The New York herald., 1864-08-18
fHR KIREs-JsaugS VISIT 10 RICEaOsD.

ISIS Cissh atu Ind epende nee snb-
1aEati1n.
The Ataatse Aoashsy for September, coutains art
ole entiiled "ovr Journey 10 R,ohmoDd," by J. K Gil
more tOetter known under The de plume OF Edmund
Kmkel, who, IN company with Colonel Jaques, visited
= 'cnmoud, sna Dad interview with ibe rebel Pres.
dent re particulars how they Get TO Richmond nsve
already been aubsh he'd and therefore give only that
porl,oa Of tne article describing their meeting with
DAVIS
Upon arriving Al the Spotswood Hotel Mr. Gilmore and
tnc Coouei ssni rebel Secretary BenJan
requesting wtb President Davis. The Sec
retary repy, ssnt them has onmpiments and stat ed
that would happy them the state Depart.
ment Al nne O'Clock the evening they called and
met oy appointment.
JEFFgRsoN DAVIS
Mr. Beoanin occupied bis previous eeat at the table,
aHd at hs right sat spare thin featured man, with
gray beard and clear gray eye full of life
and Sig,r. He had a broad massive forehead and q
mouth and ch'o denotne great energy and strength OF
sii ils face was emaciated sad much wrinklei, but
ms features coed especially his eyesthough one
Of them bore a scar, apparently made by some sharp
instrument He wore suit Il grayish brown, evidently
about hve inches hgh with slight stoop IN the
shoulders. His we've simple, easy, and quite
fascinating he iDdesGTfbaoo charm iuo MS
VOICE ne extended his hand and SAID TO us-
81 am glad TO see you, gentlemen You are very well
Ard this the who President OF the United
States uodr Franklin Pierce and who now The heart
His manner put me entirely az my ease ,the Colonel
would be at ms If he stood before cs'sar), and re-
phed-
ave tha you, Mr. Dave. 1t is not often you meet
men OF eur clothes end oas principn IS IN Richmond"
mot ten, not often as | os,ud wish; and trust
your coming may lead 10 more frequent and more
friendly intercourse between the North and the south
I'VE sincerely hope 1t may"
"hr. BENJAMIN tells me you have asked TO see me,
so',--
And he paused "a If desiring should finish the sen.
seuee The Colonel replied
"Yes sir. We have asked this interview IN the hope
that you may suggest some way by which this war
can be stopped Our people want peace your people do
aod your Congress has recently said that you do. We
have come - ask how 1t can be brought about"
" In n very simple way. Withdraw your armies from
our territory and peace will come OF itseE We do not
seek TO sablugate you We are not wagng an offensive
far forced to invade you prevent your in
vadiug Lei Us alone aud peace viii come at once"
Bat we cannot lie. you alone SO long as yon repudiae
the union That rs the one thing the Northern people
viii not surrender -
al know. You would deny TO us what you exact for
yourseves-the right Of self-governnent."
No, sir" remarked We would deny you
natural right But think Union essential to peace;
and hr DAVIS, could two people with The same language
separated by only an imaginary ne live at peace with
each other Would no, disputes constantly arise, and
cause almost constant war between them"'
acknowledgements this generation. You have sown
s1ch al The south. you have put such 40 ocean
any harmony N my time Our children may forget this
war, but we cannoto
Col~ne, "does not really exist We must talk here
friends soldiers meet and frateruze with each other
friendly feeling would arise between US than has ever
tssed The has made respect each other
better than This the view OF very many Southern
men, have had II from many OF them-your leading
cMizens"
-They mistaken" replied Mr. Davis. "They do
not understand Southern sentiment How can feel
anything but bitterness towards men who deny
nghs Ifyou eoter my house and drive cut Of u, am
not your natural enemyr'
tYou put strongly. Bot cannot fight
forever, the eud at time; must finally
agree upon something; not agree now and stop
this irghuul carnage2 We both Christian men, Mr.
