East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-08-17
How Greeley Cuffs Stanton and
Tickles Old Abe.

Mr.. Greeley, in reply to an article
in the N. Y. Times, on the Niagara
peace plot, makes the following impor-
tant comments:
conceded to tho Times tho closing
word in the discussion of this subject
which it commenced some time since,
though there were mistakes in its final
statements which eminently required
exposure; for l apprchended that
some thin skinned persons would fear
or fancy that further alteration might
breed disturbance in the family
AS, however, tho above article re-
opens the matter, / have no choice but
to continue the ventilation. And if
this is deemed desirable over the way
/ certainly have no objection. The
proposal Of the Times that / shall
publish all the correspondence on this
subject not already before the public,
l would very gladly comply with,
upon due assurance that this course
would be acceptable to the President
but / have no copies of my own letters
and may have mislaid some of the re-
plies. With tho Times help will
ondeavor to collect the correspondence
and print it. Though my part of it
was written without the faintest sus-
picion that it would over see the light,
l have no desire to withhold it from
publication. Meantime, / very gladly
agree that / wrote the President las /
understood that others did his premi-
or if MOTTO him) that certain eminent
rebels were in Canada at or near the
Niagara Falls, who professed to have
authority from Richmond to propose
terms Of peace-that they were hold
ing confidential interview with leading
democrats from this side-that it was
currently reported that terms Of ''re-
construction" were propounded and
considered between them and that it
was further reported, that one Of them
Mr.. G. G. Clay, had proposed to ad-
dress letter to the Chicago Conven-
ton, indicating peace and terms of
reunion. So much l heard in COM
mon, / presume with many others
and it seemed to me desirable, that if
such terms were proffered, the gov
eminent Of the United States should
have the first refusal of them. And
l recollect that in the first and much
the longest letter which L addressed
to the President on this subject
roughly indicated certain basis of
peace and reunion which thought it
would be expedient to offer to the
rebels, in case their proffer to tho gov
eminent should be-as l feared it
would be-one that could not be ao-
copied.
The brief reply to this lettor was to
this effect eff and persons duly au-
tha~;aed ~ the repols, are prepared
to offer such terms of peace and re-
construction as you set forth, bring
them to Washington"
1 at once rejoined, of course
"Mr. President, do not know what
terms the rebel ENJOYS are prepared
to offer. How could l know? / have
no authority and am forbidden by
law to approach them on the subject;
and how could / expect them to open
their hearts to me on such subject?
If you desire me to ascertain what
sort of proposition they are pre-
pared to mako, l will do my best, but
with faint hopes Of success. My point
is not that they stand ready to offer
terms that you can accept, but that
they can offer no terms that you will
not strengthen the national cause by
receiving and considering" (The
more unreasonable and offensive their
terms, the better for our side, provided
we are not able to accept them.)
There may have one more note on
either side, but l think not / write
from recollection merely, subject to
correction by the correspondence when
published. But / am not mistaken
on the vital point above set forth
that the President finally acquisced in
my view of the matter, so far as
to consent to receive whatever propo-
sition the agents duly accredited from
Richmond, might see fit to offer, and,
that went to Niagara fully author
lied to profler a safe conduct and ac-
company to Washington the gentle
men specified, on the understanding
that they were empowered to submit,
and would submit terms of pacifica-
ton; and that there were no condi-
tons beyond these.
OF course, the missive, "to whom it
may concern" brought to Niagara by
Major Hay, changed all this.
With due submission, deem this
change mistake--a very grave mis-
take-which is rather magnifed than
obscured by the Times persistent mis-
representations of the position of
Messrs. &C. Clay and Holcombe who
say in their first letter to me:
"The safe conduct of the President
of the United States has been tender
ed us, we regret to state, under some
misapprehension of facts. We have
not been accredited to him from Rich
mond as the bearers of propositions
which are looking to the establishment
of peace.
1--WE are, however, in the confden-
tial employment Of our government,
and are entirely acquainted with its
wishes and opinions on that subject,
and we feel authorized to declare that
if the circumstances disclosed in this
correspondence Wore communicated to
we woV(ld be at once inves-
ed with the authority to which your
letter refers, or other gentlemen cloth
ed with full power would be immedi-
ately sent to Washington, with the hope |
of Fastening q contamination so much
to be desired, and terminating at the
earliest possible moment the calama-
ties Of war"
Is there any doubt of the truth Of
these assertions? And if they are