Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-09-15
A COMPARATIVE VIEW.

II was delivered in New York city, before the
"Lincoln Campaign Club" on Monday evening
last. We always give attention to any thing Mr..
Greeley rays or writes, not because we consider
him the most judicious among American statesmen,
but because he is, without dispute and beyond
comparison, the foremost man of his party in point
Of influence at the present time. We have the
authority Of Mr.. Thurlow Weed, than whom there
is no better authority, for saying that the first
battle of Bull Run was fought against the deliberate
judgment Of Gen. Scott and of the ADMINISTRATION to
pacify the New York Tribune, which represented
apower in the land stronger than the Administra-
ton itself. AT a later day we saw the President
recognise the representative character of Mr..
Greeley, when, speaking in the name and by the
authority Of twenty Millions" he called for q
more emphatic anti.slavery policy. Responding
through our columns to Mr.. Greeley's public
arraignment of him in the Tribune, Mr.. Lincoln
mildly referred to the impatient and idictatorial
tone' Of that arraignment, but added that he
"waiyed it in Difference to an old friend, whose
heart he had always supposed to be right" This
was on the 22d of August, 1862. Precisely one
month afterwards came the preliminary emancipa-
ton edict, which drew from Mr. Greeley the
memorable beatitude of Good bless Abraham
Lincoln " This proclamation, we may say, was
not only "demanded" but commanded" by Mr..
Greeley. We have the authority Of Mr.. John w.
Forney, the Republican Secretary of the Senate,
for saying SO, and every body knows that he,
pledged as he is to give an "unquestoning sup
port" to the Administration, would not affirm any
thing of this kind unless he had personal knowledge
of its truth, and supposed that he was acting in
conformity with the wish of the Administration by
making the fact publicly known. At a still later
day We have seen Mr.. Greeley employed by the
President in the delicate off g of ambassador,
presenting our Government near two gentlemen in
Canada who were in the confidential service of
"the Confederate States" In word, Mr.. Gree
ley is I" the great champion" of the cause which
the present Administration is set to sustain.
Mr.. ETHAN ALLEN, who is an Assistant Die
trict Attorney in New York under the present
Administration, and therefore competent as
well as disinterested witness, SO entitled him
on the occasion of Mr.. Greeley public appearance
on last Monday evening Mr.. Allen said "that
he felt honored at appearing on the same plat
form with the great champion of our cause. He
himself was an example of the efficiency of Mr..
Greeley teaching"
What then did Mr.. Greeley say on the occasion
designated? We quote from the report of his
speech as we find it in the New York Tribune:
"Now, all we ask Of them is that they shall do what
they have to do instead Of what they have for
h.. 10 IA
shall sustain the laws of their country instead Of attempt
ing to destroy the and overthrow the other That
very simple and easy way Of attaining peace. When
the subject OF capital punishment was discussed in the
French Republic of the writers ht sde seeipg
much said to the sancty Of life, SAID Let Mes
sieurs the assassins set the example, Now. all they
have to do is to say the thing. Let them say we
tired of all this and we will negotiate But they say
such thing. That you see plain enough by Gil
more, or KIrke, and Col Jaqness going to Richmond
They said to Jefferson Davis Now the President
peace He is willing to make peace terms that will be
equitable and fair ou but the Union must stand and the
laws be obeyed It's not dishonorsbe to obey the laws
there stand their oaths The laws good for them
for The Constitution made by their fat hers
by ours, and that Constitution and in laws
equal rights for them aud for They have simply to
talk across the line of pickes one picket whisper to
the other, We tired Of fighting want peace; we
propose to back and be at peace and there not
single REBEL from Jefferson Davis down. who has the least
apprehension Of personal consequences to himself None
Of them fears that there would be any such ssnguuay
executions have attended the overthrow OF ouons
in other countries They every be assured of most
ample protection not only In life aud person. but in estate
ALSO they will forward and lay dow their arms,
and nobody asks that they shall any less power in
the Union than States. That would be simple, easy
rapid, and certain termination of the war; aud believe
that mnaton cannot be postponed month beyond
the reelection of tbs President"
Now, all this fair speech has q very con.
scrvative sound. If it had been uttered by an OPP
ponent of the present Administration-one who,
in the classic phraseology of the times, is called by
Mr.. Greeley a /" copperhead" DIT would have been
open to the suspicion of treason What The Pre-.
sident willing to make peace on terms that shall
be equitable and fair, provided the Union s;snd
and the laws be obeyed? The Chicago Conven-
ton has said no more in tho platform which ap-
pears to the philosophic mind of DIR. Licber to be
ga well-framcd creed of Northern rervilty to til 9
criminal arrogance Of the South sanction Of
highest lawlessness" What Can it be true that
I" there is not one single rebel, from Jefferson
Davis down, who has the least apprehension OF
personal consequences to himcelf2" Did the mem
bers OF the Baltimore Convention, which re nomi-
mated Mr.. Lincoln, intend nothing but dcusior
and sham when In their first resolution they de-
clarcd that "it is the highest duty of American
citizens to do every thing in their power to aid thu
Government in quclling by force of arms the rebel
- "a IL.