"
"But we cannot let you alone so long as you repudiate the Union----"
"I know. You would deny us what you exact for yourselves--the right of
self-government."
"Even so," said Colonel Jaquess, "we can not fight forever. The war must
end sometime. We must finally agree on something. Can we not agree now
and stop this frightful carnage?"
"I wish peace as much as you do," replied Mr. Davis. "I deplore
bloodshed. But I feel that not one drop of this blood is on my hands. I
can look up to God and say this. I tried all in my power to avert this
war. I saw it coming and for twelve years I worked day and night to
prevent it. The North was mad and blind, and would not let us govern
ourselves and now it must go on until the last man of this generation
falls in his tracks and his children seize his musket and fight our
battle, _unless you acknowledge our right to self-government_. We are
not fighting for slavery. We are fighting for independence, and that or
extermination we _will_ have."
"We have no wish to exterminate you," protested the Colonel. "But we
must crush your armies. Is it not already nearly done? Grant has shut
you up in Richmond. Sherman is before Atlanta."
"You don't seem to understand the situation," Mr. Davis laughed. "We're
not exactly shut up in Richmond yet. If your papers tell the truth it is
your Capital that is in danger, not ours.
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