Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-09-02
OUR VISIT TO nlCHlMOND,

| OUR VISIT TO MlCIlHOND.
j. r. Gilmore (Edmund Kirk furnishes
the atlantic Monthly for September an ac.
count Of "Our Visit to Richmond" in which
he was accompanied by Colonel Jaquess Of
Illinois. That portion giving the interview
with jeff Davis we furnish our readers be.
| low:
! Mr.. Benjamin occupied his previous seat
at the table, and at his right sat n spare, thin
featured man, with iron gray hair and beard,
and clear, gray eye full Of lifc and yigor.
| He had a broad, massive forehead and a
mouth and chin denoting great energy and
strength of will. His face was cmaciatcd,
and much wrinkled, bu; his features were
good, especially his eyes, though one of
them bore scar, apparently made by some
sharp instrument. lie wore suit of gray
ish brown, evidently of foreign manufacture,
and, as he rose, ! saw that he was about five
feet ten inches high, with a slight stoop in
the shoulders His manners were simple,
easy, and quite fascinating; and he threw an
indescribab!e charm Into his voice, as he ex.
tended his hand, and said to us
am glad to see you, Gentlemen Yod
And this was the man who was President
OF the United States under Franklin Pierce,
and who is now the heart, soul, and brains
Of the Southern Confcderacy!
lils manner put'me entirely at my casc,--
the Colonel would be at his, if he stood be.
fore Caesar, r,-and replied
1--WE thank you, Mr.. Davis. It Is not elten
you meet men of our clothes, and our rfin,
ciplcS, in Richmond"
Not often, hot so often as could wish;
and trust your coming may lead to more
frequent and morc friendly intercourse tc.
tween the North and the South
We sincerely hope it mag
"Mr. Benjamin tells me you have asked to
see me, toN.--
And he paused, as if desiring, we should
finish the sentence. The Colonel replied, -
Yes, Sir. We have asked this interview
in the hope that you may suggest some way
by which this war may be stopped. I'm
people want naace,-your people do, and
your C"rsre, has recently said that goa do
We have come to ask how it can be brought
about"
E" In very simple way. Withdraw you,
armies from our territory, and peace will
come of itself. We do not seek to subiugnts
you. We are not waging an offensive war
except so far as it is offensive defensive =
that is, so far MS we arc forced to invade YOU
to prevent your invading us. Let US alone
and peace will come at once"
'" But we cannot let you alone 50 long a,
you rcpudiatc the Union. That is the on,
thing the Northern people will not surrcn
der" ..n,..I - ., %,
:" know. You would deny to us wha
you exact for yourselves, the right of self
government" n,
=" No, Sir" remarked awe would de
ny you no natural right. But we think
Union essential to pence; and, AIr. Davis
coutd two people, with the same language
separate! only by an imaginary line, live al
peace with each other? Would not dispute.
constantly arise, and cause almost constan
war between them"
Undoubtedly. with this generation. -
You have sown such bitterness at the South
you have put such an ocean of blood hctwcc'
the two sections, that despair of seeing an,
harmony in my time. Our children ma,
forget this war, but Wc cannot"
" think.the bitterness you speak Of Sir,
said the Colonel, docs not really exist W
meet and talk here as friends; our soldier
meet and fratcrriYc with each other; and
feel sure, that, if the Union were restored,
more friendly feeling would arise between IL
than has ever existed. Tho war has mad
us know and respect each other better thar
before. This is the view of very many South
ern men have had it from many Of them
your leading citizens"
They are mistaken" replied Mr.. Davis
They do not understand Southern senti
scn c,.t l.,f D. -
terne, s towards mtn who deny to us oul
tights? II You enter my house and driv,
me out OF 1t, am ] not your natural enemy y
You put the case too strongly. But W.
cannot fight forever; the war must end a
some time; we must finally agree upon some
thing; can we not agree now, and stop thi.
tright'ul carnage? We are both Christim
men, M:. Davis. Can you, as a Christian
man, leave untried any uicans that may lcat
to pcace!" a
mo, cannot. desire peace as mncl
as you do. deplore bloodshed as much n.
you do ; but feel that not one drop of tn,
blood shed in this war is on my hands, -
can look up to my God and say this. tric,
all in my power to avert this war saw i
coming, and for twelve years worked nigh
and day to prevent it, but could not. Yht
North was mad and blind it would not le
US govern ourselves; and so the war came
and now it must 60 on til the last man 0
this generation falls in his tracks, and hi
children seize his muskct and tigh. his bat
tie, Hnless you ach7sorleelge our rigbt to SELF
gogeTaheHt. We are not fighting for slave
ry. We arc fighting fer Independence -,
and that, or cxtcImnation, we ariU have"
"And there are, at least, four and hal
millions yo:ns left ; SO you see you have worl
before you," said Mr.. Benjamin, with dc
c.led sneer.
We have no wish to cxterminatc you,
answered the Colonel 81 believe what
have said,--that there is no bitterness be
J tween the Northern and Southern people.--
The North, know, loves the South. Whcl
peace comes, it viii pour money and means
into your bands to repair the waste cause
by the war; and it would now welcome yol
ibaek, ard forgive you all the loss and blood
shed you have caused But we must ,crusl
your armies, and cxtcrminate your Govern
ment. And is not that already nearly done
You are wholly without money, and at tn
end Of .your resources. Grant has shut yo,
up in Richmond. Sherman is before Allan
ta. Had yon not, then, better accept honor
able terms while you can retain your pres
tigc, and save the pride Of the Southern pco
yle p . ...|...
Mr. Davis smiled.
=" respect your earncstness, Colonel, bu
you do not seem to understand the situation
We are not exactly shut up in Richmond -
II your papers tell the truth, it is your capi
tai that is in danger, not ours. Some week
ago, Grant crossed the Rapilan to whip Lee
and take Richmond. Lee drove him in tn
first battle, and then Grant executed wha
your people call brilliant flank movement,
and fought Lee again. Lee drove him sec
ond time, and then Grant made anotie
flank movement; and so they Kept on
Lee whipping, and Grant faaking. unit
Grant got where he is now. And what i
the net result ~ Grant has lost seventy iiv
or eighty thoussnd lnen,---,noro than lie
hal at tue ontset,-and is no nearer takin,
Richmond than at first and Lee. who's
front has never been broken, holds him com
pletely in check, and has men enough 4
spare to invade Maryland, and threaten
Washington! Sherman, to be sure, is befor
atlanta; but suppose he is, and suppose b
| tall l., tIn r., Z