Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-09-02
RIcHMosD, Va. July II, 1851

y . sGSpoTFswooD HoTEL,
RIcHMosD, Va. July II, 1se4.sl
tt4on. II. p. BenlanliH, Seerstdry of STATE
ConTsdeTdts iStatss Of .AmsrteG:
i nDear Sir: The undersign lei, !, James =.
4 iJacunessi of Illinois, and James, B. Gill
7mote, Of Massachusetts,, most respectfully
1sotictt an interview with President Davis
4 They visit Richmond. as private citizens
jandhaven no official character or authority;
but they are fully possessed of the views
lot the United States government relative
y to AM Rdjhstment ofthe diferenGes now
IexistiDg between the North and South and
Fhaye little doubt that q tree interchange of
views between Pr6sidsnt Davis aud them
selves would open the way 70 such official
negotiations as would ultimate inrestoring
peace to ,the.tWo sections of our distract.
| ed country. = w Va
"They therefore ask an interview with
the President, and ,awaitibg your reply,
are most truly and respectfully. your ntieL
dienp servauts,a Il GJAs. 'FsJAcQUEsssa =,
.33s4I ~. 70 e, ~ - tsJAs. B. GILMoREN
Tie word 4oficial" is underscoted and
the word ..peaeel doubly underscoredr in
the original. nm hsss ssIszsa3 =.
After perusing the letter lisinvited Ool.-
Ould to conduct the writer's to my office,
and on nltheir, arrival stated to them that
they. mnst be, conscious they could not be
admitted TO an interview with the President
without Informing me more fully of the
object of their mission, and satisfy nae that
they came bysrequest Of Mr. Lincoln.4 Mr..
6ilmbre replied that they came noffieially,
but with the knowledge and at the desire
of,Mft Lincoln; that it could never end
except by some sort of agreement; that the
agreement might as we'll be. made now as
after still further lbloodshed; that they
knew by ID 6 recent "addresstof the Oonfed-
crate congress that we were willing to
make peace; that they admitted that pro.
'posals ought TO come from the North and
that they we're preparedlto make these pro-
posals by Mr.. Lincoln's .authority;, that il
was necessary to have 9, sort of Informal
understanding in advances of regular ne
gotiations, for. If commissioners were Rp-
pointed without some snch understanding
they would meet, quarrel and separate,
leaving the parties more bitter agaipste each
other than before; that they knew Mr, 3in-
coins views and woRld state them, If press
ed by the President to do so, and desired
to learn his in return. :, e ss,,''-.5 (, r.,
+ again insisted on some evidence. that
they came from Mr.. Lincoln, and in order
TO satisfy me, Mr.. Gilmore referred to the
fact that permission for their coming
through our lines had been been asked Of
ficially by General Grant in letter to Gen.
Lee, and that General Grant in that letter
had asked that this request should be re-
ferred. to President Davis. Mr.. Gilmore
then showed me card, written and signed
by Mr.. Lincoln, requesting General Grant
to- aid Mr. Gilmore and friend in passing
through his lines into the Gonfederac cy.-
Col. jacques then said thet his name was
not put on the card for the reason that 1t
\ tk.ot Az toll ,l,a "a
be Kept secret; that he hsd sconaa 6tql The.
Confedetacy- year qgos and had visited
Petersburg on a similar errand, and thatit
was feared lE lhfs name should becpme
known that some of those who had former
ly met him in Petersburg would conjecture
the purpose for which he now came! He
said that the terms of peace; would be hon
orable to the ConfedeFacy that they did
not desire that the Con tederacy should ac--
tcept any other terms, but would be glad to
have my promise; as they gave theirs that
their visit should be kepta profound secret
| If it failedato result in peace that it would
not be just that either party should seek
any advantage by diyulging the fact of their
overture for peace, If unsuccessful. as-r
sented TO this request aud then, rising,
said "Do understand youito state dis
tinctly that you came as messengers from
Mr. LinGDln for the purpose ofagreeingwith
the President as to the proper mode of in-
iaupuratiug aforEaal negotiatiOn for peace,
lichargedeby Mr.. Lincoln with authority for
stating his own views and receiving those
of President Davis Both answered in the
affirmative, and i then said that the ePresis
dent would see them at my, Office the same
evening at nine p, M.5zthat, at least, pre-
sumed he would, butif heIobjected, after
hearing my report, they should be tnfotmed,
They weee then 9ecommitted to the charge
of Colonel Oulds with the understanding
that they were to be reconducted 10 my of
,fice at the appointed hour, unless otherwise
directed, 4 s q. II, .s..t,s5s 5,4s
This interview, connected with the re.
port previously made by Colonel ould, left
on my, mind the decided impression that
lMr.-Lincoln was aYerse to- -nending formal
Icommissioners to open nego lions, lestihei
might thereby be deemed to have recogni-
zed the Independence of the Oontederacy,
and that he was anxious 70 leaFu whether
lthe CONDITIONS on which aloneahe would be
tsyihfpg5 to take such q step would be yields
| ed by the Oonfeiet AGy; that with this view
| he had placed his messengers in q ac0naition
to satisfy sd5 that they really came from
| him, without committing himself 70 any
thing in the event IA dfsggt to
4 snch conditions asyhe constdsredsto be in-
4 ldispehsaote."A0n informing tne fEePiuenk
thereof of my conclusion, he aetefmtned
i that no question of5form or etlqn nette should
he an obstacle to his receiving any over
4 tntes that promised, however remotely, to
Il result in putting an end to the carnage
(which marked the continuance of bostil-
lities. - - 4. ID
The Preside lent came To my office at nine
O'clock in the evening aud Colonel odld
came a few moments later, with Messrs.
=EJAcnuess and Gilmore. The Preside1t said
IN Them that he. had heard from me that
j shsy came as messengers of peace from
lMr. iBincoiu; that as such they were well
come; that the ConfedsraeS had never con.
cealed its desire for peace; aud that be was