, 1864-08-21

IN CnE Folht1 Haa = LIEF VI bueisE3 Atteu mAsA
tHistory," Losaing's )" Pictorial History"
Parton,s "Cnt1er," GEeeley'a '.Amerlcan
Conflict" a complete set Of the Rebellion
Reosd, and dozen numbers end several
bound volumes Of tho At!asttc Aonkaiv. md
welnut table, covered With green cloth, aud
filled With . multitude Of .statepapers."
At this table sat the secretary. He rose as
VIC entered, aud, as Judge Ou1d introduced
us, tco}z our hands aud said
~ am glad, very glad to meet you, gentle
men. have read you. note, aod"--ho ring
10 me-"and the open letter you bring from
aud sympathy. Pm, be seated. +"
As We took the proffe,cd seats, the COLON
el, draxiogof bis :" duster, ~ and displaying
his uniform, ssid: ........-
I'VE thank You for this cordial reception,
Mr. Benjamin. We trust you Will be as gina
to bear Us MS you are to Sec rf."
No douht shall be, for you come TO
talk OF peace. Peace is what We all wnnt."
al. Is indeed; and for that reason we are
here to see hi: Davis. Can wesee hlm. Ely"
"Do you bring ans e. oser'ofes TO nln 'fom
"No. sir, We bring no overturea and
have no authority from our Government.
We state that In our nbte. We woh1d be
glad, however, to know what terms will be
accept .ble to Mr Davis: T. they at al ha5;
report them to him, and SO open the door
for official negotiations"
"Are Sou acquainted with Nj. Ltncoln's
yiews!"
1One Of US is. fully"
"Did Mr: Lincoln. in any 1r1y, authorize
aNo, sir. We came with his pass, but
not by his request We say, distinctly, We
have no official, or unofficial, authority. We
come as men and Christians, not as dlp1o-
mat!sts, hoping, In frank talk With NJ.
Davis to dibeover some way by which this
swell, gentlemen, will repeat what you
say to the President, aud L he follows my
advice-and think he Wfl1-he will meet
you. He will be at church this afternoon;
20, suppose You call here at nine this eve
ming. II anything should occur In tha mean.
you q know shFough Judge 6dld.''
After day spent In our room, converting
with the Judge, OF watching the passers-bY
in the etreet-I should like to tell who they
were and how they looked, but such lnfor-
| again at o'c1ock at the State Department.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Mr.. benjamin occupied his previous seat at
featured man, with Iron gray hair and
yigor He had & broad massive forehead,
and mouth and chin aenoting great energy
| and strength Of Will His face Was emaclsted
! and much w1ink1ed, but his features were
them bore seal, apparently ulade by some
sharp instrument. He wore suit Of RI ~
! ieh.brown, evidently of foreign nanafac-
ture, and as he rose. saw that be WAS about
Ave feet ten inches high, With slight stoop
in the shoulders. His manners were simple,
easy, and qnite fascinating; and be threw an
tended his hand, and said to us:
II am glad to see you, gentlemen. You
arc very welcome to Richmond"
And this waB the man who Was President
Of the United States under franklin Pierce,
a1d who is nov the heart, sonl, and brains
Of the Southern Confedcracy!
His msnncr put me cntlrely at my ease-
the Colonel would be at bis, II he stood BE-.
