The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-08-26
" HrApauAnTERs ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
"City Point, Va, July 8, 1864.
General r. Z. Lee, commanding Confederate forc
near Petersburg, Piyinia:

Commissioner for Exchange OF Pl1sonfrs, but that
they asked peImisson'to come to Richmond for the
purpose of seeing the President; that they came |
with the knowledge and approval OF President LIN
coin, and under his pass; that they were informal
messengers sent with view Of paving the way for l
"a meeting of formal commissioners authorized to
negotiate for peace and desired to communicate to
President Davis the views OF Mr. Lincoln, and TO |
obtain the Presidents views in return, so as to ar
range for meeting of commissioners Colonel OuId
stated that he had told them repeatedly that IT was
useless to to Richmond to talk of peace on any
other terms than the recognized independence OF the
Confederacy, to which they said that they were
aware of that, and that they were nevertheless,
confident that their interview would result IN peace
The President, this report Of Colonel Ould deter
mined to permit them to come to Richmond under l
his charge.
On the evening Of the 10th of July, Colonel ould |!
conducted these gentlemen TO hotel i'll Richmond.
where room was provided for them, IN which they /
were to remain under surveillance during their stay
here, and the next morning received the following
letter:
"SPoTswooD House,
Richmond, Va, July H. 1861,
Hon. J. p Benjamin, Secretary Of State ot Con-
federate States Of AntcTtca:
'Dear Sir The undersigned, James F. Jacquess,
of Illinois, and James K. Gilmore, of Massachusetts,
most respectfully solicit interview with President
Davis. They visit Richmond private citizens, and
have official character authority; but they are
fully possessed of the views OF the United States
Government relative to adjustment of the differ
ences existing between the North and tho South,
and have little doubt that free interchangoof views
between President Davis and themselves would open
the way to such otctal negotiations as would ultl-
mate i'll restoring PEACE TO the two sections OF our
| distracted country
"They therefore ask an interview with the Presi-
| dent and, awaiting your reply, are
| '' Most truly and respectfully,
| "Your obedient servants,
| GAMES F. jacques,
| "JAMEs r. GILMORE"
The word offical'' is underscored, and the word
| "peace" doubly underscored, in the original.
After pcrusing the letter, invited Colonel Ould
| to conduct the writer's to my office; and on their
| arrival stated to them that they must be conscious
they could be admitted to interview with the
President without informing me more fully OF the
object of their mission, and satisfying me that they
| came by request of Mr.. Lincoln. Mr.. Gilmore re-
| piled that they came unothclally, but with the
knowledge, and at the desire, OF Mr.. Lincoln that
thoy thought the war had gone Tar enough; that II
could never end except by some sort OF agreement
| that the agreement might rs well be made now as
after further bloodshed that they knew by the re-
cent address of the Confederate Congress that we
| were willing TO make peace; that they admitted
that proposals ought to come from the North, ana
that they prepared to make these proposals by
Mr.. Lincoln's authority that 1t was necessary 10
| have a sort OF informal understanding III advance
of regular negotiations, for If commissioners We're
| appointed without some such Understanding, they
would meet, quarrel and separate, leaving the par
ties more bitter against each other than before
that they knew Mr lincolns views, and would state
them if pressed by the Presiden. to do So and de-
sired to learn his IN return.
[ again insisted ON some evidence tflat they calIe
from Mr.. Lincoln; and. In order to satisfy me, MIR
Gilmore referred to the fact that permission for the!
coming through our lines had been asked 0nlclally
bv General Grant in letter to General Lee, ana
that General Grant in that letter had asked that thu
| request should be referred to President Davis MIR
| Gilmore then showed me card, written and slgne'
: | by Mr. Lincoln, requesting General Grant to All
s MIR Gilmore ana friend passing tA,0~a li- L.
/, into the Conederacy Colonel Jacquess then sax
c that his not put on the cafd Ior the iea
son that it was earnestly desired that their Vlsi
's should be kept secret; that he had come INTO th
IL Confederacy year ago. and had visited PetersD9f
"a hat
le | name should become known that some OF those Wn
1t had formerly met him in Petersbvrg would coh)ec
g. | ture the purpose for which he now came He sai
that the terms of peace which they would oer TO Tn
| President would be honorable TO the Confederacy
that they did not desire that the ContedeIacy shoui
accept any other terms but would be glad 10 nav
h. nv promise, they gave theirs that their Wis
shouid be kept profound secret if it failed to resu
in peace that it would not be just that either part
should seek any advantage by divulging the Iact
he their overture for peace if unsuccessful aSSente
ha TO this reaest and then, rising, said "Do unde
he stand you to state distinctly that you come rs me
N s,ngcls from Mr. Lincoln for the purpose OF aGre
~ ing with the President 10 the proper mode oi
., auguratng formal negotiation tor peace, enaie'
| by Mr. Lincoln with authority for stating ins oN
! views and receiving those OF Presldrnt Davis +.
