interview with him, would lead him to believe
that il a matter of Importance to him (Mr.
b. that he should be fully advised on the sub
ject Mr. Davis added, in the event of Mr.. Lin