Davis Can you. as Christian man, leave untried any
means that may lead to peace6'
"No, cannot. ! desire peace much you do. !
dcp'ore boodshed much do; but feel that not
drop blood shed In THIS war ,s my hands
can look up to my God and say this tried all my
power 10 avert this ! II coming, and for
twelve years worked night and day to preyen, IT, but
could not The North aud blind, it would
let govern ourselves, and the came, and now it
nust Till The last OF this generation falls ID his
tsacks and his children seize bis musket and fight his
battles, unless acknowledge right TO self govern
ment We are not fighting for slavery. We are fighting
have ''N' ' '"''1 "''
"And there at least four and half millions OF US
LETT you you have work before -you, said Mr.
Benjamin, with decided sneer.
% We have no wish 10 exterminate YOU" answered
the Colonel believe what have said-that there is
bitterness between the Northern and Southern people
The NoTth know, loves the South When peace comes
will pour money ana INTO your hands TO repair
the waste caused by the and il would welcome
you back and forgive you all the loss and bioodshed you
have caused But we must crush armies and exer
inmate your government And is not that already nearly
donef You wholly without money aud at the end OF
your resources Grant has shut you up in Richmond.
Sherman Is before Atlanta Had you not. then better
accept honorable while you retain your pres
tige and save the pride of the southern peopleS"
MR.. DAVIS ON THE CONFEDERATE Pr osPEcTs.
respect your earnestuess Colonel, but you do not
seem TO understand the situation We are not exactly
Chat up IN Richmond. If your papers tell the truth II Is
your capital that s IN DANGER not ours Some weeks ago
Grant crossed the Rapdsu 10 whip Lee and take Rich
uond. Lee drove him the first battle ard then Grant
executed what your people call brilliant nank move
nent, and fought Lee again Lee drove him a second
time and then Grant made another flank movement
and e. they kept on-Lee whipping and Grant thanking
until Grant got where he ia And what is the net
result Grant has lost seventy ve eighty thousand
men-more than Lee had at The outset-and is
sAkng Richmond than at first and Lee whose front has
never been broken holis him completely 10 check, and
has mea enough 10 TO invade and threaten
Washington. Sherman 10 be sure, before Atlanta but
supp'se he s and suppose be takes It. You know that
The farther be from bis base OF supplies, the weaker
he grows and the more disastrous defeat will be him.
and defeat may come. So in a military view. should
certainly say our position was better than yours
''As TO money, richer you You
smile. But admit that paper Is worth nothing, it
answers as circulating medium and we bold it all
selves. II every dollar OF IL were lost we should,
have no foreign debt, be none the poorer. But IL s
worth something: il has solid basis OF large cotton
crop while yours rests on nothing and you owe all the
world AS 10 resources, we do not lack for arms or
ammunition and we have stll a wide territory from
which 10 gather supplies SO are not IN ex
Temities. But If we vere-n we were without money
without food. without weapons-if our whole country
were devastated aud our armies crushed and disbanded
could We withslt giving up our manhood give up our
right TO govern ourselves Would yeu not rather die,
and feel yourself man, than live and be subject 10 q
foreign PowerYi
"From your standpoint there Is force in what you
say - replied the Colonel "ut did no. here
srpue with you, Mr. Davis. We came hoping to ind
some honorable way to peace aud am grieyed 10 hear
you say what you do. When | have your young
dying the battle field and your old men,
and children starving in their homes, have felt could
risk my life 10 tnetn For thai ! here,
and am Grleved, grievec, that there is hcpe.n
al know your motives Colonel Jaques and hanor you
Tor them, but what can do more than am coingY /
would give my poor lie, gladly. n il would bring peace
and good wall 10 the two countries but It would II
with your own people you should labor. II ir they
VINO hesoate our homes, burn our wheat beds, tleak
the wheels OF wagons carrying away women nd
children, and destroy supplies meant for sick aud
wounded Al your door lies all t5e misery aud crnesof
tbss war aud IL 10 fearful fearful account"
mot al Of 1t, Mr.. Davis. ] admit fearful account,
out Il not All 81 our door The passions of both saes
are aroused laarmed are hanged and prisoners
are shos down 10 cod blood by yourselves Elements Of
baroarsm are entering the both sides THAI should