Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-08-26

VI Ill aEIiCAc III tlc ScptcuUcI uuAOcA
Of the atlantic Monthly, and of a closing
chapter of new volume entitled "DOwn
in Tennessee" by Edmund Kirke,
about to be published by Sheldon:
SPOTTswooD HOUSE, RICHMOND, VA.
After day spent in our room, con-
versing with the Judge, or watching the
passers-by in the street, would like
looked; but such information is, just
now, contraband-we called again, Mt
nine o'clock, at the State Department.
Mr.. Benjamin occupied his previous
seat at the table, and at his right sat a
spare. thin-featured man, with iron-gray
hair and beard, and a clear, gray eye,
full of life and vigOr. He had a broad,
massive forehead, and mouth and chin
denOting great energy and strength Of
will. His face was emacia.ed, and
much wrinkled, but his features were
good, especially his eyes, though one of
them bore scar, apparently made by
some sharp instrument. He wore a suit
of grayish brown, evidently of foreign
manufacture, and, as he rose, l saw that
he was about five feet ten inches high,
with IL slight stoop in the shoulders
His manners We're simple, easy, and
iiescribable charm in his voice, as he eX-
tended his hand and said to us:
II am glad to see you, gentlemen
You are very welcome to Richmond"
And this was the man who was Presi-
dent Of the United States, under Frank
| lin Pierce, and who is now the heart,
soul, and brains of the Southern Con-
| federacy
His manner put me entirely at my
ease-the Colonel would be at his if he
stood before Csesar-and replied:
ave thank you, Mr.. Davis. 1t is not
often that you meet men of our clothes
and our principles in Richmond
mot Often-nOt so often rs | could
wish u; and trust your comingmay lead
| to Il more frequent and more friendly
intercourse between the North and the
SOUTH"
ave sincerely hope it may"
"Mr. Benjamin tells me that you have
asked to see me to"
And he paused, as if desiring we should
finish the sentence. The Colonel re-
piled:
"Yes, sir. We have asked this inter-
view, in the hope that you may suggest
some way by which this war may be
stopped. Our people want peace-yOur
people do, and your Congress has recent
| ly said that you do. We have come to
ask how it can be brought about"
In very simple way. Withdraw
your armies from our territory, and
peace will come of itself. We do not
| seek to subjugate you. We are not
| waging an offensive war, except SO far as
| It is Observation-Disclosures that is, so far
| Is we are forced to invade you toprevent
your invading us. Let us alone, and
| peace will come at once"
| "But we cannot let you alone so long
as you repudiate the Union. That is the
one thing the Northern people will not
surrender.'
II know. You would deny to us
what you exact foryGurse!ves-the right
OF self-government."
| mo, sir" 1 remarked. 1--WE would
Ieny you no natural right. But we
think Union essential to peace, and Mr..
Davis, cOutd two people, with the same
language, separated only by an imagi-
| nary line, live at peace with each other?
! Would not disputes constantly arise,
| md cause almost constant war between
them?o
| Undoubtedly,-w this generation.
You have sown such bitterness at the
| oouth--yOu have put such an ocean o.
| blood between the two sections that
despair of seeing any harmony in my
time. Our children may forget this war,
| out zoe cannot
| ~ think the bitterness you speak of,
sir" said the Colonel, "does not really
exist. We meet and talk here as friends,
oar soldiers meet and fraternize with
each other; and feel sure that if the
| Union were restored, a more friendly
! feeling would arise between US than has
| ever existed. The war has made us
know and respect each ether better than
before. This is the view of very many
southern men; | have had it from
many of them-your leading citizens"
| "They are Mistaken" replied Mr..
| Davis. "rhey do not understand South
ern sentiment. How can we feel any
| thing but bitterness towards men who
!eny us our rights? IT you enter my
house and drive me out of it, am l not
your natural enemy?'
| "You put the ease too strongly. But
! we cannot fight forever; the war must
| end at some time; we must finallyagree
upon something; can We not agree now,
and stop this frightful carnage? We
| are both Christian men, Mr.. Davis
Can yOu, as Christian man, leave I'M
| cried any means that may lead to
peace"
"No, / cannot. Idesire peace as much
as you do. l deplore bioodshed as much
! AS you do; but feel that not one drop
| of the blood shed in this war is on ny
hands. | can look up to my God and say
CHS. [ tried all in my power to avert
this war; | saw it coming, and for
twelve years l labored day and night to
prevent it, but could not. The North
was mad and blind; it would not let us
govern ourselves, and so the war came,
and now it must go on till the last man
| of this generation falls in his tracks,
and his children seize his musket and
fight our battles, unless you uck,oowle,tW
| our right to setf-y0uernMent. We are not
lighting for slavery. We are fighting
for independence, and that, or extermi-
nation, we will have.'
"And there are at least four and a
half millions of us left so you see you
have work before YOU" said Mr.. Benja.
min, with decided sheer.
1--WE have no wish to eXterminate
YOU" answered the Colonel. Ibelieve
what have said-that there is no bit
aerness between the Northern and
Southern people. The North, / know,
loves the South. When peace comes, ii
will pour money and means into your
hands to repair the waste caused by the
war; and it would now welcome you
back and forgive you all the loss and
bloodshed you have caused. But we
n,tst crush your armies and eXterninate
yourgovernment. And is not that near
~ done? You are wholly without mon
ey and at the end of your resources.-
Grant has shut you up in Richmond.
sherman is before Atlanta. Had you
not. then, better accept honorable terms
~ Ia u
save the pride of the Southern people?"
Mr.. Davis smiled.
g / respect your earnestness, Colonel,
but you do not seem to understand the
situation. We are not exactly shut up
in Richmond. If your papers tell the
truth, it is your capital that is in danger,
not ours. Some weeks ago. Grant cross