The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-10-10
7HE nOrFERn ro eEN. MeCLELLAN.

THE "OFFERm TO GEN. MCMILLAN.
For some time past there have been assertions
in the Democratic newspapers, which were reiior-
ted by their speakers at public mcotn g, that Pc
sident LINCOLN had offered to Major. General
MCCLELLAN a high command in the army upon
condition that he would not accept the nommi-
ton of the Chicago Convention. Such a state
mcnt, if IL had been true, would have done much
to weaken faith in the Administration, aud il
would have been bargain concerning which
sharp animndvcrson would have been generally
expressed Az length we have the full particulars
of the so-callcd "oilcr' from FRNNCts z. BLAIR,
a gentleman who holds no position under the A l.
minisuaton and unless specially authorize by the
President, could not bind it. MIR. BLAIR says that
he went to New York upon his own motion, AMI
without instruction or solicitation lro n any one,
He hoped, by consultation with leading mel, 10
bring about a concert Of action, and to reconcile
differences of opinion which, IL persisted in, would
destroy the harmony so necessary at this time
He saw and convcrsed with WU. CULLEN Bay.
ANT, Of the Egeaipg Post, JAMES GORDON Ben
NETT aud Horace GREELEY. Mr. BLAIR then
sought an interview with General MCCLuLLNN
The result Of that conference is thus stated by Mr.
BLAIR
- had an hours conversation with him. when
" brought me 10 New York as { have stated th
above, and 0y stating distinctly 20 hun hu dd
" not come from Mr. LINCOLN; hut no dUth)rity or
" ertR consent from ham TO make representations or
" Orertures u dny sort to aim that Re- htd no, ben
" dpprised Jey r,sh or purpose, winch was in part
knew 10 be his friend with regard TO the pubic IN
" forests aud ms own"
"I told him that had little doubt he would be the
nominee Of The Chicago Convention; and htt UHc
accepted he rouid be defeated and II defeated, his
late would be that of oil previously dofeatc can
~ A
CALHOUN WEBSTER and the rest that although
" aspiration to the chei p ace in the Republic was
an honorable ambition, there was an instinct in tho
public mind which always excluded rom general
confidence any who sought It with the lcls, s1p
" cOn OF sefshnoss at the expense Ot great national
considerations; and IL the public pronounced
" its ban by voting hun down as having sought the
place, without duly weighing its great eNlgCncy
especially in such a areyOutOnary crisis the pre-
" sent, he could neucr riSe ugdlH
81 Urged that he ought 10 consider that a. this
" ment a scnsm OF the Union party of he North, ON
" the issue O the Presidency, was looked to every
where, at home and abroad, a. dis Op'V tCry pos
o. Sibte through Which the Rebctti0H could GccoHptsb
cts Objsct-the dissolution OF the Unou; that be-
hoycd that he, the General, was the only man who
" had q position that enabled any party in the North
to iallv on, TO command force that could make
breach in the patriotic Union party so to defeat
or IN any essential degree enieobo, TO give success
or even the hope TO the enemies of our Government,
" foreign or domestci and on tiis ground
appealed to him Withhold his name from
" the so-called peace men who TO as
scmblo at Chicago. l EXPRESSED the opinion that
| IL was his duty TO his country and therefore his
own true policy 1t rded his lame aud aspira-
" tiOns to public honOrs, 20 address note to Mr..
| " L1NCoLE asking command in the army declaring
at the same time time that he did not sock 1t with
" view TO recommend himself TO a Presidential no
minationi that he thought, and hoped he too
thought, that no man, especially in revolutionary
" tunes, ought to lead an army IN tie hed and aim
through the strength of that posi- ton at once to
grasp the civil power OF the Government; that
man had ever marched from the battle Il III 10 the
" civil power with an army which ho had discp med
and od IN person that did not find himself ab and
Wiling TO use that army TO secure tia. position.
Z" urged therefore, that a. he wished 70 exert
" tho high military attlinmcnts which his friends
and among the rest, beloved BELONGED TO him. Tor
the benefit OF ms country in ITS lie and death srur
PIE, that he should abandon the idea OF being
candidate for the Presidency II he entertained it,
and return TO service ~ tnc o Id. said fthe Pre-
" entrensed then he 'CoUld be responsible for he
'Ii he assented the result would be that he would
cOniOuud his enemies, who had, as 1 beloved,
urged ON the War Committee, and impressed il on
&" tine public mind that the DELAYS OF the great army
" he had commanded in achieving dec sive results
were the consequence of an ambition TO clutch the
" resdCncY by lingering the war and his COM
maud TO the end OF the Presidential term, that he
might make the prestige and hold the means to
" elect his purpose"
Mr.. BLAIR says that General MCCLELLAN lis
tened kindly He disclaimcd any desire to be a
candidate for the Presidency, and promised to
consider the subject Mr.. BLAIR says that what
he had done was honestly meant and designed to
promote the public good and that of General
MCCLELLAN. IL viii be seen that the President
was totally ignorant OF Mr.. BLAIR's visit and its
object Mr.. BLAIR "otiered" Gen. MCCLELLAN
nothing As his friend he counselol him to ask
employment in the field, Of the President, and
justly inferred that if this request should be re-
fused the responsibility and consequences would
rest with Mr.. LINCOLN. Mr.. BLAIR mentioned
no conditions. lie could not have done so in a
matter ia which he had voluntarily intervened,
without consultation with Mr.. LINCOLN. As
friend of General MCCLELLAN he felt il his duty
10 d9UiSe him. He knew not how the subject
would be received by the President, and if General
MCCLELLAN had followed Mr. BLAIR's sugges-
tOns, the result might have been quite different
from what both of them expected.
1t was not until Mr.. BLAR's return 10 Wash
ington that the President knew of his well meant
but ofiiCiOus interference. Mr.. BLAIR says:-
"I mentioned to Mr.. LINCOLN, ON my return, the
attempt had made at the cOncihatiOn OF parties
"m New York, with view to defeat tho opposition
Gin tho North, by restoring harm onY among all
" lavOring the crushing OF the Rebellion by arms,
"au to d him Thought % probable General MCCLEL-
" might tDrtte 10 him iH respect 10 himself lie
neither expressed approval nor dsapprObation OF
" hat had done, but his manner courteous
" and kind as General MCCLELLAR's had been"
1t does not appear from this that the President
was informed what Mr.. BLAIR had said to Gen.
MCCLELLAN. Mr. BLAIR preferring that the sub
ject should be broached by the General if he saw
proper to act under his suggestions.