en who went down with the Will-o'-the Wisp.

"Jacob Thomlinson explained that he had been instructed by the
authorities at Richmond to lay several matters before this or any
meeting they might have of representative men from the North. It was
desirable to have these matters fully understood, so that the friends of
the South in their meetings could commit all who were willing to aid the
South in carrying out the various propositions. First, he would lay the
message of President Davis on only one important subject before this
meeting. It was dated January 13, 1863, and was in reference to the
Proclamation of Emancipation by Mr. Lincoln. Thomlinson said:

"'Mr. Davis claims that "by it the negroes are encouraged to general
assassination of their masters by the insidious recommendation to
abstain from violence unless in necessary self-defense. Although our
own detestation of those who have attempted the most execrable measures
recorded in the history of guilty man is tempered by profound contempt
for the impotent rage which it discloses so far as regards the action
of this Government on such criminals as may attempt its execution, I
confine myself to informing you that I shall, unless in your wisdom you
deem some other course more expedient, deliver to the several States'
authorities all commissioned officers of the United States who may
hereafter be captured by our forces in any of the States embraced in the
proclamation, that they may deal with them in accordance with the laws
of those States providing for the punishment of those criminals engaged
in inciting servile insurrection."'

"At the conclusion of the reading of this extract loud cheers went up
for Jeff Davis. Jacob Thomlinson continued reading:

"'On the first day of May last the Confederate Congress passed a series
of resolutions. The fourth resolution declares that every white person,
being a commissioned officer, or acting as such, who during the present
war shall command negroes or mulattoes in arms against the Confederate
States, shall be deemed as inciting servile insurrection, and shall,
if captured, be put to death. The seventh resolution declares that all
negroes and mulattoes who shall engage in war, or shall be taken in
arms against the Confederate States, or shall give aid or comfort to
the United States, shall, when captured in the Confederate States, be
delivered to the authorities of the State or States in which they shall
be captured, to be dea