New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-11
delivered by Major Hay in person to the Rebel
aco1ts. AS il was the first they had ever heard oi

delivered by Major Hay in person to tie Rebei
acoots AS il was the first they had ever heard OF
any "ccnditions" and as they had been informed
Inv Mr. Greeley that he was instructed by tho Presi-
dent to tender them safe-ooIduct to Washington.
without any mention Of conditions-they we're OF
course taken by surprise, and, naturally enough,
attributed To the President the "sudden ana thtte
change of views" with which they repfoaeh INN IN
their letter 70 Mr.. Greeley Of July II. Ana,
STRANGELY enough even after reeeivll, thus let'eI
and being thus anprisod Of the charge brought
agai,.st the President, Mr.. Greeley not only ialed
10 relieve him from il by making pu0hc the iac'S,
but Joined IL aecr.liug 10 Nr. Lincoln the idl'uIo
OF negotiations for peace and the consequent pro-
lorgadon OF the war. ana aeool mo -, ~
Je,yett's statement. Dir. Greeley also altloH@eu
hin to express to the Rebel Commissioners ms re-
gets that the negotiation should have ialled III
consequence Of the PrCsidonts change OF tle"S.
Ii is not easy now any more thah IT, was tHoii, ~
reconcile hlr Grcelcys action II tAls ma'teI W.
fidelity TO the Union cause, or with eoou Iai'" !"
the Administration, by which alone that cause was
maintained The Opposition press maze MI
incoln's alleged regeneration tire ground OF iresl
and vehement attack, while 1t was used tAronShou.
fthe Rebel States as, fresh proof Oh the laliIess
character of the Federal Government, and OF me
absolute impossibility of making peace e1cep, Dy
successfnl war The Commissioners themselves
made very adroit use of the advantage winch M
Grecley's extraordinary course had placed IN tieir
hands and in their letter of July 81, addressed 10
him. but intended TO be public ;mpeachmoh, o.
President Iincoln's honor and good faith, mace "a
powerful and effective appeal 10 the indignant pTiie
OF the Southern people and the sympathy OF lheH
friends in the Northern states.
The President felt very sensby the injustice
done TO himself and the injury done 10
the country, by Mr.. Greclcy's suppression OF
these most essential facts, in lis intercourse WIN
the Rebel Comm ssioners. As the only mode oil
placing the whole subject properly before the Peo
pie, he applied to Air. Greeley Tor PERMISSION 10
publish the whole coIrespondence-oiultu ns oiiy
cert in passages not nj all essential 20 full under
standing Of the subject and likely seriously to IN
iuro the Union cause by infusing into the luDnc
mind something of the dependency, which Alr'
Greeley himself felt ard openly ayowed, concern
ing tie PROSPECTS, of the country. Inc "oIus "hieh
Mr. Lincoln desired 10 have omitted, IN the publ
cation of the correspondence, were the following.
In the letter of July Il
In the second paragraph, the words ana therefore
venture TO remind you that our Bleeding bankrupt, al
most diving country also longs for peace. shuddefs az
the of fresh conscrptions of further "hocfae
deyasations and of rivers Of human blood, ana
also the words now. and is morally certain uh.sr TO
moved 10 90 far greater IN TIE approaching eecton'
In tho fourth paragraph, the words " IL only WIN
view 10 the momeniOus election soon to occur IA North
Carolina aud OF TIE drlf 70 lie enforced In the fTec
States, this Should he done"
In tie iast paragraph, the words 1T may save Us
from a Northern insurrectior."
In the letter Of July TO- second paragraph the words
in for effect on the approaching norm caro-
lima election" and in the last paragraph, the words
especially those OF North Carolina
And IN the letter OF July ~. last paragraph. the
words that good influence may even yet be oIerted
on the North Carolina election next month
Mr.. Greeley declined 20 give his assent to the
publication Of the correspondence, unless these
phrases should be published also. The President
accordingly submitted IN silence 20 the injustice
which Had been done him, and committed tho
whole subject, in the following letter, TO the judg-
ment of personal and political friend
ExECCIINE NASHON. WasHiSGToN
Auru-t -. it6i
Hon VryRY j. RAYuOND-Ny Doar Sns ! have pro-
posed TO Mr. Greeley Tat .Le Niagara correspondence
be published supprcssiug Only TIE parts Of MS lciisis
over which the red penc IL drawn Ia the copy "hleh
herewith send IL dtcllLCs giEns his consent 10 Tie
publication II HIS letters unss Lo'e parts be published
Win the rest have concluded hat Iis better ior ne
to submit for the tine 10 The consequences oil re sc
po.lficn in which consider he nus placed me. than to
subject the country the consequences OF publishing
these Encouraging and injurious pasts. ] send YOU
this aad the accompany Ing copy. not for publication
bat merely 90 explain g You and aat you Ia! preserve
Yours. truly. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
This public statement Of the facts OF this Ease -
deemed By the author due 10 the memory of Dir.
Lincoln. lie has been widely coIsured iOr enter
ing into communication With kcbr agents at ALI
but this correspondence shows that Mr.. Gr cleys
assurances, and his pressing entreaios had made
If necessary for him either 70 open tho way
for peace negotiations or reject the opportunity,
which one Of the mOstinluentall LEADERS Of his own
party thus assured him offered, for an holora.
bic termination of the war. lie vas charged with
having finally insisted upon certain concessions as
the basis OF an interview, after having Inst prom
ised it Internationally; but tins correspondence
shows that these conditions were distinctly stated
OF the very Outset, but were withheld by Sr Gree
ley from ne knowledge OF the Rebel Commission
crs Il is due 10 justice, Gs well as 70 Nj. Lincoln
that impressions so injurious and so false should
IO longer prevail.
The effect OF this attempt at negotiation upon
the public mind was tor the moment, uniayorablo
to the Union cause. The people, responding
heartily 70 the demand Of The Baltimore P.stform,
that no peace should be accepted by tho Govern
meut on any terms short Of an unconditional sur
render, were dstrustful of negotiations which
might look 10 some other issue. Tho charge Of bad
faith urged against the President stimulated the
Opposition, and, IN the absence of the facts, EN-
baIrasscd his supporters; while the fact that Mr.
Lincoln insisted upon She abandonment OF slavery
as one of the conditions Of peace, was cited by the
opponents of his Administration as proof that tho
object of the war was changed, and that 1t was to
be waged hereafter not solely for the preservation
of the Union, but for tho emancipation OF the
slaves In the absence of any opposing candidate,
these ard countless other charges were urged
against the Administration with marked effect and
added very materially TO the popular dependency
which the lack of military success had naturally
engendered.