New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-05


proach them on the subject; and how could l
expect them to open their hearts to me on such
q matter IF yos desire me to ascertain what
sort Of proposition they are prepared to make
I will do my best; but with faint hopes OF sue
GEES. My point is not that they stand ready to
offer terms that you eau accept, but that they
can offer no terms that yo" s''A not strengtae" tao
National cause By reesiring and considering
THE more unreasonable snd offensive their
terms. tho better for our side. provided we are
not able to accept them.)
There may have been enc more note on e''no'
side. but think not. write from recoiieoOon
merely, subject to correction by inc cofio'
spondence when published. But am ao' MIS-
taten nm the vital point above set forth-thHt
the President finally aoquiesced In my view %
the matter, so far as to consent to receive "ha''
ever proposition agents duly accredited from
Richmond might see fit to offer, and that went
to Niagsrsfully authorized to proffer safe'Oon-
duct and accompany TO Washington the persons
speci6ed, on tho understanding that they were
empowered to submit, and Woald submit
terms of paciGcation; and that there were no
conditions beyond these.
OF course, the missive, "To Whom 1t May
Concern" brought to Niagara by Maj. Hay
changed all this.
With due submission, deem this change q
mistakes very grave mistake-wfdch ia rather
maguifed than obscured by The Ti~es per-
sistent Misrepresentation Of the position OF
Messrs c. C. Clay and Holcombe, aud its If
relevant abuse of sundry Others. MesSrs. Clay
ard Holcombe say, in their first note to me;
"The Safe Conduct Of the President Of the United
Stntes has been rendered we regret " state uh.r
some misepprefonsion OF facts we nave ho' poen
accredited to Rim from Richmond as the bearers u
PROPOSITIONS looking 10 the establishment OF peace
I'VE are, however, IN the confidential employment
Of our Government and are entirely iaIliisr WIN Tvs
wishes and opinions that subject ara We iee'"u'n
lied 20 declare that II the circumstances disclosed ~
this correspondencb were communicated 10 Richmond
| we would be at oace invested with the authority "
which your letter refers other gentlemen cotheu
with full powers would be impedietely sent 10 W ASH
ington: with the view OF fastening coisnmstion 80
mach to be desired END terminating al the earnest pos
sible moment the calamites OF war
Is there any doubt of tie truth of these asser-
tionsi And, if they are true, is it not plain
that Messrs C. and Ii. Zone Senator, the other
Representative, in tho Rebel CongreSS) are
quito other than the irresponsible, unauthor-
lied, discredted persons that The Times would
make them9 Their mission appears to be di-
rected toward the Democratic leaders, simply
because they had no hope Of access to the Gov
eminent.
Now, suppose the President had said, "Well,
gentlemen, 90 to Richmond, if you wish, by the
shortest route; and Whenever you, or Others,
duly authorized BY the power now warning upon
the Union, shall desire access TO Washington,
there b. propose conditions Of peace, you shall
have safe conduct and a hearing"-where would
have been the harmi Suppose they had made
an intOlerable proposition, would not that have
aided tho National causei Suppose they had
made one that could be properly and honorably
accepted, who would not have rejoiced And
suppose nothing had come Of it tut the manifes-
tation by our Government Of kindly spirit and
an earnest desire for any honorable Peace,
would not that have been worth its trihing cost 7
am quite sure the mistake was not originally
the Presidents, but that Of Some one or more
of the gentlemen who arc paid $4,000 year
from the Treasury for giving him bad advice;
and from certain car-marks, infer that It had its
initial impulse from the War Department. Tie
campaign in Maryland aud on the Potomac
against Early and Brcckinridge which was con-
s1lnmiitea simultaneously with the issue of
I" To Whom it May Concern" must have had
common origin with that stroke of statesman
ship. There can hardly be two different men
living cotemporaneously who are equal to these
two exhibitions OF genius. Nature is not 80
lavish Of her grand achievements.
conclude by asking The Times, should it
recur to this subject, to keep the main point
steadily in view. deny that the overture sub
mitted through Major Hay was the same
offer" that had been authorized to make;
deny that was ever required to impose any
such " conditions az those embodied in Major
Hays rescript. And respectfully ask all who
may see fit to deal with this statement to quote
it entire. H.0.