Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-09-08
THE LATE PEACE MISSION,

Mr. ). Il. GILMORE, the historian of the peac,
mission " to Richmond recently undertaken by hin
and one Col. Jaquess has written letter purport
ing to be in reply to Mr. Benjamin, but mainly
conceived for the purpose very supererogatory
! one 1t would seem--of proving that both he and
his mission were Of little account in the eyes Of
President Lincoln. He says:
"our mission to Richmond was Initiated and executed
solely on our own private account and responsibility and
we have uniformly and always said both inside and out
side OF the rebel ines a-a .H a
Mr. Lincoln gave me pass. 1t read as follows:
- Allow j. R. Gilmore and friend to pass with ordinary
baggage, to Gen Grant at his headquarters.
"sA. LINCOLN,
" He also gave note to Gen. Grant That read a,
follows 49,.
"wil Gen Grant allow j. R. Gilmore and friend 10 mass
GA LINCOLN.
And that is all that the President did. or wrote OF
said caused to be DONE written or said in relation
TO this whole matter"
Nobody has ever charged, represented, OF said,
sofar aswe are aware, that Mr.. Lincoln "initiated
or prompted the mission of " j. r. Gilmore and
friend" or that he ever authorized /" them to
make any proposition to the Richmond authorities
in his name either personally or officially. But as
was the motive Of his desire to visit Richmond
as We must presume that the 81 pass he solicited
and obtained from the President was given only
after such explanations as would have justified the
President in allowing to him and Col. Jaquess this
extraordinary privilege-it follows tina. the mission
was undertaken aoith the .JuH knoaolsdge and con-
sent q The President. The President, having it in
his power to refuse or to deny the pass" of the
selfcoDstituted emissarios of peace, (the "pass"
being their commission choose to grant it, and
therefore to this extent gave his assent to their ex
pertinent
And if the President did not know what Mr..
Gilmore and Col. Jaquess were going tosay to Gen.
Davis, with what face could these extraordinary
ENJOYS assure Mr.. Benjamin, as they did, that they
''were acquainted with the views of the Government
of the United States z" And hence we are left to
understand that either Messrs Gilmore and Jaquess
preva,icated, or that the following propositions
made by them are in accordance with the Presidents
views" We quote from Mr.. Gimore's narrative
of his mission
Suppose the two Governments should agree to
thing like this: To go to the people with two proposons
your proposonand peace with union, emancipation,
cOnfscation and universal amnesty Let th ct
OF all the United States Gas they existed before the
war; vote yes or no on these two propositions at
specal election within sixty days. If msority votes
dsuuou Government be bound by it, and to let you
in peace. majority votes union, your, to be bound
by it, and to stay in peace. TIE two Governments can
contract in this way, aud the people, though constitution
ally uDable TO decide pence elect which Of
the two propositions shall their rulers Let Lee and
Grant, meaniohite agree 10 armstlce. This oould
sheath The seord and, seathed t,oould again
bs draDa By ntis generation"
If Messrs. Gilmore and Jaquess were possessed"
of the Presidents "views,' as theysay they were,
when they made this proposition, then it follows
that the President at that time (early in July las
was wiling to consent to armistice for the pur-
pose of trying peaceful method for the settlement
of our troubles. If Messrs. Gilmore and Jaquess
had not authority to make any such proposition,
then it follows that in protesting to know the Pre-
sident's "viewsH without knowing them, they
transcribed the limits Of truth. Either the Pre-
sident at that date wa, notin disposed to an srms
tcc on the conditions in question, CT Messrs. Gil
more and Jsquess are convicted of having more
presumption than respect for verify and candid
dealing. In the former case, it would not be pru-
dent for any friend of the President to make OBJ
lection to an armistice under certain circumstances
In the latter it would not be prudent for any
body to cite the testimony of Mr. Gilmore in or Ter
to sustain any representation which is not capable
Of being substar tiated by better testimony. Non
aostrun, tontdS, DC.