Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-11-04

companion aud myRelf. Contrasting his maDne
with the quiet dignity of the Colonel, l almos
tAncied our positions reversed, that instead o
our being in his power, the Secretary was il
ours, aud momenty expecting to her some un
welcome seDienee from our lips. There is some
thing, after all, in moral power. Mr. B.njamii
does net possess 1t. nor is be great man. HI
has keen, shrsWd intellect. but not the stamina
TO originate, or even to execute, any great goOs
or great uckedness-
After day spent in our room, conYersing will
the Judge, or Watching the passers.by in thu
street. should liks to tell who they we're aut
how they looked, but such information is JUS
now couiraband, we called again, at niue o'clock
al the State Department.
Mr.. BenisiAin occupied his previous scat al
the table, ami at his right sat spare, thiu-fea.
iuted man, with iron gray hair aud beard and a
clear. gray eye full OF life AMI vigOr. lie had 4
broad, massive forehead and mouth and chin
denoiing great energy and strength Of will. His
face was emaeiated, and much Wrinkel, but his
features we're good, especially his eyes though
Que Of thcm bore scar, apparently male by
ssme sharp instrument. lie wore q suit Of gray
isd' brown. evidently Of foreign manufacture,
and AS be rose, saw that be was about live feet
ten inches high, With slight stoOp a the Shoul-
ders. Ills manners were simple, easy, and quite
fascinating and he threw an ndesor liable
charm into his voice, as he extended his hand,
]
49, am glad 10 see you. gentlemen. You Ar Q
very welcome to Richmond "
And this was the man who WAS President Of
the uhitel States under Franklin Pierce, and
who Is now the heart. SOU, aud brains OF tho
Southern ConiedsracJi
His manner pu, NE entirely az my ease. .--thS
Colonel would be At HIS il he stood bo fore Cesar,
end repllsd.---
I'VE thank you, Mr.. Davis. II is not ofteu
I nf NJ nra aiothAa nj Ill ,;ri.
ia hi0hmond"
mot ntten, not SO eften as C5ut wish aud
trust your coming may lead toe more frequent
and more friendly Intercourse between tho
North and the South"
We sincerely hope Ii may
hf. Bepjamin tells me you have asked to sec
me, to"----
Aud he paused. az II desiring we should finlsh
The sentence The Colonel replied
"fss, Sir. We have asked this intergies 10
/ The hope that Scl may sugges. some way BY
which this war can be stopped. Oar people
want peace, youF people do, and your Congress
has recently said that gOE DO We hava come 10
ask hoB II can be brought about"
10 very simple way Withdraw your ar
mis4 from our territory, aud peace Will come of
itseh. We do not seek u slblugats you. We
ara not Wsgiug au offensive war, except 90 far aa
It Is offensive defensive that IT, 50 far as We are
forced to Invade you TO prevent your invading
u'. Let "a alone ami psace will come OF once"
" But We cannot let You alone so long ~ you
repndiate The Union That is the one Thing the
Northern people will net surrender"
-" / knew. You would deny TO us what you
exact for yourselves, the right Of self. govern.
nent."
mo, Sir" | remarked. awe would DENY
you no natural right But We think Union ed
senlial 10 peace; and Mr. Davis, could two peo-
pie With the same language. separated by only
so Imaginary line, live at peace with each other
Would not disputes constantly arlss. and cause
almost constant war between them.
" Undoubtedly, with this generation. You
have soWn such bitterness at the South, you have
put such an ocean Of blood between the two sec.
tons, that | despair Of seelEg any harmony In
my time. Our children may forget this war but
ave cannot"
" think the bitterness you speak Of Sir said
the Colonel, docs not really exist We meet and
talk here as friends; our soldiers inset and fra
lerni2e with each other aud feel sure. that II
the Union were restored, more friendly feeling
would arise betSeen us than has ever existed
The war has made us know ald respect each
other better than before. This is tho view Of
very many Southern men; have had it from
many Of them, your leading ctizsns."
"rhey are mistaken, replied Mr.. Davis.
" They do not understand Southern sentiment
How san NE feel anything but bitterness towards
men who deny US our rights! II you enter my
house and drive me ont Of it, am not your nat
uFal enemy?"
a. Tou put the case too stroug!y But we can.
not SIGHT forever; the war must eud at some time;
We must finally agree upon something can we
not agree now and stop this irighiful carnage
We are both Christian men,-Air. Davis. Can
gOu, as Christian man, leave uutFicd any means
that may lead to peace ?"
mo, cannot. desire peace as much as
a 4 L.. 4 IT.
but feel that not one drop of the blood shed in
this war 10 on any hands, / can look Up to my
God q say THE. | tried all in my power 10
avert this wa. saw il coming, md for twelve
years ! worked night and day 10 prevent il, hut
could not. Tbs North was mad and blind; Il
would not lei us govern ourselves; and 20 the
Sar came, and row II must go on till the last
man Of this generation falls 10 his tracks, and
his children seize his musket and tight his battle,
aalsss you acknowledge our right 10 safgopernmeai.
We are not fighting for slavery. we are fght-
log for Independence. and that or determination
va 'eW have"
land there are at least four and half NIL.
Aons Of us left SO you see you have work be.
fore yOu." said Mr.. Benjamin, with decided
speer
I've have no wish to extermluate you. au-
swered the Colonel. believe what have said, I
that there is no bitterness between the Northern
and Southern people. The North, know, loves
the South. When peace comes, II will pour
BonSy and means into your hands TO repair the
waste caused By the war and II would now well
come you back, and forgive yon all the loss ami
b,oodshed you have caused. But We must crush
your armies, and extefminate your Government =
Aud ls not that already nearly done ? You are
wholly without money aud At the end of your re. .
SOURCES. Grant has shut you up in Richmond .
Sherman Ia before Atlanta. Had you not then, /
better accept honorable terms while you can re.
tain your prestige and save the pride of ths
Southern people
MF Davis smiled
- rsspeet your earnestness. Colonel, but yOa
do not seem TO understand the situation We
are not exactly shut up 10 Richmond II your
papers tell the TRUTH II ls your Capitol that is Ia
danger, Rot ours. Soma weeks ago. Grant GROSS.
ed the Hapidau to whip Lee. and take Richmond .
Lse drove him 10 the ftst battle, and then GrAnt
executed what your people call brilliant Hank. {
movement and fought Lee again. Lee drove
him second time and then Grant made another I
flank movement; and 50 they kept on,--Les
whipping, aud Grant tanking, until 0raut got
where he is nov. Aud what IL the net result ,
Grant has lost seventy five or eighty THOUSAND
men--lneSs than Lee had af The Outset, and Is 10
nearer taking Richmond than At first aud Lee.
whose trout has never been broken. holds him
completely In check, and has men enough 10
spare 60 invade Maryland, and threaten Wash
lngton Sherman, 10 be sure. is before Atlanta
but suppose he s, and suppose no takes IL You
know. that the farther he goes from his base OF
supplies. the weaker he grows, and the more dis
RsiTOua defeat will be to him. And defeat n0y
come. So, Ia a military view, should certainly
say our position uas better than yours, 7
HAa to money: We are richer than you are
You smile but admit that our paper is worth
nothing, il answers As a circulating medium and
We hnld IL all ourselves IL every dollar of Il