The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1864-09-07

crimes; that determination was preferable
10 such dishonor.
He stated that If they we're themselves
SO unscquainted with the form Of their own
government as to make such propositions.
Mr.. Lincoln ought to have known. when
giving them his views, that it was out of
the power of the Confederate Government
to act on the subject Of the domestic insti-
tutions Of the several States, each State
having exclusive jurisdiction Of that point.
still less to commit the decision of such =
question to the votes Of foreign people: ]:
that the separation of the States was AN ac.
compished fact; that he had no authority
to receiveproposaIs for negotiation except
BY virtue Of his Office a. President Of an
independent COnfederacy and. on this ba.
sis alone must proposals be made to him.
AT one period Of the conversation. Mr..
Gilmore made use Of some language refer
ring to these States as "rebels." while
rendering an account of Mr.. Lincoln,s
views, and apologized for the word. The
President desired him to proceed, that ne
offence was taken, and that he wished Mr..
Lincoln's language to be repeated to him
as exactly as possible. Some further con-
versation took place, substantially to the
same effect as the foregoing, when the Pre-
sldent rose to indicate that the interview
was at an end. The two gentlemen were
then recommitted to the charge of Colonel
Ould, and left Richmond the next day.
This account of the visit of Messrs. Gil
more and Jacquess to Richmend has been
rendered necessary by publications made
by one or both of them since their return
to the United States, Notwithstanding the
agreement that their visit was to be kept
secret. They have, perhaps, concluded
that as the promise Of secrecy was made &c
their request, it was PERMISSIBLE to disre-
gard it. We hadn reason for desiring to
conceal what occurred, and have there
fore, no complaint to make Of the publicity
given to the fact Of the visit. The ex-
treme inaccuracy Of Mr.. Gilmore's narra-
tive be apparent to you from the fere-
going statement.
You have no doubt seen, in the Northern
papers, an account OF another conference
on the subject Of peace. which took place
IN Canida, al about the same date, between
Messrs. c. c. Clay and ]. P. Holcombe,
Confederate citizens of the highest charac-
ter and position, and Mr.. Horace Greeley,
OF New York, acting with authority of
President Lincoln. Ii is deemed not i'm
proper TO inform you that Messrs. Clay and
Holcombe, although enjoying in an emf
nent degree, the confidence and esteem of
the President, were strictly accurate in
their statement that they were without any
authority from this Government to treat
with thatof the United States on any SUBJ
ject whatever. We had no knowledge Of
their conference with Mr.. Greeley, nor Of
their proposed visit to Washington, till we
saw the newspaper publications. 4 sigs
nificant confirmation of the truth of the
statement of Messrs. Gilmore and Jacquess,
that they came as messengers from Mr..
Lincoln, is to be found in the fact that the
views of Mr.. Lincoln as stated BY them TO
the President are in exact conformity with
the offensive paper addressed to "whom it
may concern" which was sent by Mr..
Lincoln TO Messrs. Clay and Holcombe by
the hands Of his private secretary, Mr.. Hay,
and which was properly regarded by those
gentlemen as an intimotioa that Mr. Lin
coin was unwilling that this war should
cease while in his power to continue hos
tlities. lam, very respectfully, your ODE
dent servant,
J.P. BENJAMIN.
Secretary of State.