Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-07-27
REPORTED PEACE NEGOTIATIONS


REPORTED PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.
A correspondence between c. c. CLAY OF
Alabama, Prof. HoLcoMR of virginia, and
others, representing President DAVIS;
and HORACE GREELY. of the New York
Tribune, and Major Hay, Private Secretary
of the President, representing President
LINCOLN, took place on British territory,
at Niagara, commencing on the 18th and
ending on the 2lst instant. 1t was open
cd by the above named gentlemen, togeth-
gelher JAcoD Thomson. o. Mississippi,
making application through GKo SANDERS,
formerly Of New York, but now Of the
Southern Conlederacy,) to Mr.. Greedy, for
safe conduct of themselves from Presi-
dent Lincoln to visit Washington in the
interest of peace. This application was
made 10 Mr. 6reeley on the 18th. His
reply, dated the Eth, is as follows:
NIAGARA FALLS, July II.
/ Gentlemen: am informed that , ou are
duly accredited from Richmond as the
bearer of propositions looking to the
establishment OF peace that you desire
TO visit Washington in the fullillment Of
your mission; and that you further desire
| that Mr.. George n Sanders shall accom-
pany you. II my information be thus far
substantially correct, am authorized by
the President OF the United States to
tender you his safe conduct on the jour
ney proposed, and 10 accompany you AT
the ear liest lime that will be agreeable TO
you.
I ] have the honor 10 be, gentlemen,
yours, IoRAcE GREELEY
Clay and llolcomb reply to this on the
18th, correcting the error into which Mr.
Greeley seems to have fallen The follow
ing is an extract from their note OF this
date:
The safe conduct of tho President OF
the United States has been tendcred us.
Wo regret 10 State, under some misap-
prehenson Of facts. we have not been
accredited 10 him hom Richmond as tho
bearers of propositions looking TO the
establishment of peace. We are, however,
in the confidential employment of our
Government, and are entirely familiar
with its wishes and opinions on that sub
Iject and we feel authorized 10 declare
that il the circums tances disclosed in this
correspondence wore communicated To
Richmond, we would be ut once invested
with the authority to which your letter
refers, or other gentlemen clothed with
full powers would be Immediately sent TO
Washington, with the view of fastening
n contamination so much to be desired,
and terminating at the earliest possible
moment the calamities of The war:
This note is Acknowledged by Mr.
Greeley on the same day, as follows:
NIAGARA, \. Y, July Is.
y Gentlemen: have the honor 10 &C
! knowledge The receipt OF yours of this
date by the hand OF Mr.. w. G. Jewett
ino ,'ato or r"Uts 'uerein presented Uvins
materially different from that which wa,
understood to exist by The President wh~r
; he intrusted me with the safe conduct
required, ii seems TO me Oh every nccoun,
advisable that should communicate with
him by telegraph. and solicit fresh in
structiops, which | shall al once proceed
10 do.
hope to be al lc TO transmit the result
ihis afternoon, and as all events | shall dc
so st the earliest moment.
Yorus truly, HORACE GREELEY.
On lthe 18th Mr.. Greeley transmitted
the reply Of Mr. Lincoln, stating the terms
NJ on which these gentlemen could visit
Washington. These terms will be found
in the proclamation" Of Mr.. Lincoln,
embraced in the follcwingieply of Messrs.
Clay and uolcomb, which We give entire,
and which closes the correspondence
NIAGARA FALLS, CLIFTON House.
July q. 1864.
II Hon. Horace Greeley:
SiR: The paper handed 10 Mr.. IIol-
comb on yesterday, in your presence. by
Major Hay, A. A. g., rs an answer TO the
application in our note of the 18th inst.
is couched in the following terms:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, d. c., July IS,
To whom il may concern:
ANY proposition which embraces the
restoration of pence, the integrity of the
whole Union, and the abandonment Of
slavery, and which comes by and with an
authority that can control the armies now
at war against the United States, will be
received and considered by the Govern
ment of the United States, and will be
met by liberal terms on other substantial
and collateral points, and the bearer or
bearers thereof shall have safe conduct
both ways. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
i The application TO which we refer was
elected by your letter of the l7th instant,
in which you inform Mr.. Jacob Thompson
and ourselves that you were authorized TO
tender us his safe conduct on the hypoth-
ess that we were duly accreditod d from
Richmond as bearers of propositions look
ing to the establishment Of peace" and
desired visit to Washington in the fal-
lllment o. this mission. This assertion,
to which we then gave, aud still do, entire
credence, was accepted by us as the evi-
dence of most unexpected, but most
gratifying change in the policy of the
President, change which we felt author
lied to hope might terminate in the con-