Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-09-07

and have no official character or authority
but they are fully possessed of the views
OF the United States Government relative
to an adjustment of the differences now
existing between the North and the South,
and have but little doubt that free in
terchange of views between President
Davis and themselves would open the way
to such official negotiations as would ulti-
mate in restoring PEACE to the two sections
of our distracted country.
They therefore ask an interview with
the President, and waiting your reply, are.
Most truly and respectfully,
Your obedient servants,
JAMES JACQUES,
JAMES GILMORE"
The word "official" is mderscored, and
the word "peacs" doubly unders:ored in
the original.
After reading the letter, I invited Col
onel Ould to conduct the writers to my Of
flee; and on their arrival, stated to them
that they must be conscious they could
not be admitted to an interview with the
President without informing me more fully
OF their mission, and satisfying me that they
came by request of MIR. Lincoln. Mr.. Gil
more replied that they came unoficially but
with the knowledge, and at the desire, of
Mr. Lincoln that they thought the war had
gore far enough; that it could never end
except by some sort OF agreement; that
the agreement ght as we'll be made now
as after further bloodshed that they knew
by the recent address of the Confederate
Congress that we were willing to make
peace; that they admitted that proposals
ought to come from the North, and that
they were prepared to make these propo-
sails by MIR. Lincoln's authority that it
was necessary to have sort of informal
understanding in advance Of regular ne
gotiations, for if commissioners were ap-
pointed without some such understanding,
they would meet, quarrel, and separate,
leaving the parties more bitter against
each other than before that they knew
Mr.. Lincoln's views, and would state them
if pressed by the President to do so, and
desired to learn his in return.
| 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 tor their coming
through our lines had been asked officially
by General Grant in letter to General
Lee, and that General Grant in that letter
had asked that this request should be re-
terred 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 Confederacy.-
Colonel jacques then said that his name
was not put on the card for the reason that
it was earnestly desired that their visit
should be kept secret that he had come
into the Confederacy year ago, and had
visited Petersburg on similar erranG, and
that it was feared, if his. name should
become known, that some of those who
had formerly met him in Petersburg would
conf the purpose for which he now
came. He said that the terms of peace
which they would offer to the President
would be honorable to the Confederacy;
that they did not desire that the Coufed-
eracy should accept any other terms, but
would be glad to have my promise, as they
gave theirs, that their visit should be kept
profound secret if it failed to result in
peace that it would not be just that either
party should seek any advantage by d.
vulging the fact of their overture for peace,
if unsuccessful. l assented to this request.
and then, rising, said: ''Do understand
You to state distinctly that you come as
messengers from Mr.. Lincoln for the pur-
pose OF agreeing with the President as to
the proper mode of inaugurating formal
negotiation for peace, charged by Mr..
Lincoln with authority for stating his own
views and receiving those Of President
Daviss" Both answered in the affirma-
tive. and I then said that the President
would see them at my Office the same even
ing at 9 P. NJ; that, at least, 1 presumed
he would; but if he objected, after hear
ing my report, they should be informed"
They were then recommitted to the charge
of Colonel Ould, with she understanding
that they were to be reconducted to my
office at the appointed hour unless other
wise directed.
This interview, connected with the re.
port previously made by Colonel Ould,
lett on my mind the decided impression
that Mr.. Lincoln was averse to sending for.
NAL commissioners to open negotiations,
lest he might thereby be deemed to have
recognized the independence of the Con-
federaey, and that he was anxious to learn
whether the conditions on which alone he
would be willing to take such step would
be yielded by the Confederacy that with
this view he had placed his messengers in
a condition to satisfy us that they really
came from him, without committing him
self to anything in the event of disagree
ment as to such conditions as he consid-
cred to be Indispensable. On informing
the President, therefore, of my conclu-
sions, he determined that no question of
form or etiquette should be an obstacle to
his receiving any overtures that promised
remotely, to result in putting III.