The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-02-08
Heavy Skirmishing-Des-
perate Fighting.
The Enemy's Loss Sever e.
ii GREAT B.4TTLE Ell.
PECTED.

New York, Feb.

The Herald has an editorial to which il
gives prominence, saying the facts sat I'D
In the article are derived from such sour.
ces as to entitle them to implicit bellef
that they are correct beyond the Iossib ii.
ity of mistake. After referring to the mo
t,ves which induced Mr.. Blair to visit
Richmond, it continues: Before Mr.. B. Iir
|. f for hon Jefferson Davis addressed to
him letter expressing a strong desire Tor
peace, Offering to waive all formaities 10
settiir our difficulties on the basis of ~
COVER ments. The letter was adroitIy
couched in such terms as to a hasty. cane
less reader nigh. conceal the clpsen foo OF
or cloven government which on close In
spection was plainly visible at the botto in
of 1t. Ii seems to b. cunning effort to
Place the odlum Of continuing An unnecds.
-ary war on Mr. Lincoln The Presidan,
speedily sent Blair back with assuran ce
that he also was d sirous Of peace. and in
substance that without sticking for tech
uecslities be would listen TO what aby
messenger might have TO say, if sent BY
j 1T Davis or any other prominent rebel.
provided the necessity OF preserving our
own as the one Government Of the whole
United States was first conceded Thus
Tar 10 this diplomatic game Mr.. Lincoln
had decidedly got The better of Davis. L.
woui MOI do Tor the shaking Confrderac,
to leave the matter thus The aslute Mr.
Stephens was called to the aid oi Mr. Da-
Wis. A long conference was held. I. was
determined that Mr. Stephens, Judge
Campbell and Alr. Hunter should proceed
North and Try their JOINT hand at mend.
ing matters. They entered Grants lines
on the assurance that they came on
tho basis oil Mr. Lincola's instructions 10
hr. Blair, but when the President and
Mr. Seward met them il turned out-that
all they wanted was an armistice, the c1n-
slderation OF the maintenance OF the u nion
TO be put oif to more convenient season,
when their siomachs should be full Of fat
20 be derived from onr land, and their
military stores replenished. MIR. Lincoln
again informed them that the preservation
| D. the Union must be a condition prece-
dent to aDy other arrangements, and that
he would never consent TO a cessation fot
| hustlhsies which would not be the final
one. Four hours of good natured talk
ensued. but Il al re.uted in nothing more
than we have already stated. TIE ,ruti.
is that the rebels are very hardly pressed
| BY our armies. They see that hy the
sword they must perish. and so they have
thought to save themselves by negotiation
and diplomacy, but in this Mr Line In
has shown himself more than a match for
'hem. They have found him courteous
but firm aud iu1exible. He has nov sat.
ls6ed the ciamorous peace men of the
North who have pertinateously insisted
| that soft words would mend the hearts OF
the ubdurate rebels. TAX is of no use
All that remains is TO fight it out aud the
quicker the better.
Tne Tribune says the rebels required
Of the President an immediate aud an
qualified cessation If hostii.ies, leaving
III abeyance oil questions concerning The
integrity Of the Uaion and the rightsu
authority OF Its government over the peo
pie of the several States, which the Pres
,dent courteously, promptly but decided,
apprised them tha. be Was neither author
is-d nor disposed to concede, and thus th,
conference terminated
The World argues that the conferenc
was not q failure, By showing the rehe
commissioners we're not authorized to pro
pose any terms. but rather merely to hav,
an interview for information SO as to en-
able the Richmond Government to decid
whether peace conference is expedieni.
i The latest Riehmoud papers Are 6ile.
with belIigerent editorials, denouncin,
Reunion and Ginning that the army i
fsr fighting it out Tuey had not ye
beard Of the result of the conference.
They rsjaics & estly over Lees promo
lion.
i The Sentinel says no more rebel treas
ury notes are to be issued.
Tne Wing demauds that Bragg be en-
tirely set aside as utterly worthless.
The Worlds Washington special "a )
i is-fcported 10 that city that the rebel
have adopted : new var policy. Rich