Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-07-23

Reply Of Messrs. clay and uOI-
comb TO LinCOIn's Rejection
OF Peace.
CLIFTON House., c W, July Il.
To Hon. Horace Greeley:
Sir: The paper handed to Mr. Holcomb on
yesterday, in your presence by Major Hay, A
A. & as an answer to the application in our
note Of the 18th inst, is couched in the fol.
lowing terms:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WAsHSGToN, July Is, 1864
TO toh0m ii may Concern
Any proposition which embraces the resto.
ration of peace, 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 Executive Government of the United
States, and will be met by liberal terms in
other substantial and collateral points, and
the bearer or bearers thereof shall have safe
conduct both ways.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
The application to which we refer was elic-
tied by your letter OF the 18th, in which You
inform Mr. Jacob Thomson and ourselves that
you were authorized by the President of the
United States, to tender us his safe conduct
on the hypothesis that were fully accredited
from Richmond, as bearers of propositions
looking to the re-esablishment OF peace and
desired to visit Washington, in the fulfIlment
of this mission
The assertion to which we then gave and
still do, entire credence, was accepted by as
as evidence Of an unexpected but most graft
flying change in the iolcy of the President,
change which we felt authorized to hope
might terminate in the conclusion of peace
mutually Just, honorable and advantageous to
the North and to the South exactiug no con-
dition, but that we should be duly accredited
from Richmond, as bearers of propositions
looking to the establishment of peace, thus
proffering basis for conference as compre-
hensive as we could desire II seemed to us
that the President opened door which had
previously been close against the Confede-
rate States for full interchange Of sentiments,
free discussion of conflicting opinions, and
1 uutrammeled effort to remove all causes
of controversy by liberal negotioaton, we
indeed could not claim the benefit Of safe
conduct, which had been extended TO us in a
character we had no right to assume, and had
never affected to possess; but the uniform
declaration of our Executive aud Congress
and their thrice repeated, and as oGen repuls
ed, attempts to open negotiations furnished q
sufficient pledge that this eonoiliatory mani
iestation on the part OF the United State,
would be met by them in a temper of equa
magnanimity We had, therefore, no hesta
tion in declaring that if this correspondence
was communicated TO the President Of the
Confederacy be would promptly embrace the
! opportunity presented for seeking peacefu
solution OF this unhappy strife We feel con
tindent that you will join in profound regre
that the spirit which dictated the FIRST step to
ward peace should not have continued to an
innate the councils Of your President.
Had the representatives. Of the two govern
menis met 10 consider this question, the mos
momentous ever submitted to human states
manship in a spirit of becoming moderation
and equity, they would have been followed a
their deliberations have been by prayers an,
benedictions Of every patriot and christian
on the hsbtable globe, Who is there so bolt
as to pronounce that the irightiul waste 0
individual happiness and public prosperii
which is daily saddening the universal hear
might not have been Terminated
The desolation and carnage Of war mus
still be endured through weary years of hoo
and suffering that there might not at leas
have been infused into it's oOndnct somethin
more of the spirit which sofieus and PARTIAL
redeems its brutalities. Instead Of the saf
conduct which we solicited aud which you
first letter gave US every reason to suppos
would be extended for the purpose Of inilia
ting negotiations in which neiihers Covert
ment would compromise lis rights or its dig
nifty, document has been presented whic
proyokes as much indignation as surprise