The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-12-16
TRYING TO MAKE PEACE.
The Efforts Made i'll Confederate Times"
to Secure Peace Conference.
WEI. B. IN Southern Birouac for December.
The following is copy of a memoran.
dun found among the State papers of
the late Confederate Government:

dun found among the State papers of
the late Confederate Government:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
RICHMOND, Saturday, jan, IS, 1865.
~ have just returned from the Execu.
tive Mansion, where ] had an interview
with the President on business for the
department Of State. As the circum.
stances connected with this affair are to
me interesting, ard may one day become
so to the country, set down briefly sev.
eral points while they are now fresh in
my memory.
"The particular business on which l
went was to take to the President for his
signature three letters-all Identical
one to the Hon. A. 81. Stephens, one to
the Hon. R. NJ. T. Hunter, and the
third to the Hon. John A. Campbell.
each of the letters contained first a
copy of letter addressed by Mr.. Lin.
coil TO F. P. Blair, in the following
words:
"WAsH1NGToN, January is, 1865.
"F. P. Blair, Esq.-Sir: You having
shown me Mr.. Davis's letter TO you ofthe
18th inst, you may say to him that l
have constantly been, am now, and shall
continue ready to receive any agent
whom he, or any other influential person
now resisting the National authority,
may Informally SEMI to me with the view
of securing peace to the people of our
common country. Yours, &C.,
ga. L1NcoLN:
"Then came letter to be signed by
Mr.. Davis, in the following words:
"R1CHMoND, Jan. %, 1865.
"Hon. R. NJ. T. Hunter-sir: In
conformity will the letter of Mr. Lin
coin, of which the foregoing is copy,
YOU are requested to proceed to Washing.
ton City for informal conference with
him upon the issues involved in the ex.
isting war, and for the purpose of securing
peace to the two countries. Your obedi-
eut servant, JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Same to Hon. A. H. Stephens and
Hon. J. A. Campbell.
CATER entering the room in which the
President was, and making inquiry as to
his health The was at home sick that day.,
handed him tfe three papers, saying
that the secretary of Sta.e requested him
to sign Them He read one of them
thoroughly and attentively, containing
the copy of Mr.. Lincoln's letter to Blair,
and that to be signed by himself, and
then glanced over the remaining two OF
similar import. After short interval he
said, Mr.. Brownnell, there is something
wrong here; Mr.. Benjamin says in the
letter, on the subject there is no subject
mentioned in Mr.. Lincoln's letter for
conference. We merely adopt MIR. Lin
coins note so far as it concerns the send
ing of commissioners to have an inter.
view And again he said, 1T will never
do to ignore the fact that there are taoo
countries instead of but one common
country. We can't be too particular on
that point No, SIR / remarked, and
the letter will become matter of history
one of these days. He corrected one of
the letters in pencil, and burnt the other
two in his presence. After conversing
with me for few minutes on the subject
of volume of his message, &C., which
had Just prepared for publication, / re.
turned to the department aud handed
Mr.. Benjamin the corrected letter, say.
ing, lie has cut III up cohsloelaoly'
Just like him. replied Mr.. B., and turn
ing to Mr.. Washington, the chief clerk,
continued, 4 never saw such a man in
my life.' 1 mentioned the Presidents
first objection about the word sWect. "1t
doesn't NATTER replied NJ. B., what his
objections are; we will have solnethinfal
now that he wU sign Not needing this,
1 continued, He says it will never do to
ignore the fact that there are taco coun-
tries, stead of one common country,
that are in the question: That is the
very point replied Mr. B., cmphatically
and excitedly, that tried to avoid; the
whole thing will break down on that
very point. They will never permit the
commissioners to pass through with such
letters. But go on (he said,) copy them
over, you will see how it will be-
"Mr. Washington and | both retired,
and in passing through Mr.. W's room
stopped moment and remarked to him,
I don't care what Mr.. Benjamin. says,
the President is right"