Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-09-03

that the North was 70 have a voice IN do,..
mining the domestic relations of the SCI
could not live here day. He woplS :
hanged to the first tree, without iudgs y
jury" Ut
"Allow me to doubt that. l think II M
likely he would be hanged ifhe let the sor,Ie
ern people know the majority couldn't rnia NIL y
I replied, smiling.
Il have no fear of that" rejoined Mr. =.
Wis, also smiling most good humoredlv ~
give you leave to proclaim it from cvo-
heuse-top in the South"
''But, seriously, sir, you let the maiori,,
rule in single State; why not let it rule ;!
the whole country"
because the States are independent
sovereign. The country is not. 1t is opir
confederation of States, or rather it was: !.
is now two considerations.
"Then we are not people-we are oDlv.
political partnership ?" -
''That is ALL"
"Your very name, sir. United State.
implies that" said Mr.. Benjamin. "But tan
me, are the terms you have named-emanc;
patton, no confscation, and universal anne
ty-the terms which. Mr.. Lincoln authori-aI
you to offer US ?"
No. sir: Mr.-Lineoln did not authorize
me to offer you any terms. But think both
he and the Northern people, for the sake az
peace, would assent to some such conditions
"They are very generous" replied Mr.. Da.
Wis, for the first time during the interview
showing some angry feeling. But, amnesty
sir, applies to criminals We have commit,
ted no crime. Confscation is OF no account
unless you can enforce it. And emaneipa
ton !! You have already emancipated nearly
two millions of our slaves; and if you win
take care of them you may emancipate the
rest. ! had few when the war began l
was of some use to them; they never were
of any to me. Against their viii you eman.
cipated them, and you may 'emancipate
every negro in the confederaey, but we will
be free. We will govern ourselves. We
will do it if we have to see every Southern
plantation sacked and every Southern city in
flames" tfEe-(F
81 see, Mr. Davis, it is useless to continue
this conversation" replied; "and you will
pardon us if we have seemed to press our
views with too much pertinacity. We love
the old flag and that must be our apology for
intruding upon you at all.
"You have not intruded upon me-" he re-
piled, resuming his usual manner. al am
glad to have met you both. l once loved
the old flag as well as you do; would have
died for it, but now it is to me only the EN-.
blem of oppression" .-e
81 hope the day may never come, Mr.. Da.
Wis, when say that" said the Colonel.
CLOSE OF THE INTERVIEW.
A half-hour's conversation on other topics.
not of public interest, and then we rose to
go. As we did so the rebel President gave
me his hand, and, bidding me kindly good
bye, expressed the hope of seeing me again
in Richmond in happier times-@hen peace
should have returned; but with the Colonel
his parting was particularly cordial Taking
his hand in both of his he said to him:
"Colonel, respect your character and
your motives, and l wish you weI / wish
you every good l can wish you consistently
with the interests of the Confederacy."
The quiet, straight forward bearing and
magnificent moral courage of our "fightins
parsOn" had evidently impressed Mr.. Dayi:
very favorably.
As we were leaving the room he added =
Say to Mr.. Lincoln from me that | shall
at any time be pleased to receive proposal:
for peace on the basis of our independence. Il
CN be useless to approach me nth dny other"
When we went out Mr.. Benjamin called
Judge 0uld, who had been waiting during the
whole interview-two hours-at the other
end of the hall, and we passed down the
stairway together. As put my arm within
that of the Judge, he said to me
"Well, what is the result?"
"Nothing but war-war to the knife"
"Ephraim is Joined to his idols-let hin
alone" added the Colonel solemnly.
asn