Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-08-04
The Recent Peace Negotiations.

and HoIcoMB, at Niagara Falls, and the pub
copperhead papers are trying to make all
the capital possible out of Mr. LIocoLS's pithv
note in which he set forth the terms on which
he would receive proposals of peace from
the rebels, but their success in this line is
not brilliant.
The Union papers Of the country give
cordial endorsement of President L1NcoLN's
position in the matter,
Mr.. GREELEY in the Tribune says:
THE telegraphic stories concerning peace
conferences at Niagara Falls have a slender
foundation in fact, but most Of the details are
very wide of the truth. The editor of this
paper has taken part in and been privy to no
further or other negotiations than were fully
authorized and more than authorized;
but these related solely to bringing the antag-
onists face to face in amicable rather than
belligerent attitude, with the view to the I'M
tiation of an earnest effort for peace, to be
prosecuted at Washington. The movement
has had no immediate success.
"Of course all reports that the writer has
been engaged in proposing, or receiving, or
discussing, hypothetical terms or bases of
peace, whether with accredited agents of the
Richmond authorities or others, are utterly
mistaken. He has never had the slightest
authorization to do anything of the sort; and
he is quite aware of those provisions of law
which relate to volunteer negotiators with
public enemies. Those provisions he hearth
ly approves, and is nowise inclined to violate.
'More than this he does not as yet feel at
liberty to state, though he soon may be. All
that he can now add is his general inference
that the pacifcation of our country is neither
so difficult or so distant as seems to be gene
rally supposed"
The New York Ege,aing Post has an excel
lent article on this subject, which expresses
our own ideas so well, that we copy the prin-
cipal portion of it as follows;
1t is lamentable that person of Mr.. Gree
ley's ability and position should be so desti-
tute of common sense or discretion as to lend
himself to the plots of parcel of miserable
tricksters. "Mr. Sanders of Dixie" as the
rogue impudently styled himself, who invited
him to an interview with pretended rebel en-
voys at the Clifton House, he must have
known as q low, cunning, debauched and ut
terly irresponsible adventurer, who never in
his life had a particle of influence among
gentlemen North or South, and whose words
tations of any other hanger-on of the pot
houses. Yet on the strength Of this man s
| assurances Mr.. Greeley puts himself in COM
| munication with the government and with
| Messrs. Clay and Holcombe, with a real hope
apparently that a peace might be brought
about through their instrumentality. His
credulity is amiable, and peace itself so much
to be desired that we readily forgive little
| foolishness for the sake of it; but the pro
| ceedings were none the less weak and inju-
rious.
| Any person of ordinary discernment, not
| overpersuaded by outside influences, would
| have seen from the first note of Messrs Clay
and Holcombe that they were not authorized
in any way to open negotiations with our gov,
ernment. They did not claim to be, but
merely limited that it was possible they might
be invested with powers, if they could get a
safe conduct to Washington and thence to
Richmond. All that these gentlemen wanted
having been a considerable time from theiI
homes-outcasts, in word on the face OF
the earth-was secure passage through our
lines or if that should be refused, an i'm
piled recognition of their character as the
agents of an Independent government. In
either event they could loose nothing and
| might gain something.
Mr., Greeley fell into the trap, and busted
himself with getting the pass. He wrote to
the President, but Mr.. Lincoln, somewhat
used to dealing with rebels, with hard sense
that Railways comes to his aid wrote to all
whom it concerned that he was ready to hear
propositions for the restoratinn of peace
the integrity Of the Union and the abandon
ment of slavery-the three things in fact be-
ing but one-and Mr. Lincoln further stated
that he would give safe cunduct back and
forth to the bearers of any such message
This, however, was not what the rebel ennis
saries wanted; they were not recognized in
any way; they were not so much as mention
toned by aame; and the pass offered them
did not include the coveted journey to Rich
mond. They were baked in their whole in
tention by the simple honesty of the Presi,
dent, who sent them to bed with a flea in
each ear almost as big as an elephant. Mr.
profoundly, doubtless, than either of his
friends, though even he must have felt tri
fe smaller in the morning.
The letter with which the explosive ennis
saries close the correspondence shows that all
| this palavering about peace is nonsensical
the peace they mean is not the peace we
mean they want separation and independ
ence If they can get it, or if they cannot get
it, mere nominal Union like the old Confed-
Grafton, which fell to pieces Of itself, or the
present rickety and staggering Confederacy
but we want real Union, such as our faith
crs and the progress of events have made-a
living organized nation-a republic of repub-
| lies, whose bonds shall be as firm as the liga-
ments OF the human body, and whose opera
lions as harmonious and lasting as those of
the solar system. The political leaders of
the South will never consent to abandon their
| fbn
armies by which they maintain it, or until
their own people, in the extremity of their
sufferings, drive them out Of it. They have
| nothing to hope from peace or a restoration
of the Union but everlasting contempt at
home and abroad. They will, therefore, fight
on as long as they can, and our best negotia-
tors for the present are Sherman's marches
and Grants death-grips. These must soon
bring the more rational part Of the southern
people to reflection, when we shall have pro
posals to which the North may honorably
listen, and when, too, we may return an ans
wer that will show US as magnanimous in
concession as we have been energetic in COM
bat. Meantime the rebels, by this Niagara
game, have tried to shove card into the
hands of the patriots who meet next month
at Chicago.
AN EASTERN HORSE STEALER-The follow
ing instance Of endurance of pain would not
have disgraced Spartan. Anotorious horse
thief coveted the horse Of wealthy native,
who, however, by some chance, became
aware of his intention, and redoubled his
violence. The man succeeded in getting two
of his comrades engaged as grass-cutters,
and one dark night managed to slip upper
ceived into the stable. His friends covered
him entirely with grass, and he was just
stretching out his hand from underneath it to
unite the rome when the beast started and