Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-08-16
THE EVENING STAR.
Jeff Davis and His Terms Of Peace.

At Pawtucket, Rhode Island on wednesday
evening, Mr.. Gilmore c" Edmund hTse oe-
hvered lecture, in which ne oescripeo MS in-
teryiey with jeff Davis, during q late visit TO
Richmond and the su ostance OF their CONVEX
satiop on the terms of a peace. The Provi-
dence Press gives the following report Of Mr..
went 10 Richmond with the Rev. Colonel
Jauues and went with the hope Of making ne
gotiatlons which might result in peace. II we
should succeed, we thought that the conscious
ness of having served our country would pay
our expenses. If we failed, we might still
serve the country by letting the people OF the
Narth know what was the reason OF our fail.
pre: for went with propositions on the basis
of which / migAt have made an arrangement
for peace with Mr. Davis, and II we were I'M
successful. it would be useful for the country
10 know what propositions were rejected We
went to Richmond in an ambulance, and were
three hours on the way after we entered the
rebel lines. We entered Richmond at ten oclk
and planted our white flag in the very heart Of
the rebel capital
As we stopped, Judge Old, the rebel COM
missioner of exchange, directed Colonel Jacques
to be seen with blue uniform in the streets Of
Richmond. We were taken to hotel, and
shown up to mo 60" shabby ro9m' with
were provided with supper, and directed how
O apply for an interview with the President
The next morning we directed note to Secre-
President and were invited to call upon him,
when wemade an engagement to meet the Pres.
ideQt thai evening, winch was SunOay.
On meeting our engagement, we were shown
into the State Department, where we saw Mr.
Benjamin, small, plump, black. haired, black.
eyed man, seated in his usual place, and at his
right pale, thin man, dressed in a suit of
darkish gray, with mouth and chin expires.
sive Of the greatest determination. We told
him simply that we came without Official
authority, but knowing the opinions of our
Government, TO see on what terms peace might
be made.
Mr.. Davis replied. quietly, withdraw your
armies from our territory, and peace will fol-
low of itself. We told him that the northern
people would never agree to any plan which
did not include the establishment Of the Union
Mr.. Davis said that we never could live in
peace. The North had sowed such bitterness
between the two sections that we never could
have peace in this generation.
Wethen urged upon him that 1t was his duty
to use every effort to put an end to this mon
strous bloodshed. He acknowledged this, and
declared that none of the blood shed in this
war could he lay to his own charge Thew
the South, were not fighting for slavery; they
were lighting for independence, and independ-
ence or determination they would have We
then tried to show him that the position of the
rebel armies was such that it was better for
them to give up the contest while they could
do it with honor; but he was unwilling to ad-
NIT that his armies were in such a desperate
position. He laid the blame Of the barbarity
of this war entirely upon the North, utterly
ignoring the instances OF rebel barbarity which
we brought to his notice. I then had a consid-
cradle conversation with Mr.. Davis, in which
indirectly offered him the terms which had
been authorized to suggest; but as he did NOT
show any disposition to meet me, / did not
state them explicitly. These terms will be
given in the newspapers In a short time. They
were, in general, entire abolition, a general
amnesty, no cenffscation, the debts OF the South
TO be ignored, the debts of the General Govern
ment to be borne by all the States. Mr. Davis
declared that such terms could never be ac-
cepted by the Southern people, and rather
than submit to them they would stake their
whole property and their national existence.