Year: 1864

INC Ldte f@CdC6 1nIeIHleW In RlChmOnd,
We publish to-day letter from Mr. Benjamin,
the.Secretsry of State, which may be regarded, We
suppose, as an authorized account Of the recent
interview between President Davis and Messrs.
Jacquess and Gilmore on the subject Of peace-
The newspapers have also published a much
fuller account of this interview, prepared by Mr.
Gilmore, but we have not copied that, for the
reason that much Of it is no doubt exaggerated and
colored by the peculiar views of the SO called com.
miSsioners referred to. set


1t is obvious that these persons had no otic ial
authority to.speak for Mr. Lincoln, and it may be
that if they spoke from any knowledge Of his real
sentiments and purposes they were feeling their
way to one point, while they indicated another as
the only one which they would consent to consider
at all dobatabe. For example, they knew that
Mr. Davis would not consent to reconstruct the old
government on the basis OF the aboftion of slavery
and he so replied to them but they were not sure
he would not reconstruct if slavery could be pre-
served and the seeded States restored to all the
rights. which they enjoyed before they seeded
They made no offer of this kind, nor did Mr. Davis
refer to such an alternative; but it may be that
they felt they were opening the way to- such re-
suit They failed 10 draw him out.


At any rate; we are glad the Two administrat ions
are talking about peace, however remotely. All
things, whether good or bad, must have a Begin
ming We believe now, as we believed twelve
months ago, that no permanent or substantial
peace can be established without the intervention
of the States. The two extremes, represented by
Mr.. Davis and Mr.. Lincoln, will never give peace


Nor do We belieVs that the Chicago Convention
which assembled on the a9th, will do much to has
ten peace: No doubt that body has taken ground
for cessation of hostlities the earliest practicable
moment; but the srmistice for which it calls is on.
y to precede discussion which must result if the
views of that Convention to be carried out in a
restoration of the Union with guarantee for slav
cry where it now exists Are the friends of the
administration of Mr. Davis prepared for that Are
they ready to reconstruct en- such a basis, or any
basis? lfnot, they look in vain to the Northern
national Democracy. We know something about
that Democracy, and we feel sure that what we say
is true Wefear they will never consent to a perns.
nent dissolution of theUrion But these speculstionS
idle, for the plain reason that Mr. Lincoln will
be re elected. Even if the national Democrats had
a majority in the United States. they would find
themselves unable to contend with Mr. Lincoln s
patronage, to say nothing of his bayQneIs. The
election for President November next will not be
free The freedom Of suffrage Will be trampled un.
der foot there, it trampled under foot in this
State at the recent election. Money and bayonets
will carry the day. The Democrats will feel and
know that their dearest rights have been disregard
ed, and that they are longer free men, but they
will be powerless to vindicate their liberties or
avenge themselves; while the Lincolnites will ex
ult at the prospect of four years of war fraud
and corruption and will declare that the election
was as " fair thing as ever was" Lincoln will be
reelected and the war will go on. That is our
opinion. We may be mistaken and we hope We
are; for though the Democrats are as firmly fixed
the LiRocnites are against secession disunon,
yet they are a much better order of public men,
and the South might expect that they would treat
der with more justice and generosity than the Lin.
contes would, in any settlement that might be ef
fected.