Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-08-17
: Edmund Kirks'e'' Mission 10 Rich
unousI

mOmd.
At Pawtucket Rhode Island, on We'd
nesday, Mr.. Gilmore (f Edmund Kirke ~
delivered lecture, in which he described
his interview with JEFF Davis during a late
visit to Richmond, and the substance Of
their conversation on the terms of peace.
The following is a report Of Mr.. Gilmore
remarks:
Iwent to Richmond with the Rev Col.
Jaques and went with the hope Of making
negotiations which might result in peace.
Ii we should succeed, We thought that the
Consciousness Of having served our coun-
try would pay our expenses. If we fIlled
We might still serve our country by letting
the people ut the North know what was
! the reason of our failure; for l went with
! propositions on the basis of which 1 might
| have made an arrangement for peace with
Mr.. Davis and if we were unsuccessful, 1t
wOula be useful for the country to know
what propositions were rejected. Wewent
to Richmond III an ambulance, and were
three hours on the way after we entered
the rebel lines. We entered Richmond at
10 o'clock, and planted our white flag in
the very heart OF the rebel capital. We
were taken to u hotel and shown unto -tNo
sfrr.t,syy sUITIU IfiTe Irr1II9
ture in very bad order. We were provided
with supper and directed how to apply for
an interview VITA the President The next
morning we directed a note 10 Secretary
Benjamin, asking an interview with the
President, and were invited to call upon
him, when we made an engagement to
meet the President that evening, which
was Sunday. On meeting our en- ngagement
we We're shown into the State Department
where we saw Mr. Benjamin, small.
plump, black-haired, black-eyed man, seat
ed in his usual place, and at his right,a pale
thin man, dressed in a suit Of darkish gray.
with mouth and chin expressive of the
greatest determination. We told him
simplythat we came without official author |
ity, 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 follow of itselEH We told |
him that the Northern people would never
agree to any plan which did not include |
the establishment of the Union. MIR. Da- !
Wis said that We could never live in peace. /
The North had sowed such bitterness be- |
tween the two sections that we never could |
have peace IN this generation. We then
urged upon him that it was his duty to use
every effort to put an end to this monstrous
bloodshed. He acknowledged thiseand de-
clared that none of the blood shed in this
war could he lay 10 his own charge. They
(the South were not fighting for slavery;
they were fighting for independence, and
OF 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
admit that his armies were in such despe-
rate position. He laid tie blame of the |
barbarity Of this war entirely upon the
North, utterly ignoring the instances of !
rebel barbarity which we brought to his |
notice l then had considerable CONVEX
sation with Mr.. Davis, in which directly |
offered him tho terms which had been |
authorized TO suggest but as he did not |
show any disposition to meet me, did not |
state them eXpncIIly- IHese TERMS VIII Ue t
time. They were, in general entire aboli- |
ton, a general amnesty, no coRfscation, |
the debts of the South to be ignored, the |
debts of the general government to be :
borne by all the States Mr.. Davis declar- !
ed that such terms could never be accepted J
by the Southern people, and that rather
thsn submit to them they would stake
their whole property and their national ex-
istence.