The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-21

| The West Florida Commercial, euiteu py
Hon. S. R. Mallory, who was member OF
Mr.. Davis's Cabinet, publishes the follow
ing interesting account of the last official
interview between Mr.. Davis and Gene
rails Beauregard and Johnston:
The views Of Generals Johnston and
Beauregard of the military situation Of
the Confederacy on the 18th Of April
have already been referred to. At Green's
boro' Johnston fully and frankly expressed
to member of the Cabinet, an old per-
sonal friend, his conviction that all further
resistance to the Federal forces east Of the
Mississippi would but augment the suffer.
ing and desolation Of the country without
the slightest prospect Of achieving indie
pendence, sustaining his opinions by re-
ferenccs to the relative positions, power,
and resources of the beligerents. What,
in your judgment" said his friend, do
the best interests Of our people require OF
the Government ?"
"Wemu stop fighting ut once" said he,
"and secure peace upon the best terms we
can obtain" "Can we secure terms2"
81 think we can," he replied; sat all
events, we should make the effort at once,
| for we are at the end of the row."
General Johnston" said his friend, "your
position as the chief Of this army and as
| the military commander of this depart
ment demands from you frank statement
of your views to the President. You be-
lieve that our cause is hopeless, and that
further resistance, with the means at our
command, would not only be useless, but
uniustiiable, and that we should lay down
our arms and secure the best terms we can
get for our people. will, if you please,
state all this TO the President, but think
YOU had better do so at once, and e&pll-
CITY," General Beauregard and have
been requested to meet the President this
evening" he replied, "aud will give him
my opinions very explicitly. You Will not
find me rcticent upon them"
At s O'Clock that evening the Cabinet,
with the exception of Mr.. Trenholm,
whose illness prevented his attendance,
Joined the President at his room. 1t was
a small apartment, some twelve by sixteen
feet, containing bed, few chairs, and @
table, with writing materials, on the second
floor of the small dwelling of Mrs. John
| TAYLOR Wood; and a few minutes alter
the two Generals entered.
The uniform habit of President Davis,
in Cabinet meetings, was to consume some
| little time in general conversation before
entering upon the business Of the oCca-
sion, not uDfrequently introducing some
anecdote or interesting episode, generally
some "reminiscences Of the early life of HIM
self or others in the army, the Mexican
war, or his Washington experiences: and
his manner Of relating and his application
of them were at all times very happy and
pleasing. -,
Few men seized more readily upon the
sprightlv aspects of any transaction or
| turned them to better account and his
powers of mimicry, whenever he condo
| scenGed to exercise them, were irrcSiSti-
bic. Upon this occasion, at a time when
the cause Of the Conrederacy was hopeless,
when its soldiers were throwing away their
arms and flying to their homes, when its
Government, stripped Of nearly all power,
could not hope to exist beyond few days
more, and when the enemy, more powerful
and eXultant than ever, was advancing
upon all sides, true to his habit, he intro
duced several subjects of conversation un-
connected with the condition Of the coun-
try, and discussed them as if at some
pleasant ordinary meeting. After q brief
time thus spent, turning to General John
Ston he said, in his usual quiet, grave way,
when entering upon matters OF business,
81 have requested you and General Beau
| regard, General Johnston, to join Us this
evening, that we might have the benefit Of
vOur views upon the situation Of the cOun-
| try. OF course we all feel the magnitude
Of the moment. Our late disasters are
terrible; but do not think we should re-
gard them as fatal. I think we can whip
the enemy yet if our people will turn out.
| We must look at matters calmly, however,
and see what is left for us to do. What
ever can be done must be done at once.
We have not day to lose" A pause en-
sued, General Johnston not seeming to- deem
himself expected to speak; when the Pre-
Sident said, We should like to hear your
views, Gen. Johnston. Upon this the Gene
raj, without preface or lntroduction-hiS
words translating the expression which MS
face had worn since he entered the room
said, in his terse, concise, demonStratlVe
way, as if seeking to condense thoughts VnaC
were crowding for utterance, MY views
are, sir, that our people are tlreH OF the
war, feel themselves whipped, and Will not
fight. Our country is overrun, Its military
resources greatly diminished, while the
enemy's military power and resources
we're never greater, and may be Increased
70 any desired extent. We cannot place
another large army in the field; and cut
off as we are from foreign intercourse,
do not see how we could maintain it in
dphting condition if we had it. lily men
are daily DESERVING in large numbers, and
are taking my artillery teams TO aid their
escape to their homes. Since Lees de-
feat they regard the war as at an end. If
I march out of North Carolina her people
will all leave my ranks. 1t will be the
same as l proceed south through South
Carolina and Georgia, and l shall expect
to retain no man beyond the by-road or
cow path that leads to his home. My small
force is melting away like snow before the
sun, and I am hopeless of recruiting it,"
We may, perhaps, obtain terms which we
ought to accept.
The tone and manner, almost spiteful,
in which the General jerked out these
brief, decisive sentences, pausing at every
paragraph, left no doubt as to his own con-
victions. When ne ceased speaking, what
ever was thought Of his Statements-and
their Importance was fully understood
they elected neither comment nor inquiry.
The President, who, during their delivery,
had sat with his eyes fixed upon scrap
of paper which lie was folding and refad-
ing abstractcdiy, and who had listened
without change of position or expression.