fore Ctrsnr-nud replied:
"Wc thank yon, MI. Davis. It Is not offer
yon meet men OF onr clothes, and our priu
ciples, In Richmond"
''Not often, not go often as I could wish
and trust your coming may LEAD to a mors
frequent and more friendly intercourse be
tween The North and the South"
eve sincerely hope It may"
"alr. Benjamin tells me you hsee asked II
zee me. to-
And he paused, as Il desiring we shoult
finish the sentence. The Colonel replied:
I eyes, sir. We have asked this Interview il
the hope that sou mny suggest some way b,
which this war can be stopped. Our peopl'
want peace, your people do, and yo1r Con
gsees has recently said that 1ou do. We hav
come to ask how 1t can be bEouRht about"
"In very simple way. Withdraw you
armies from our territory, and peace vii
come Of Itself. We do not seek to snb}ugatl
! you. We are not waging an otfensive war
except 60 far as 1t is offensive detensiye-ths
is, 60 far as we are forced to invade you t,
prevent your invading US. Let us alone an
peace will come at once"
"Dut We cannot let you alone 80 long q
you tepndiate the Union. That Ia the on
thing the Northern people will not surret
Ger"
exact for yourselTes-the right Of selt7go'
"No, sir," remarked; "we would den
you no natural right. But We think Unio
eesentisl to peace; anG Mr. Davis, could tn
! people, with the game language, separate
each oiher? Would not disputes CONSTANT
nrise, and cause almost constant war bt
tween tAem2"
"Undonbtcoly-witht this generation. 70
hive sown such bitterness at the South, 80
, have put such an oceau OF blood hetween Il
larmouy In my time Our children may 70
Get th,s war, hut tre caunot.
II think the bitterness you speak Of sir.
!. said the colonel, "does not really exist. y
= must talk here as friende; our soldiers INC
and fraterrize with each other; and I f.
friendly feeling would arise between us tha
: hiss ever existed, The var has made US kno
! ard respect each other better than befol
u This is The view Of very many southern mel
j hsve had It from many OF them-your lea
+ Ing citizens"
"Tbey do not understand southern seq
+ ment. How can We feel nythlng but hitt
! less towards men who dtnY us our right
II you enter my house and drive INC out
1t, I'm not your natural eoemyy
y "You put the case to strongly. But
n cannot fleht folever; the Nnf must END
~ ~ some time; we must finally agree up
y something; can WeDot agree now and st
the frigbt!ul carnaseg We ore both Cur
=. tian men, Mr. Davis. Can you, as Chl
~ ttan man, le4Ee e, untried any means that n
:. lead to peaceF' ......
M Tou 90. deplore btcodsned as much
y y you do; but feel that not onn drop of
- blood shed in this war is on my hauds; {
~ =. look up to my God and ssy thls. tired
", In my power to u7ert this war. I saw
"a coming, ard 70. twelve years worked nj!
I,e Ue North was mad and blird; IL would not
Z ue govern ourselves; and SO the war cal
NJ and LOW 1t must 20 on till The lest man
- this generation falls in bis tracks aud
children seize his musket aud fight his b
VIC Tics, unless sou acknowledge our right
,le self government Ne are not Qsbtlng
ht- sleyGrj. We are fighting for lndcpcnden<
I'll, ard that or eytesntnatIop VIC Will have"
''And there arc at 1enst tour and al
ly. millions Of us Lett; 50 you see you la!
work before you, "sald Nj. Bcnjam1r. wi
nd decided srcer, .
At 1--WE have no Wish to extcrminato 70
The answered the Colonel II believe wh
are hsre eaid-that there Is no bitterness
pt, }.twteu the Northern and Southern pco
red The North, know, loves the South. "
Ira. peace comes II Will pour money aud hi
md into your hands to repair the waste cal
or, by tic War, md 1t would now welcome
sh: back mud forgive yeu all The. loss and hl
rel shed YOU have caused. But ne must cl
18th | vcEr armies and c1tcrminRte your Gov
the mcnt. And Is not that already nearly de
de- Iou arc wholly without money. and nt
EZRA end OF 1onr resources. Grant has shut
ary up ir Richmond. Sherman ie before Az
10 ta- Had you not then, better accept ho
ct able terms while rou eau Tctalo yoar ]
d." tIee, and saye the pride cf the Southern
an. rles'
OIL uB DAVIS ON TIE CONFEDERATE rRosrs
sh' - Mr Davis smiled
III respect your earnestncss. Colonel
ieg ~ ue Dot sIactiy sbut no IN s
your papers tell the truth, It is yonr ca
wa that Is in danger; not ours. Some week.
Grant crossed the Rapidan to whip Lee
mo take Richmond. Lee drove him iu The
battle, and thcn Grant executed what
| ncnnle rail a brilliant flank movement