The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-08-31

quest, and then rising sad:-sDo understapd you 70
"s.s astlnc.Iy that you csme nsessssers from Mr.
70 the proper mode inausuraine formal ps4otjatos
70. peace charged By Dir. Lincoln with authority for
Davin" Both answered In the afrrmatlvs, ana ahsn
49, nas .ne PRESIDENT would them at my once ~
would but Sss be- :csa ass a;s .. s,.
70 sSsrs ss Of SG"ss % .sr. then sceamsa
uoy were 70 be conducted my Office a. the aue
po1tea Th.s nour, unless otherwise ordered.
aaa IN connected with the report previously
- xoiose ou'd, Left on my mind the decided I'm
preston that Mr. Lincoln ayerse 70 sending formal
,%h 20 open negotiations lest be might bs
the cenfedsracy, and that be was anxious 10 learn
whether the conditions which alone he would b. VIII
racy that with this Wow he placed bis messengers
10 condition TO satisfy thas they really came from
event a. to such CONDITIONS as 10 Coz
sdered TO be Indispensable On Informing the Presidsss
thereof Of my conclusion he desermued that no oueston
form Of etiquette should be- an obstacle OF bs rsosiv
ng any overtures that promised however remotsy, 70
result res ~ putting an end to the carnage which married.
.ysans aud cosnsi lionel oad ss&s few S mons":s s;sr W.
said to them thai he had heard from that they came
as messengers OF peace from Mr. Lincoln, that snOh
tney were wecome that the Confederacy had
ceaed It's desire for peace and ready 10 hear
what they had 70 offer on the subject
sir Gilmore then addressed the President and In .
few minutes had opveyed tho Information tha, those
TWO gentlemen had come to Richmond impressed with
the IDEA that this government wonld
the basis Of reconstruction Of the Uniop the abolition
q slavery ard the grant Of amnesty the people OF
me state ss repnsnt criminals In order to accomplish
tue abolition OF slavery II was proposed that thore
shoald be general vote OF all the peoole OF both
decorations and the majority OF the vote thus taken was
to determine that all other disputed questions These
were stated 10 be Mr.. Iincoln's views. Tho Preel-
deut answered that these proposals. had reen pre-
faced hy the remark that tho peope OF tho North were
majority, and thar majority ought govern, the offer
in eject proposal that the Confederate should
surrender discretion, admit that had been wrong
their enemies and themselves to be In reed OF
dishonor.
lie stated that they themselves go unacquainted
win the ,orm their own a. 10 mako such
propositions Mr. Lincoln ought 10 have known when CIV
Ing them his views that 1t was out Of the power OF the
non ~ % act On ns subject me DO
ing exclusive ur rsdction that point, still less 70 COM
NIT the decision Of such question 70 the vote OF foreign
people, that the separation OF the States
pshed fact that he had no authority 10 receive prop0
sails for nego,son except by vaue Of his oce e Pres
alone must proposals be made 10 him.
At one period Of tho conversation Mr. Gilmore made
while rendering an account of Mr. LncoIns vews and
apoogized for the word The President desired him TO
Mr. Lincon's language repeated him exactly
possible. Some further eonvsrsatsn took place, SUBJ
that the was a.
end. The two gentlemen we're theo recommted to the
The account Of the visit Messrs Gilmore and jacques
TO Richmond has been rendered necessary by publca
tons made Oy one or 0otn OF them since tn6k return
20 the United States Notwithstanding the agreement
that their visit 20 be kept secret. They have,
perpaps concluded that, their promise Of secresy
made at their request IL permissible to d1re
gard it, We had reason FOR desiring 70 conceal what
occurred and have therefore, complaint 10 mako Of
the publicity given 70 the fact OF the VISIT lhe extreme
inaccuracy or M GHnores narrative will be apparent
to you from the foregoing statement.
count Of another conference the subject of peace,
which took place Canada at about the same date be
tween Messrs c. G. Clay and Hocombe Confederate
citizens the highest character and pos ton and MI.
Horace Greeey, Of New York. acting with authority of
President Lncoln. u IL deemed not improper TO INFORM
you that Ncssrs Clay and Hocombe, etnough enjoying
10 an eminent degree the confidence and esteem OF
the President, we're strictly accurate 10 their
statement that Aey were without any authority
from this government TO treat with that Of the United
states subject whatever. We had no knowledge
OF their conferences with Mr. Grosey OF their pro-
posed visit ITO Washington til saw The newspaper
publications. significant confirmation of the truth Of
The statement yessrs Gilmore and Jacques that they
came as messengers from Mr. Lincoln is be found IN
the that the views OF Nr. Lincolp stsce0y them
the President In conformity with The ofieH
sve paper addressed 20 /" whom II may concerp,fs
which by Mr. Lincoln TO Messrs Clay and HoI
combe by the hands Of his Private Secretary. Mr. Hay,
and which properly regarded by those gentlemen
an intma,on that Mr. lincoln unwilling that this
war should while in his power to continue hos
tiliiies.
am, vsry respectfully your obedient servant
.. r. BENJAMIN, Secretiry Of State.
&c, &c, Paris.