St. Mary's gazette., 1864-08-25
JEFF DAVIS AND HIS TERMS OR
PEACE.

PEACE.
ls* AT Pawtucke.. Rhode Island, On Wed.
nesday evening, Dir. Gilmore (''Ednund
kirkc delivered a lecture, In which he
described his interviev xith JEFF Davis
during a late visi, to Richmond. aud the
substance of their conversation on the
terms of peace. The Providence Press
gives the following report Of Mr. Gilmore
remarks:
went to Richmond with the R.v.
Colouel Jacques. aud went with the hope oi
making negotiations which might result
in peace. Ii We should succeed We
! thought that the CONSCIOUSNESS Of hav;ng
served our country would pay our expen-
ses. If We failed. we might still serve
The country by letting the people of the
North know what was the reason Of our
failure; for | went with propositions on
the basis of which | Nigh, have made an
ARA. :semrnt for peace wi'h NJ Davis,
aud if we Wee uus"ecessful, it would b.
useful for. The countr, to kHov what pro-
positions we're rejected. We went to Kivh-
mond in an ambulance, aud were three
hours on the way after We entered the rcb-
el lines We entered Richmond a, ten o.
clock. and planted our white a,g in the
very heart of the rebel capital.
As We stopped, Judge Ould, the rebel
commissioner of exchange, directed Col
jacques TO button up his oyescoat, as it
was dangerous to be seen with blue uni.
form III the streets of Richmond. We
were taken 10 a hotel. and shown I'D to
No. co. a shabby room. with some Gne
furniture in very bad order. We were
provided with supper, and directed how to
apply for an intcrsie, with the President.
The next morning We directed note tn
Secretary Benjimin, asking al Interview
wlth the President, ard were Invited TO
call upon him. when We made an engage
ment 10 meet the President tha, evening.
which vas Sunday.
On mootIng our engagement. We we're
sh 'wn into the State Department. where
we saw Mr.. benjamin, small, plump,
black haired, aleck-cyed man, seated il
his usual place, aud at his I igh, pale thin
man, dressed in suit of Iarkish gray.
with mouth and chin expressive of the
greatest determination We told him sim
ply that We came without official autho.i-
ty, but knowing the "pirioEs of our gov
ernmeu', to see on what terms peace
might be made,
Dir. Davis replied, quietly, withdraw
your armies from our territory. and peace
will follow Of itself We told hun that
the Northern people would never agree TO
any plan which did not include the estab.
lishmeut of the Union Mr.. Davis said
that We never could live in peace.
The North had sowed such bitterness
between the two sections that we nev.r
could have peace in this generation. W..
then urged upon him that it was his du /
ty to use every effort TO put an end to this
noustrous bloodshcd. lie acknowledged
this. and declared that none of the blood !
she'd in this war could be laid to his own
charge. They, the South, were not tlyht. !
ing for slavery; they were & 6.htinc fJc in
dependence, aud Independence or * x.crn,-
nation they would have. We theu triei !
10 show him that the position Of the rebel
armies was such tha: it was better for lhrw
10 give up the contest while they could do it
with honor; but he was unwilling to ad-
nit that his armies were in such dcspe
rate condition. He laid the blame of The
barbari;y of this war entirely upon the
North, utterly ignoring the instances of
'ebel barbariiyv which We brought to his
notice. then had considerable conver-
'ation with Mr.. Davis, in which | indi
'ectly offered him the terms which | had
been authorized to suggest; but as he did
lot show any disposition 70 meet NE. dil
lot state them explicitly. These terms
will be given in the newspapers in shor,
Inc. They were, in general, entire abo-
itlon, general amnesty, no confiscation, |
he debts OF the South to b. ignored. the
ebts of the general government to be
'orDe by all tue States. Mr. Davis de-
Jared that such terms could never be ac-
epted by the Southern people, and rather
ban submit to taem they would stake
heir whole property and their national ex-
.teuc1.