Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-10-13
The PRESIDENT AND GEN MCCLELLAN.

| DEAR SIRs. You give in your paper from "a New
York journal what purports to be account OF what
passed in conversation between Gen Mcclellan and my
self when visited New York about the Goth Of July
last 1t egrsgousy in many important points
As you evidently attribute consequences to what
termed my mission" you will not, trust, hesitate to
publish simple and truthful statement Of its object and
| execution
went to New York to heal the dvisions 10 the Union
party by presenting my views to the leading men there
who had in their hands the of giving direction to
various and large sections of that party in the
opinion recently expressed by Gen. Grant that union in
the North would quickly quel the rebellion and restore
peace and union to the whole country.
To contribute my mite to effect what knew to be the
of every patriot repaired to New York to make an
effort at Cancellation went to the leading men and lead
ing organs public opinion there to ascertain in what way
harmony would best be attained believed that united
opposition to the rebellion could be concentrated on 70
candidate for the Presidency than on the man against
whom the enemy had declared because the nation had
made him it's Chief Magistrate and for whom the delegates
Of the great party eecng in the first instance had again
given its preference by nomination Invent this
rand without consulting the Presidenwithout giving him
directly or indirectly the slightest inmaon of my object
and Of course without his authority l apprzed no one
but my son.
| When reached New York first saw the Editors OF
the Evening Post This press had evidenced dissatisfaction
with the Administration It's conductors felt that they had
coed ground OF discomfort explained to MIR Bryant the
attitude of the President understood it, in reference
to the matters that aggreved him. both regarded vital
for the safety Of the Republic and Of minor con-
Germs of personal character found Mr. Bryant the
honest patriot which the whole of his life had shown him.
He considered Mr. Lincoln, with all abatements the only
man on whom we could rely for the maintenance Of the
hal rtad- tha rIni0n nf
strength and restoration of the National Government
next saw Mr. Bennett Of the Herald. had long,
enlightened conversation with him. depressed
INV views with earnestness and frankness and he did
those he entertanednot forgetting old scores Of differ
ences-and az left his Office he gave me IN pretty EN-
phatc rauce Scotch his last words for the Presidents
Tell him to restore cCsan the and he OH carry
the election By default"
called on Mr. Greeley Ny interview with him satis.
fed me that his best efforts would not be wanting to
the peace of The country through the reelection OF the
President.
Through Mr. Barlow the intimate personal, and pohti-
cal friend of Gen. Mcclellan, (who was not in the city,
let the General know that would be gratfed by an
opportunity of conversing with him. He came to town
and visited me my lodging at the Astor House had
an hours conversation with him, which prefaced BY
telling him the motives which had brought me to New
York. as have stated them above, and BY stating dis
tncy to him that did not from Mr.. Lincoln had
no authority consent from him to make represen
taons overtues Of any sort to him that he had not
been apprzed Of my visit purpose, which was in part
to advise with him (he Genera whom he knew to
be his friend with regard TO the public interests and his
own.
told him that had little doubt he would be the nomi
nee of the Chicago Convenon and that If ne accepted
be would be defeated and il defeated his fate would be
,Iatn. uhn had nlav
for the Presdency-Clay, Calhoun, Webster, and the
rest; that although aspiration to the chief place in the
Republic was an honorable ambition, there instinct
in the public mind which always excluded from general
confidence any who sought with the least suspicion of
at the expense of great national considerations
and If the public pronounced s ban by voting him
down AZ having sought the place, without duly weighing
its great eIisency especially in such sevolutonary crisis
| az the present, he could never rise again
urged that he ought to consider that at this moment
siism of the Union party Of the North the issue of the
Presidency was looked to every where at home and
abroad the only way possible through which The rebel
lion could accomplish its ebjecths dissolution OF the
Union that believed that he the General, was the only
man who had position that enabled any party in the
North TO rally on TO command force that could make
breach In the patriotic Union party as to defeat or in
any essential degree eneebe it, to give or even the
hope to the enemies OF Government foreign or domes
tic and on this ground appealed to him to withhold his
name from the socaed peace men who we're soon to as
ssmbe at Chicago expressed the opinion that IT was his
duty to his country and therefore his true policy as
t regarded his fame and aspirations to public honos to
address note to Mr. Lncoln asking command in the
armydecarnQ at the same time that he did not seek it
with view to recommend himself to Presidential nomi
nation that thought and hoped he too thought that no
man. especially in revolutionary times, ought to lead an
army in the field snd aim through the strength Of that
ston at once to grasp the civil power of the
that no man had ever marched from the battle field TO the
civil power with an army which he had disciplined and led
n person that did not find himself able and willing to use
that army to secure that position urged, therefore,
that if he wished to exert the high military attain
ments which his friends and among the rest, believed
belonged to him. the benefit Of his country its life and
death struggle that he should abandon the idea Of being
candidate for the Presidency if he entertained it, and
rsturn to service the field said if the President
fused he would then be responsible for the
II he sssened the result would be that he would confound
bs enemies who had, as believed, urged the War
Committee and impressed it on the public mind that The
delays Of the great army he had commanded in achieving
decisive results the consequence Of ambition to
clutch the Presidency by lingering out the war and his
command to the end Of the Presidential term that be might
make the prestige and hold the to effect his purpose
This was the scope of my argument to Gen. Mcclellan
on the topics referred TO- 1t was honestly meant and de-
IL L.. III