Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-10-12
MAC.
In haste, 6,
Hairs Negotiation with MeCIeu.


Hairs Negotiation with MeCIeIIan.
Frank Blair, Senior, IN letter to the
National bltcLIigsneer, after referring 10 3
eonverssti on with Mr.. Bryant, Mr.. Gree
ley, and Mr. Bennett, thus explains hi
interview with Mcclellan.
Through Mr. Barlow the intimate per
sonal and political friend of General Me
Clellan, who was not in the city, l let the
General know that I would be gratiied no
an opportunity of conversing with him
He came to town and visited me az ~
lodgings at the Astor House. 1 bsd ~
hours conversation, which [ prefocs5
by telling him tho motives which had
brought me to New York. as I have stated
them above, and by stating distinctly tbet
did not come from Mr.. Lincoln. had no
authority or even consent from him IN
make representations or overtures of anv
sort to him; that he had not been an
prised of my visit or purpose, which was
in part, to advise with him-tEe General
ss one whom he knew to be his friend
with regard to the public interests and his
own. l told him l had little doubt he
would be the nominee of the CHICAGO Con-
vention, and that IF he accepted he wouId
be defeatad, and defeated, his fate would
be that of all previously defeated candi-
dates who had played for the Presidency.
Clay, Calhoun, Webster, and the rest that
although an aspiration TO the chief place
in the republic, was an honorable ambi-
ton, there was no instinct in public men
which always excluded from general coli-
fdence any who sought it with the least
suspicion of selishness at the expense of
great public considerations, and if the pub
lie pronounced once its will by voting him
down, as having sought the place without
duly weighing its great exigency, especial
ly in such a revolutionary crisis as the
present, he could never rise again. | ur-
ged that he ought to consider that at this
moment moment schism of the Union
party of the North, on the issue of the
Presidency, has looked to every one, at
home and abroad, as the only way possible
through which the rebellion could accom-
plish its obiect-the dissolution of the
Union; that believe he-the General
was the only man who had position that
enabled any party in the North to rally on
and TO command a9force to make a breach
in the patriotic Union party, so as 70 de-
feat or in any essential degree encourage
the hopes of the enemies of our Govern
ment, foreign and domestic On this
ground I appealed to him to withhold his
name from the so-called peace men, who
we're soon to assemble in Chicago
l expressed the opinion that it was
his duty TO his country, and there
fore mis- own true policy to his regarded
fame and aspirations to public hon
ors, to address a note to Mr. Lincoln, ask
ing command in the army, declaring at
the same time that he did not seek it with
view to recommend himself to a Presi-
Dental nomination that 1 thought, and
hoped he thought too that no man eg-
pecially in revolutionary times, ought TO
lead an army in the field, and aim, through
the strength of that position, at once to
grasp the civil power of the Government
that no man had ever marched from the
battlefield to the civil power, with an army
that he had disciplined and led in 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 sttainments which his
friends. and among the rest, believed be-
longed to him, for the benefit of his coun-
try, in its life and death struggle that he
should abandon the idea of Icing a candi-
date for the Presidency, If he entertained
it, and return to service in the field, and
said if the President refused it
he would then, Of course, be respon- |
sible forthe consequences. If he assented |
the result would be he would confound his |
enemies, who had, as 1 believe, urged on |
he War Committee and impressed it on |
he public mind, that the delays of |
.he great army he commanded in achiev-
ng decisive results were the |
of an ambition TO clutch the |
Presidency by lingering out the war and |
lis command to the end of the Presiden-
ial term, that he might make the prestige
md hold the means to effect his purpose
rhls was the scope of my argument to
General Mcclellan on the topics referred
o. 1t was honestly meant and designed
o promote the public good and his own
1e seemed so to consider it, disc aiming
my desire for a Presidential candidacy.
lie thanked me for the interest | had
.lways taken as his friend II the re-
ations Of which l spoke; said that the
had made were worthy
# deep consideration, and they would be
veil weighed; that be was called to the
ountry BY sick child and regretted that
le could not probably see him again.
mentioned to Mr.. Lincoln on my re-
urn the attempt had made to concilis-
ion Of parties in New York with a view !
o the defeat of the opposition in the North
y restoring harmony among all favoring
he crushing the rebellion by arms. l I