Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-08-27

an article in the September number OF TIL,
atlantic Monthly, and closing chapter oi
a new volume entitled down in Tennessee,
by Edmund kirke, about to be published
by Sheldon.
IN RICHMOND.
The next morning after breakfast, which
we took in our room with Mr. Javins, We
endited a notc-of which the following i,
Il copy-to the Confederate Secretary OF
State:
SpoTTswooD House, RICHMOND, VA,
Juiy II, 1864.
"Hon. J. =. BENJAMIN, SecyetUyQt state, Ctc
DEAR SIR The undersigned respectful
" solicit an interview with President Davis
They visit Richmond only as private citi.
zcns, and have no official character or au-
thority but they are acquainted with the
I'Unitcd States Government, and with the
sentiments of the Northern people, relative
to an adjustment of the differences existing
between the North and South and earnest
ly hope that free interchange Of views be-
\ tween President Davis and themselves may
Y open the way to such cHicta' negotiations as
will result in restoring PEACE to the two
| sections of our distracted country.
They therefore ask an interview with the
President and, awaiting your reply, are
"Truy and respectfully yours"
This was signed bv both of US and when
thr .Iudrr c,lICa os he had onnointcd we
sent itLtouetLpr with a comncndotorv LET
! ter | had received on setting out, from near
| relative Of Mr. Davis to the Rebel Secretary.
In half an hour Judge Ould returned, say
| ing: Mr.. Benjamin sends you his cOmpi-
ments, and would be happy to see you at
| the State Department.
! We found the Sccrctarv-a short. pIump.
oily little man in black. With a keen black
eve. a jew face. a vclow skin. curly black
! bnir. closely trimmed bl1c'; yI,isl,rrs and
a uondoro1s cold warcb. cbnin-igt the north
west room of the Omitted States" Custom
House. Over the door of hi, room were
the words, state Dcpartncnt," and about
| its walls were huug few mans nl!t battle
plans. IN one corner there was a tier of
shelves flied with books,-amoag which l
noticed HcaGlcy's "liistory," Losing "piCto-
rial Pur,un's Butler" Grcoley's "Ameri-
can Conilict,' acomplcte set Of the Re
briiiun Record" and dozen numbers and
several volumes Of the Atlantic Monthly,
and IN the centre Of the apartment was a
bacA-wulnut table, covered with green cloth,
and flied with multitude Of state Papers.
At this table sat the Secretary. lie rose as
we entered, and, as Judge Ouid introduced
Us, he took our hands and said
81 am glad, very glad, to meet you gentle
men. have read your note, and'-howing TO
mc-"ihv letter You bring from --. Your
Crgand commands my respect and sympathy.
I Pray be seated.
a, We look the preferred seats, the Colonel,
drawing oil his cluster and displaying m>
uniform, said:
I'VE thank YOU for this cordial reception,
MIR Benjamin. We trust You will be as GLAD
TO hear Us ~, You are 10 see us
"No doubt / shall he. for you come to
talk %. peace. Peace Is what we all want.
"Il Is indeed; and Tor that reason we
have come to see Ar. DAVIS. Can we see
him, Slr.'
DO you bring any oyertuTeS TO nm from
your Government .
NO, Sir We bring no ovcrturcs and
have no authority from our Government
We state thar in our note. We would bt
clad, however, to know what terms would
be acceptable to Mr.. Davis. II they are at
all harmonize with Mr. LinCun's views, We
will report them to him, and SO open the
door for Official ncgotiations.n
Are YOU acquainted with Mr. Lincoln's
yicwsY'
"One of us is, fully"
Did Mr Lincoln IL aRy 1cdy, authorize
YOU to come here y
No; Sir We came Wl'h ms pass pu'
not By his request. We say dlStnclly' We
have no Official, or unolliclai authority we
come a. men ana Christians, nor as "I,o
matl''s, hoping III frank 'a'k WIN hf
Davis, to discover some way by "Alch lhf
war may DC sl"Ppeu' .,... ...
en- sTh'lG',len W., - iJ,c c,y,, ml". IW, @
say |" Tue Ii'Sl1GnI, Ilu - III io,,GTS ;II ', M
""Nloei "il. '.'Ii.N 'o r,r,,,
you. llo Il. ~, pG a. '.'".G,' .;. ,'n,,
80 you "a" Nr'' i,y'o ~ .''''e e.,
Il any 'h'nG s"oulo "OO"' IA T"o Ill ~. ,'",
10 prevent ms see'hG you Will ''' !o'
Know ny Ju"Se C"!u .,.. ., -,
lhl"usl""' 'LiS ihIcrNi'% 'no i',',,'' i,i ~ =
Tue secretary was COZ ',l,, "i,' "''" Iidi
C"ral"il'y was sli"iH' ,''H'lG',;t "'u r;.',
dehce almost amounting 10 ''n''''!' "i.'''
struck both my companion ana n!Ns'I,:
I Contrasting ms manner win 'Ae Pu'cl uS
D nity OF the Colonel, Almost I'hc'eu our 'o
! sltons reVersed'-thA' lAs'eau "i our "''u'
IN his power, the Secretary was III ours "h'
momently expected to near some uh"'iIolH
sentence nom our hps' lhefe Is suhet'shH
after all, IN moral power MI belJA"l'
4 does not possess It, nor Is ne great man
lie has Keen, shreWd, rca"y lh'eleo'' pu
Il not the stamina to-oriSinatc, or even TO exc
cute any great good or great "l'N'uH's''
- After IA day spent in our room, conversin