Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-10-13


honestys Notso, bat a pledge that he as aoiaing
10 renoumee The possibility Of coming into comps-
Triton Uith The Presidents aspirations to re-
election ! tae e
And none can fail to observe how favorably the
conduct of Mr. Blair in this transaction compares
with the conduct of Mr.. Lincoln. Mr.. Blair went
to Gen. Mcclellan at his own suggestion. The
proposition he made in favor of Mr. Lincoln, even
If inspired by political predictions, profess
eddy based on patriotic considerations. He was
not personally interested in the acceptance re-
lection of his project. But, when he reports to
the President what he had said and done, the Pre-
sident instead Of replying that he could take no
part In calculating an arrangement in which he so
obviously had personal interest, manifests no dis
appreciation of what his friend had done, but pro-
ceeded, As we learn from the public announcement
made by the son Of that friend, to concert with
Gen. Grant all the conditions of the bargain 50 far
as his side Of it was concerned and if the COM
pact was never contaminated it was only because,
as the old proverb says, it takes two to make .
bargain proverb as true in political huckster-
ing as in other forms Of barter. Gen. Mcclellan,
being frank and candid man, had no taste for such
clandestine proceedings. He had no disposition
to make his military services dependent on pri-
vate bargain and sale when they were open to the
command Of the President, and consecrated to the
service of his country and with
out stipulations in his own behalf or the behalf Of
Others. .a a
And now we ask the honest people Of the
United States to weigh the purport Of these cor
roborative disclosures, g made by the senior Mr..
Blair and his son, the late Postmaster General.
The communication of the former is the preface
and prelude of the extraordinary announcement
divulged BY the latter, and the truth. of which
has not been impeached, though the public is
not yet informed phen or uhere the arrange
ment was concerted" These are particulars
which Mr.. Montgomery Blair may disclose, if, in
any Of his public speeches. he should wish to throw
additional light on the great fact he has pro-
mulgated-a fact which was only the elimination
of the secret negotiations disclosed by Mr. Francis
T. Blair in the communication we print to-day.
Putting together this communication and the an
nouncement made by the late Postmaster General
in his New York speech, the public has an insight
into the origin, progress, and conclusion of a
transaction which serves to shos how completely
considerations of mere partsanship prevail in the
mind of the President over considerations of what
is due to the country and the triumph of our
arms
1t is known that the revelation made by the ex-
Postmaster General has produced profound i'm
preston on the public mind to the disadvantage
of the President, and the hope has been expressed
by the partisans of Mr.. Lincoln that he might in
some way be relieved from the burden of such q
damaging disclosure. And when it was announced
q few days ago that the senior SIR. Blair had de-
MED the accuracy Of some Of the statements made
with regard to the interview he had had with Gen.
Mcclellan, it was hoped that he might contradict
and explain away the statement Of his son. To
this effect that candid and influential Administer
ton journal, the Springfield (Mass.) Republican,
wrote as follows in its number of the 9Th instant
"A special Washington despatch to the New York Times
Says There 10 authority for saying that there truth
10 the statement of Secretary Blair that attempt
concerted between the Predent and Gen. Grant to bring
back Gen Mcclellan adjunct TO the latter in the field
and, moreover that any such proposition made it
was done by Mr.. Blair, senior gratuiteusy and without
consultation with or knowledge Of either Mr. Lincoln
Gen. Grant This 10 very extraordinary IT. indeed the
senior Blair eonscientossiy tho burden Of The
,ohoe Transactions IL oH be greater relief TO the Presi-
Sens friends than his sons retirement from tbs Cabinet
to the President for IS doing nearly much damage
that unfortunate Niagara Letter The Republican cause
is strong with the people, but should not be put any
more such staggering tests"
Instead of taking upon himself 'Ithe burden Of
the whole transaction" it will be seen that Mr..
Blair, senior, as man ofroth, takes upon himself
the burden of reporting only what he had done in
opening the way for the arrangement disclosed in
the speech of his son. Fortunately for the truth
of history, his son is a man who does not make
public statements Of facts, respecting which he has
means of confidential information, unless he knows
such statements to be true; and 10 this case his
statement Of facts is worthy Of credit the state
menIpf preliminary facts made by bis father. In.
Decd the proceedings of the latter were merely in
troductory to the fact divuged by the fomer, and
in the disclosures We print to-day,we have the pc
destal on which the announcement Of Mr.. Mont
gomery Blair might depend for, its consistency, if
fortunately for himself and for the cause of historic
truth, he was not man whose word stands In nc
need Of affirmation when he AYERS fact which
from the circumstances of the case, must be within
his own knowledge. II, therefore, there be any