East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-07-27


desire to send to Washington by Mai.
Hay any messages in reference to the
communication delivered to him yes
terday. In that case when he(Major)
expects to DO favored with such mes
seges.
International Hotel, Thursday.
Mr. Holcombo presents his compli-
ments to Major Hay, and greatly re-
grets if his return to Washington
has been delayed by any expectation
of an answer to the communication
which Mr.. Holcombe received from
him yesterday to be delivered to the
President of the United States. That
communication was accepted as the
response to letter of Messrs. Clay
and Holcombe to the Hon. Horace
Greeley, and to that gentleman an
answer has been transmitted.
Clifton House, G. W., Thursday Ju-
ly p, 1864.
The following is a copy of the orig
inal letter held by me, TO deliver to
Hon. Horace Greeley, and wich dupli-
cate / now furnish to the Associated
Press. (SigneD
WIN. CORNWELL JEWETT.
CLIFTON HOUSE July 81, 1864.
To Hon. Horace Greeley: Sir-The
paper handed to Mr.. Holcoabe, yes
terday, in your presence, by Mai.
Hay, a. a. c., as an answer to the
application in our note of tho 18th
inst, is erouched in the following
terms
Hero follows Mr.. Lincolns letter,
given ebovo-]
The application to which we refer
was elected by your letter of the 18th
inst, in which you inform Mr.. Jacob
Thompson and ourselves that you
were authorized by tho President of
the United States to tender us his safe
conduct, on the hypothesis we were
duly accredited from Richmond as
bearers of propositions looking to the
establishment of peace, and de-
sired TO visit Washington in the full
fillment of this mission. This associ-
alton, to which we then gave, and still
do, entire credence, was accepted by
us in evidence of an unexpected but
most gratifying change in the policy
OF the President; a change which we
felt authorized to hope might terrni-
nate in the conclusion of peace mu-
tually just, honorable, and advantage
Gus to the North and TO the south, ex-
acting no condition, but should be du-
ly accredited from Richmond looking
to the establishment of peace, thus
preferring u basis for conference as
comprehensive as we could desire. 1t
seemed to us that the President
opened q door which had hitherto been
closed againstthe Confederate States,
for full Interchange Of sentiments, free
discussion of conflicting opinions, and
untrammelled effort to remove all
causes of controversy, by liberal me-
gotiation. We indeed could not
claim the benefit of safe conduct which
had been extended to us in a character
we had no right to assume, and had
never affected to possess, but for the
uniform declarations of our Executive
and Congress, and their thrice repeat
ed and as often repulsed attempts to
open negotiations, furnished suf-
ficient pledge and this conciliatory
manifestation on the part Of the Pres
ident of the United States would be
met by them with equal magnanimity.
We had, therefore, no hesitation in
declaring that if this correspondence
was communicated to the President of
the Confederate States, he would
promptly embrace the opportunity
presented for seeking a peaceful solu-
ton Of this unhappy strife. We feel
confident you must share our profound
regret that the spirit who. dictated
the first step towards peace had not
continued to animate the counsels of
your President. Had the representa-
tivcs of the two governments met to
consider this question, the most mo-
mentous ever submitted to human
craftsmanship, in temper Of becom-
ing moderation and equity, followed,
as their deliberations would have |
been, by the prayers and benedictions
Of every patriot and christian on the
habitable globe, who is there SO bold |
as to pronounce that tho frightful
waste of undivided happiness and |
public prosperity, which is daily sad
dening the universal heart might not
have been terminated. Or if the des-
olation and carnage of war must still
be endured through weary years of
blood and suffering, that there might
not at least have been infused into its
conduct something more of the spirit
which softens, and partially redoems
its brutalities. Instead Of the safe
conduct which we solicited, and which
your first letter gave us every reason
to suppose would be extended for the
purpose of initiating negotiations
with which neither government would
compromise its rights or its dignity
a document has been presented which
provokes as much Indignation as sur
prise. 1t bears no feature of resem-
blance TO that which was originally
offered, and is unlike any paper which
ever before emanated from the consti-
tutional executive of free people, add
dressed "To whom it may concern"
1t lrecludes negotiation, and pre-
scribes in advance the terms and con-
ditions of peace. 1t returns TO the or
iginal policy of no bargaining, no nego-
tiation, no truce with rebels except to
bury their dead, until every man shall
have laid down his arurs, submitted
to the government, and sued for mer-
cy, What may be the explanation of