The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-09-01

no tnere ~ NOW IN every VlllaSe, they
will give you no terms-tbey will in
sist on hanging every rebel south of
-. Pardon my terms. I mean no
offense.
"You give no offence" he replied,
smiling very pleasantly. l wouldn't
have you pick your words. This is q
frank, free talk, and like you the bet
ter for saying what you think. Go
on" 700 a. "
II was merely going to say that, let
the Northern people once really feel
the war-they do not feel it yet-and
they will insist on banging every one
Of your leaders" .
"Well, admitting all you say, can't
see how it effects our position There
are some things worse than hanging or
determination. We reckon giving up
the right Of self government one Of
those things" 'fi
"By selt-government you mean dis
union-Southcrn independence"
"Yes." I'll. - "s,r ....
-" And slavery, you say, is no longer
an element in the contest" n.
"No, it is not, it never was an cs-
sential element. 1t was only means
Of bringing conflicting elements TO an
earlier elimination. It fred the mus
-ket which was already capped and
loaded. There are essential differences
between the North and the South that
will, however this warmay end, make
them two nations" .......
"You ask me to say what / think.
IWill you allow me to say that | know
the South pretty we'll and never OBJ
served those difiercnces2'
Then you have not used your eyes.
My sight is poorer than yours, and l
have seen thcm for years"
The laugh was upon me, and Mr.
Benjamin enjoyed it.
"Well, sir, be that as it may, if l
understand you, the dispute between
your Government and ours is narrowed
down 10 this Union or disunion."
eyes, or put it in other words
independence or subjugation.'
"Then the two governments are ire
conciably apart. They have no alter
native but to fight it out. But it is not
so with the people. They are tircd:of
fighting and want peace; and as they
bear all the burden and suffering of the
war, is it not right they should have
peace, and have it on such terms as
they likc?" a..~.... .....
81 don't understand you. Be a little
more explicit" ." .. a...
MR., DAVIS REFUSES AN ARMIsTIcE.
"Well, suppose the two govern
ments should agree to something like
this: To 60 to the people with two
propositions, say peace, with disunion
and Southern independence as your
proposition-and peace, with Union,
emancipation, no contiscation and uni
versal amnesty as ours. Let the citi-
zens Of all the United States (as they
existed before the war vote Yes or
No, on these two propositions at n
special election within sixty days. If
4 majority votes disunion, ourGovern.
ment to be bound by it, and let YOU 90
in peace. If a majority vote Union.
yours to be bound by it, and stay in
peace, The two governments can CON
tractin this way and the people, though
constitutionally unable to decide on
peace or war, can elect which of the
two propositions shall govern tEcir ru-
lers. Let Lee and Grant meanwhile
agree TO an armisticc This would
sheath the sword; and if once sheath
ed it would never again be drawn by
this generation.
This plan is altogether impractical
blc. If the South were only one State
it might work; but as it is, if one
SoNthern State objected TO omancipa-
tion, it would nullity the whole thing
for you are aware the people Of Vir
ginia cannot vote slavery out Of South
Carolina, nor the people Of South Car
olina. vote it out Of Virginia" "
"But three-fourths Of the States can
amend the constitution. Let it be
done in that way-in any way, so that
it be done by the people. l am nota
statesman or politician, and do not
know just how such d plat could be
carried OUT but you get the idea
that the people shall decide the ques-
ton"
That the majority shall decide il,
you mean. We seeded to rid our
selves Of the majority, and this would
subject us to it again"
"But the majority must rule finally,
either with bullets or ballots"
II am not so sure of that Neither
current events nor history shows that
the majority rules or ever did rule
The contrary, l think, is true. Why,
sir, tho man who should go before the
Southern people with such PROPOSE
tior, with any proposition which i'm
pliod that the North was TO have a
voice in determining the domestic re-
lations of the South, could not live here
to-day. He would be hanged TO the
first tree, without Judge or jury"
"AlIow me TO doubt that, think
it more hkeIy ho would be hanged il
he let the Sothern people know the
majority couldn't rule" l replied,
smiling. =" !
Il have no fear of that" rcjoincd
Mr.. Davis, also smiling most good hu-
morcdly. ~ give you leave to pro
claim it from every house-top in the
South" ... ... ..
But, seriously, sir, you let the ma
jority rule in a single State; why not