Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-08-25
The Peace Mission to Jeff Davis.

The following extract from Edmund
Kirke's" account of his and Col. Jaoues'
interview with JEFF Davis, additional to
what we have already published, is Of
interest.
"YOu cannot expect" said Col. ia
ques, with only four and a half mil
lions, as Mr. Benjamin says you have,
to hold out forever against twenty mil
lions"
Again Mr. Davis smiled.
"Do you suppose there are twenty
millions at the north determined to crush
us7"
"1 do-to crush your government
A small number of our people, very
small number, are your friends-seces-
sionists. The rest differ about measures
and candidates, but are united in the
determination to sustain the Union
Whoever is elected in November he
must be committed to a vigorous prose-
cution of the war"
Mr.. Davis still looked incredulous. l
remarked:
at is so, sir, whoever tells you other
wise deceives you. | think | know
northern sentiment, and | assure you it
is so. You know we have system of
lyceum- -leCturing in our large towns.
At the close of these lectures it is the
custom of the people to come upon the
platform and talk with the lecturer
This gives him an excellent opportunity
of learning public sentiment Last win
ter | lectured before nearly hundred of
such associations all over the North
from Dubuque to Bangor-and | took
pains to ascertain the feeling of the peo-
pie. / found unanimous determine
tion to crush the rebellion and save the
Union at every sacrifice. The majority
are in favor of Mr.. Lincoln, and nearly
all of those opposed to him are opposed
to him because they think he does not
fight you with enough vigor. The rad
| ical Republicans who go for slave Suf-
frage and thorough confscation, are
those who will defeat him if he is to be
| defeated. But If he is defeated before
the people the House will elect worse
mani mean worse for you. 1t is more
radical than he is-you can see that
from Mr.. Ashleys Reconstruction bill
and the people are more radical than the
House. Mr. Lincoln, know, is about
to call out five hundred thousand more
men, and can't see how you can resist
much longer; but if you do you will
only deepen the radical feeling of the
Northern people. They will now give
you fair, honorable, generous terms but
let them suffer much more-let there be
dead man in every house, as there is
| IA, viii tha- will rriv
no terms they will insist on hanging
every rebel south Of. Pardon my
terms mean no offence"
"You give no offence" he replied
smiling very pleasantly. 81 wouldn't
have you pick your words. This is 8
frank, free talk, and like you the bet
ter for saying what, you think. &c
on"
81 was merely going to say that, LEI
Northern people once really feel the wa
they do not feel it yet-and they vii
insist on hanging every one of you
leaders"
"Well, admitting all you say, can
see how it affects our position. Their
are some things worse than hanging o
determination. We reckon giving u
the right of government one o
these things"
"By self government you mean dis
union-Southern independence
"Yes."
"And slavery, you say, is no longer a
element in the contest"
"No, it is not it never was an esse,
tiaI element. 1t was only a means {
bringing other conflicting elements t
an earlier elimination. 1t fired the mus
ket which was already capped and load
/ ed"