Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-01-01


though called upon in so strange man
ner, and entirely ignorant of the nature
of the service required. l promptly ex-
pressed my willingness to serve him in
anJ way that would not trench upon the
duties and obligations | owed to the Con-
sttution of the States and loyalty to the
Federal Government.
He assured me that what he desired of
me was Of as much service to the Federal
Government as to that of the Confederate
States; and Immediately informed me that
being desirous of termination of this
war, and an amicable adjustment of the
difficulties between the North and the
South, he wanted some person upon whom
he could rely who would go to Mr. Lin
coin and present to him informally, but
plainly and verbally, certain propositions
which he hethought might lead to the desired
end. He said that, after thinking over
near y a hundred persons, he decided to
try and procure me, and had therefore
sent for me. very naturally inquired
why he had chosen me, and added: Il am
but plain man, unknown to fame as q
politician, and unaccustomed to dealing
with statesmen on questions of State" "
He replied that those were the very reason
why ne had selected me, and that; being
such a man he had confidence his propo.
sitions would be presented as he express
ed them, without encum mbering them with
side issues of minor details, which were
to be an after consideration and officially
determined.
Before stating his propositions, he
disircd to know if | would go to Mr.
Lincoln with them. ] hesitated, in view
Of the risk to my personal liberty which
| thought | incurred. Mr.. Davis assur-
ed me | would get within the Federal
lines as safely as he had brought me
to Richmond and labored to assure me
that | would receive no harm in going to
Mr.. Lincoln. | still hesitated, in view
Of the arbitrary arrests made by the au.
thoritis at Washington, and urged that,
although | was yet unacquainted with
his proposals, If Mr.. Lincoln should reject
them, | might be sent to Fort Warren or
Fort Lafayette, or be confined in some
other place, for the purpose Of silencing
me. Going directly to Mr.. L. | could
not reconcile with my personal safety
but finally, at the suggestion of Mr.. Da
Wis, | consented that | would drop a let
ter to Mr. L., which, while it should give
no particulars of my interview with him
would lead him to believe that it was 6
matter OF Importance to him { Mr.. l.. THAT
he should be fully advised on the subject
Mr.. Davis added, in the event of Mr.. Lin.
coin sending for me. Mr.. Lincoln would
take care of mo. They being settled, Mr.
Davis proceeded to state his propositions,
reading from paper on his table, but
not giving them to me in writing, and
requesting mo not to reduce them to wri-
ting. as coming from him, previously to
seeing Mr.. Lincoln. They were as fol-
lows:
FlRsr--A general amt unconditional
amnesty Of all political o6cnicrs ogoinst
tie Federal Government, SucA as mouia
place them IN tie position they occupied be
fore tie commencement of hosthtieS, as ii
respected their immunities, rights and priu
Hcges.
SEcoND-2He restoration Of alt ,tHgitiv,
slaUes withm tie control Of tie Federa
Gorernment,; and a guarantee that The Gen
erai Government ioiU give he entire we'gh
! of It's influence and authority IN carryin
om Tie provisions Of tie Fugitive Siav
Lor, mhe recoce,y Of those fugitive stare
Who may hare passed 6eyondkhe immediat
cORtr OL of tie Governments
TnRp -IHW each Of tie contendiR
parties ShoH be held responsible only TO
tie debt incurred By ii, in tie same manne
as if they had been recognized and indepen
dent pOwerS.
These, as Mr.. Davis expressed it, wer
the bases on which n restoration of tn
separated States could be effected with tn
Federal Union There were many othc
points, he said, to he settled; but ther
would be. comparatively, little difficult
in reference to them, if the major propc
sitons were agreed upon.
At the interview, Mr. Davis spoke q
the imminence Of foreign intervention, an
said chat ho deprecated either interventio
or mediation from abroad-interven,io
because he believed it woul end in for,
of arms. and whatever might be tho /,
suit, would he alike disastrous to til
North and the South; mediation, becaus
he believed that, if the North was di
posed to treat on the matter of settle
ment, it could be much more satisiactor
ly and benefcially determined upon by
mutual commission.
Mr.. Davis also spoke of Mr.. Lincoln
Emancipation Proclamation. That Pro,
lamation seems 20 annoy him very muC
indeed. He rather casually rcmarkc
that it would "play hell with u.s." Th
he explained by saying. that if the Pro
= lamation was not suspended, or the per
cd before it should become operative G!
tended, or entirely rev oked, which he pr
} sumed would not be the ease, as the
! wss not sufficient time for the people
the North and South to com prehend it
: all its length. breadth and bearings al
arrive at proper conclusions as to Il
course to be pursued in reference to it,
would only be the stimulous to an inte
minable and ruinous war. He said it W,
regarded throughout the Confederacy al
in foreign countries, as well as by man
in the North, as bid for a general Sc
} vile insurrection. He looked upon it, i
said, as melting to acts of barbaris
having no parallel in the history of Il
civilized world. Ifpersisted in, Mr.. Dl
Wis warml y asserted, it would be the e'