The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-03-15

substituting for the usua; mods a. ~
gotiattng through commissioners or oth.,
diplomatic agents the method sons,Io,ss
employed Of military convention to r.
entered into by the commanding Ds,
rails OF the armies Of the two bellieere1
This, he admitted. was power possessl
oy him, though it was not thought cor,
mensurate with all the questions IL
VOWED. AS he did not accent tho S,
gestlon when made, he was afterwa4
requested to reconsider his conclus;ss
upon the subject of suspension Of bo"
tillties, which he agreed to do. but s.;d
that ne had maturcly considered Of to-
plan, and had determined that il covlS
not be done. 0'0'a
subsequently, however, an interview
| with General Longstreet was asked f.,
| oy GENERAL Ord, commanding the chs.
| my's Army of the James, during which
General Longstreet was informed by him
tnat there was a possibility of arriving .,
satisfactory adjustment of the presen,
unhappy difficulties by means of mill.
tary convention, end that if General Isa
desired an interview on the subject !,
would not be declined, provided General
Lee had authority to act. This conn.,
munlcatlon was supposed to be the con.
sequence of the suggestion above referred
TO- and General Lee, according to in.
structlons, wrote to General Grant on
the second of this month, proposing n
meet him for conference on the snbiect
and stating that he was vested with tbs
requisite authority. General Grant,
reply stated that he had no AUTHORITY r.
accede to the proposed conference that
his powers extended only to making a
convention on subjects purely of mill.
tary character, and that General Ord
could only have meant that an interview
would not be refused on any subject On
which he General Grant, had the rich.
to act.
1t thus appears, that neither with the
Confederate authorities, nor the author.
ties of any State, nor through the con.
handing generals, will the Government
of the United States treat or make any
terms or agreement whatever fon tho
cessation of hostilties. There remains
then for us no choice but to continue this
contest to final issue; for the people
of the Confcderacy can be but little
known to him who supposes it possible
they would ever consent to purchase,
at the cost of degradation and slavery
PERMISSION to live in country garrisoned
by their own negroes and governed BY
officers sent Ly the conqueror to rule
over them.
CONCLUSION.
Having tAA5 lilly placed before YOU
the information requisite to enable You
to judge of the state of the country, the
dangers to which We are exposed, and
the measures Of legislation needed for
averting them, it remains for me but to
invoke your attention to the considera.
ton of those means by which, above all
others, we may hope to escape the cala>
mites that would result from our failure.
Prominent, above all others, is the ne.
cessity for earnest and cordial co-opera>
ton between all departments Of govern
ment, State and Confederate, and all
eminent citizens throughout the Con.
federacy To you especially, as .Sena-
tors and Representatives, do the people
look for encouragement and counsel. To
your action, not only in Legislative halls,
but in your homes, will their eyes be
turned for the example Of what is betit
ting men who, by willing sacrifices on
the altar of freedom, show that
they are worthy to enjoy it's blessings.
| feel full confidence that you will concur
with me in the conviction that your
public duties will not be ended when
you shall have closed the legislative
labors Of the session, but that your voice
will be heard cheering and encouraging
the people to that persistent fortitude
which they have hitherto displayed, and
animating them by the manifestation of
that serene confidence which, in mo-
ments of public danger, is the distinctiye
characteristic of the patriot, who derives
courage from his devotion to his coun-
try's destiny, and is thus enabled to in
spre the like courage in others.
Thus united in common and holy
cause, rising above all selfish considera-
tons, rendering all our means and facul-
ties tributary to the country's welfare,
let us bow subm;ssively to the Divine
will, and reverently invoke the blessing
Of our Heavenly Father, that as lie pro-
tected and guided our sires when strug'
Cling in similar cause, so He will enable
us to guard safely our affairs and our tire.
sides, and maintain inviolate the political
rights which we Inherited.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Richmond, March 10, 1865.