hat no one, having control of the
rebel armies, or, in fact, having any influence whatever in the
rebellion, has offered, or intimated, a willingness to a restoration of
the Union, in any event, or on any condition whatever.... If Jefferson
Davis wishes for himself, or for the benefit of his friends at the
North, to know what I would do if he were to offer peace and reunion,
saying nothing about slavery, let him try me."

If the result of Mr. Greeley's Niagara efforts left any doubt that peace
was at present unattainable, the fact was demonstrated beyond question
by the published report of another unofficial and volunteer negotiation
which was proceeding at the same time. In May, 1863, James F. Jaquess,
D.D., a Methodist clergyman of piety and religious enthusiasm, who had
been appointed by Governor Yates colonel of an Illinois regiment,
applied for permission to go South, urging that by virtue of his church
relations he could, within ninety days, obtain acceptable terms of peace
from the Confederates. The military superiors to whom he submitted the
request forwarded it to Mr. Lincoln with a favorable indorsement; and
the President replied, consenting that they grant him a furlough, if
they saw fit, but saying:

"He cannot go with any government authority whatever. This is absolute
and imperative."

Eleven days later he was back again within Union lines, claiming to have
valuable "unofficial" proposals for peace. President Lincoln paid no
attention to his request for an interview, and in course of time he
returned to his regiment. Nothing daunted, however, a year later he
applied for and received permission to repeat his visit, this time in
company with J.R. Gilmore, a lecturer and writer, but, as before,
expressly without instruction or authority from Mr. Lincoln. They went
to Richmond, and had an extended interview with Mr. Davis, during which
they proposed to him a plan of adjustment as visionary as it was
unauthorized, its central feature being a general election to be held
over the whole country, North and South, within sixty days, on the two
propositions,--peace with disunion and Southern independence, or peace
with Union, emancipation, no confiscation, and universal amnesty,--the
majority vote to decide, and the governments at Washington and Richmond
to be finally bound by the decision.

The interview resulted in nothing but a renewed declaration from Mr.
Davis that he would fight for separation to the bitter