The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-09-01

way-in any 80 that it be done by til,
anenrsie.z=I. am not a statesman za-politi
clan. and I sdo not know just how such q
sInfsB could be carried out Y but You get the
idea-tBat the people shall decide the gues-
ton, . zz4sl, .i-a d is-..-. 2. % - 7iI""@
~sThat the majority shall decide it,you
mean eseeeClsd ito hid ourselves OF the
rule of the majority, aud this would subject
us 4o.it again ss1 81 "a" 7'nis 10 h1''i ''''
gBut- the majority must rule finally, either
with bullets or baIiots"'1 49, - tF%'
81 am not so sure of that Neither cur
rent events nor history show that the ma
ioritv rules, or ever did rule. The contrary
I think, is true. Why, sir, the man who
should go before the southern people with
such a proposition, with any proposition
which implied that the North was to have a
voice in determining the domestic relations
Of the South, could not live here day. lie
would be hanged to the first tree without
judge or jury. 49, =
more likely he would be hanged, if he iet
the Southern people know the majority
couldn't rule" / replied smiling n
81 have no fear of that ;" Telolneo Mr.
Davis, also smiling most gooa nuliioredIy.
81 give you leave to proclaim IL from every
house-top in the South.
s.But seriously, sir you let the majority
rule in a single state; why not let it rule III
the whole country"
because the states are independent and
sovereign. The country is not. 1t Is only
a confederation of states; or rather 1t was, 1t
is now two considerations.
"Then we are not people-we are only
3 political partnership
THAT is all"
ssYour very name sir United State, im-
plies that" said Mr.. Benjamin. But tell
me are the terms you have named-eman-
cipation, no confscation, and universal am
nesty-the terms which Mr.. Lincoln author
lied you to offer us"
"No sir; Mr.. Lincoln did not authorize
me to offer you any terms. But | thlnk
both he and and the Northern people for the
sake of peace, would assent to such condl-
tons,
"They are very generous" replied Mr.
Davis, for the first time during the inter
view showing some angry feelings. But
amnesty applies to criminals. We have
committed no crime. Conhscatlon IS OF no
account unless you can enforce 1t. And
emancipation! You have already emancipa-
ted nearly two millions of our slaves, and If
you will take care Of them you may eman-
cipate the rest. had few when the war
began. l was Of some use to them; they
never were of any to me Against
their will you 'emaucipated' them, and you
may 'emancipate' every negro in the Con-
federacy, but we will be free We will gov
ern ourselves We will do it if we have to
gee every Southern plantation sacked and
every Southern city in flames" rio
81 see, Mr.. Davis, it is useless to contin-
ne this conversation, / replied; ''and you
will pardon us, if we have seemed to press
our views with too much pertinacity. We
love the old flag, and that must be our apol-
ogy for intruding upon you at all
You have not iutruded upon Inc, - he re-
piled resuming his usual manner. Il aul
glad to have met you both. | once loved
the old flag, as well as you do; l would have
died for it; but now it is to me only the en-
bem Of oppression"
81 hope the day may never come, Mr..
Davis, when | say that said the colonel
CLOSE OF THE INTERVIEW.
half hours conversation on other topics
not Of public interest-ensued, and then
we rose to 60 As we did so the rebel Pres
ident gave me his hand, and bidding me a
kindly good-by, expressed the hope of seeing
me again in Richmond in happier times
when peace should have returned; but with
the Colonel his parting was particularly
orcdial. Taking his hand i'll both of his he
said to him.
Colonel, respect your character and
your motives, and wish you we'll; lwlst
YOU every good can wish you consistently
with the good of the Confederacy.' 3D..
The quiet, STRAIGHTFORWARD bearing and
magnificent moral courage of our lighting
parson" .., .-a, 49,
As we were leaving the room he added:
Say to Mr.. Lincoln from me that | shall
at any time be pleased to receive proposals
for peace on the basis Of our independence.
1t will be useless to approach me with any
other - ,.... ....
When we went out Mr. Benjamin called
Judge Ould. who had been waiting during
the whole interview-two hours-at the
other end of the hall and we passed down
the stairway together. AS | put my arm
within that of the judge, he said to me:
''Well what is the result p
s'Ephraim is joined to his idols let him
alone added the colonel, soleInnly.