The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-08-23
JcH. Davis and his Terms Of
Peace.

ing, Mr.. gilmore ('Eumunu hlrke
delivered lecture, in which he desert
bed his interview with jeff Davis du'
ring late visit TO Richmond, and the
substance of their conversation on the
terms of peace. The Providence
Press gives the following report Of Mr..
Gilmore's remarks
I went to Richmond with the Rev.
Col. Jaquess, and went with the hope
of making negotiations which might re-
suit in peace. If we should succeed,
we thought that the consciousness OF
having served our country would pay
our expenses. five failed, we might
still serve the country by letting the
people of the North know what was
the reason of our failure; for went
with propositions, on the basis of which
/ might have made an arrangement OF
peace with MI. Davis, and if VIC were
unsuccessful, it would be useful for the
country to know what propositions
were rejected. We went to Richmond
in an ambulance, and were three hours
on the way after we entered the rebel
lines. We entered Richmond at 10
O'Clock, and planted our white flag in
the very heart of the rebel capitol.
AS we stopped Judge Ould, the reb-
el Commissioner of Exchange, directed
Col. Jaquess to button up his overcoat,
as it was dangerous to be seen with a
blue uniform in the streets of Richmond.
We were taken to hotel, and shown
up to ''No CO." shabby room with
some fine furniture in very bad order.
We were prov ded with supper, and
directed how to apply for an interview
with the President. The next morn
ing we directed note to Secretary
Benjamin, asking an interview with the
President, and were invited to call up
on him, when we made an er gagement
to meet the President that evening,
which was Sunday. Et
On meeting our engagement, we
were shown into the State Department,
where we saw Mr.. Benjamin, "a small,
plump, black-haired, black-eyed man,
seated in his usual place, and at his
right a pale, thin man, dressed in o
suit Of the darkest gray, with a mouth
and chin expressive of the greatest de-
termination. We told him simply that
we came without official authority, but
knowing the opinions of our govern
ment, to see on what terms peace might
be made.
Mr.. Davis replied, quietly, withdraw
your armies from our territory, and
peace will follow of itself We told
him that the Northern people would
never agree to any plan which did not
include the establishment Of the Union.
Mr.. Davis said that we never could live
in peace. The North had sowed such
bitterness between the two sections,
that we never could have peace in this
generation.
We then urged upon him that it was
his duty to use every effort to put an
end to this monstrous bloodshed. He
acknowledged this, and declared that
none of the blood shed in this war could
he lay to his own charge. They, the
South, were not fighting for Slavery /;
they were fighting for independence !;
and independence or determination
they would have. We then tried to
show him that the position of the rebel
armies was such that it was better for
them to give up the contest while they
could do it with honor but he was un-
willing to admit that his armies were
in such a desperate condition. He laid
the blame of the barbarity of this war
entirely upon the North, utterly igno-
ring the Instances of rebel barbarity
which we brought to his notice. l then
had considerable conversation with
Mr.. Davis, in which indirectly offered
him the terms WHICH had been author
lied to suggest; but as he did not
show any disposition to meet me, / did
not state them explicitly. These terms
will be given through the newspapers in
short time. They were, in general
entire abolition, a general amnesty, no
confiscation, the debts Of the South to
be ignored, the debts of the General
Government to be borne by all the
States. Mr.. Davis declared that such
terms could never be accepted by the
Southern people, and that rather than
submit to them they would stake their
whole nronerty and their national exis-