New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-18


tween themp
Undoubtedly, with this generation. You have
sOwn such bitterness at the South; you have put
skch an ocean of blood between the two sections,
that despair OF seeing any harmony in my time.
Our children may forget this war, but are cannot"
81 think the bitterness you speak Of. sir" said
the Colonel, "does not really exist. We meet and
talk here as friends; our soldiers meet and frater
nize with each other; and l feel sure that if the
Union were restored, q more friendly feeling would
arise between us than has ever existed. The war
has made us know and respect each other better
than before. This is the view very many South
ern men; / have had it from many Of them your
leading citizens.
"They are mistaken" replied Mr. Davis. "Thoy
DO not understand Southern sentiment. How can
we feel any thing but bitterness towards men who
deny US our rights2 If you enter my house aud
drive me ont of IT, am not your natural enemyF
A." You put the case too strongly. But we cannot
fight for ever the war must end at some time we
must finally agree upon something; can We not
agree now, and stop this fnghtinl carnage we
are both Christian men, Mr. DAVIS. Can you, as d
Christian man, leave untried any means tna' MSy
lead TO peacel'
"No, cannot. desire peace as much az yoa
do. dcploro bloodshcd as much as you do but
feel that not one drop of the blood shed IN ibis "ar
is on nly hands,-I can look up to my God ana say
this. tried all in my power TO avert TINS war. !
saw il coming, and for twelve years worked night
was mad and blind it would not let us govern
ourselves and SO the war came and now II must 90
on till the last man Of this generation falls IN ms
tracks and his children seize his musket sDd hight
our battle, unless y0u acknowledge our right 10
scIf.gorernmeRt. We are not fighting Tor slavery
We are fighting for Independence, and that, OF ex'
termination, We wtH have" m
"And there arc, at least, four and a-half millions
of us eft 30 YOU see you have work before you,
said Mr.. BENJAMIN, with decided sheer.
"We have no wish TO exterminate you, an
swered the Colonel. 81 believe what have SAID
that there is no bitterness between the Northern
and Southern people. The North, know, loves
the South. When peace comes, ii will pour money
and means into your hands to repair the waste
caused by the war ard IL would now welcome you
back, and forgive you all the loss and bloodshed you
have caused. But we must crush your armies ana
extermnate your government. And rs not una.
already nearly done You are wholly without
money. and at the end of your resources.
Grant has shut you up in Richmond. Sherman is
before Atlanta Had You not, then, better accept
honorable terms while you can retain your prestige,
and save the pride Of the Southern peopeP
Mr.. Davis smiled.
~ respect your oarnestness, Colonel, but 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 capital that il in danger not
ours Some weeks ago, Grant crossed the Rapldan
TO whip Lee. and take Richmond. Lee drove INN
in the first battle, and then Grant executed what
yonr people call brilliant flank movement, and
fought Lee again. Lee drove him second tine,
and then Grant made another flank movements
ard 50 they kept on,-Lec whipping, and Grant
thanking. Grant got where he is now. And
wha, is the result Grant mas lost seyenty-hye
or eighty thousand men-rRore Than Lee had al me
oufsft.-nnd is no nearer taking Richmond than al
the first end Lee whose front has never been bro
ken, holds him completely IN check, and has men
enough 10 spare 10 invade Maryland and threaten
Washington Sherman, 10 be sure, is before Az
lanta; but suppose he L. and suppose he taxes IL
You know that the farther ne goes rom LIS
base of suprlies the weaker he grOws, and the
more disastrous defeat will be 10 him. And defeat
NAV come. So in q military view should Ger
tainly say our position was better than yours.
As ~ money. we are richer than you are. You
smile; but, admit that our paper IS worth nothingi
it answers as "a circulating medium, and we ho!d
il all ourselves Ifeyery dollar OF II were lost We
should. as we have no foreign debt, be none the
poorer But il u worth something's II has the sohd
basis OF large cOtton-crOp, while yours rests on
nothing, and you owe al the world. Asto resources
we do not lack for arms or ammunition, ana We
have still wide territory from winch To gamer
supplies. So, You see we are not III e1'remlues
Bat il we werc-if We were without money, WITH
out food without wegpons,-lf our whole country
were dosolatcd, and our armies crushed ana u.s.
bandcd.-could We. without giving up our man.
hood give up our right TO govern ourselves would
y0n not rather die, and feel yourself man, thah
live, and b. subject 10 u foreign powerF
"From your standpoint there ~ force IN What
Won say rcplied the Colonel. "But We did not
come here TO argue wiihyou, Mr Davis. We came
hoping 10 fird some honorable wayto peace, ana
am ericyed 10 hear YOU say what you DO. Whcn
have seen your young men dying on Tie battie-held,
and your old men, women and children starving IN
in their homes, | have felt l could risk my hie 10
save them. For that reason am here; and am
hat fs a
81 know your motives Colonel Jacques, and !
honor Won for them; but what can do more than
am doing | would give my poor lie, gladly II IL
would bring peace and good-sito thetwo countries,
but il woold not 1t is with your own people you
should labor II is they who desoate our homes,
brrn our whea,.fieds, break the wheels OF wagons
carving away our women and children, AMI destroy
supplies meant for our sick and wounded. Al your
door lice ali the misery and the crime oi this wal,
and il is fearful, fearful account.
"Not all of it, Mr.. Davis. i ADMIT u lcariui ae-
count but il is not all at our door. Inc passions
80 10Th SIDES ara aroused. Unermed men are
hanged. prisoners are shot down III eolu pIoou, W
Yourselves. Elements of barbGrism are entering
Tho war from both sides, that should make us-you
and me- as Christian men-sDuGuer ~ 'IiN,. oi' IL
Gods name. then, let us stop H. Lei Us no soinc
,bing concede something TO bring about peace.
,,nrrt eypeet with only four and half mil
i,ons ~ Mfr. BENJAMIN says you have, to hold out
forever against twenty miillons'
Again Mr.. Davis smiled.
"Do you suppose there are twenty millions ut the
North determined TO crush usl =,
~ do,--to crush your Government. small
number of our people, very small number, are
your friends Secessonists. The rest differ about
measures and candidates, but ere united in the de-
termination to sustain the Union. whoever Is
is elected in November, he must be committed to
vigorous prosecution of the war;"
Mr. Davis still looking incrcduous, rcmarked-
t.lta NJ ~
ceiycs YOU. think know Northern sentiment,
aud assure you it is So. You know We have a
system oflyccum-lecturing in our large towns. At
the close Of these lectures it is the custom Of the