re Both answered in the Affirmative and then sit
by that me President would tlem at my ofhce
is same evening at 2. NJ; that at least, preSum
les lie would; but II he objected, after hearing my
ng port <hey should be informed They were tnen
tes committed to the charge Vi Colonel Oud, with
7r understanding that they wers To be reconducted
as my office at the appointed hour uies7 o'ie4 '"
'uI | directed.
art This interview, connected with the report pre-
on ousy made BY Colonel Ould, LETT on my mlnd
Ike decided impression that MIR. Lincoln was aVctse
PEE sending formal commissioners to open negotluoi
me lest he might thereby be deemed to have reco2iuf
III the independence Of the Conledefacy' ana ths'
vas was anxious TO learn whether the condluois
which alone he would be willing to take sucil 81
| would be welded by the Coniederacy tnat with
49, view he had placed his messengers Ia Il condition
~. satisfy Us that they really came from hih' "lt'
HING N Ia
" Disbursement as to such conditions as he consiie
IN. % | 10 be Indispensable. On informing the ffesioe
itS therefore of nv conclusions, he determined that
M question Of forIn etiluaAte should be an ooSta
M ~ his receiving anv overtures that promised, he
ever remotely TO result III putting an end 10 thec
-. mage which marked the continuance OF hosuit1e'
So. The President came 10 office al y o CLOCK III
oi U | evening and Colonel Ould came few moments
" t ter with Messrs Jaequess and Gilmore Inc Fr
dent said TO them that he had heard, from me- !
% y, | they came as messengers Of peace from MI
| us coin that az such they welcome that
| Confederacy had never concealed Its desire
peace, and that he was ready To hear Whatever
III had to offer on that subject
Mr. Gilmore then addressed the President, AM
re a few minutes had conveyed the information
| these two gentlemen had come to hichihohd
| messed with the idea that this Government VIC
.ent aacsnt peaos on the basis of a reconstructlo
the Union the abolition Of slavery, and the gran
} an amnesty to the people OF the states as repeh
criminals In order to accomplish tue aIouo n y
slavery il was proposed that there should De a =
hliS | raj vote Of all the people OF both federatioh
ON mass and the majority Of the vote thus taken W;
,ar Jn+ermine that as we'll as all other disputed q
| t;nns These were stated TO be Mr. Lincoln's VI
'n- The President answered, that as these proposals
fully been prefaced by the remark that the people OF
non, North were a majority, and that majority ous
II ia govern the offer wis in effect, propossii that
~ | Coutaderate States should surrender at discfe
;nns admit that they had been wrong from the pesih
~ of the contest submit to the mercy OF their enef
opies and aVow theihse ,,;nr W ,na M nrefrable TO
Con- | crimes, lhat eAloi n WV
lent | dishonor. 4, ,.,, 60 >,
u, ouaint,d with the form of their own government
oo;,rn TO make such propositions, MI iAneoh oug
anJ have known, when giving them ms views, liz
49,. was ont Of the power Of the Confederate Govern
h all 10 act on tiie suoJoo' "a 60 bav;ug excI
III Jurisdiction on that point, still less to commit
'i 13n;.,on Of such a question to tho vote OF fo
70 ~ ao,Ia. that the separation of the States was a
81 | rromnlished fact; that he had no authority u
! ca;yi nroposals for negotiation except by virt1
p, | hi. office as President OF an independent con
r. r,cy and on this basis alone must proposals Dc
.stors | to him. NJ az,
;as % At one period Of the conversation, Mr. III
s;on. made use of language referring 10 Iese
~ -. | a, rebels while rendering an account o
e." Iineoln's views and apologized for the wora.
,s t Prssi,aent desired him to proceed, that no "
IN a | was taken, and that lac wished MT Lincoln
- o,Iaye 10 be- repeated to him as exactly as pos
Sou,e further conversation tooh place, sGostan
~, of IN the same effect the foregoing when the
- dent ros. to indicate that the interview WAS
ali, end The two gentlemen were then recohnI
~ | 10 tha charge Of Colonel Ould, and LETT fsaeh
ON of the next day. - .,, ,,n
on v Thia aooount of the visit Of Messrs. GLmor