New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-11


There has been much loose talk of Peace
negotiations with Rebels. never engaged in
any, though It seems that Twas warranted inso
doing. did not cross the Ferry till after Major
Hays arrival, and then only at his urgent re-
quest; and had no correspondence with any
Confederate, save with regard to their authority
to bind their chiefs and their going to Washing
ton. 1t was never my understanding that the
vital conditions Of peace were to DO settled py
me ot Niagara.
Mr.. Raymond quotes something that ". L.
Jcwe,t saw fit to sSy to the Confedcrates at
Niagara after had left, and suggests that Z" MI
ycwet must have misreprunted Mr.. Greeley
He certainly did, if he undertook to represent
me at all. i sent them no messages but those
in nv own handwriting, all OF which they forth
with published.
Mr.. Raymond further says that l made no
reference, in my letters Of the 10th and 18th OF
July, to "the Presidents conditions" l cor
tsinly ried, in that of the 10th (Which see,) to
tell him, as plainly as in courtesy could, that
/ could be 40 party to exaatng vital concessions
OF tho Rebel agents a. a condition precedent to
negotiations; and this letter, though MIR.
Raymond says it was not received IN due course,
owing to Rebel interruption of the mails, had
certainly been received and read before the
President telerophed me (July l5th) TO say that
he was disappointed that | had not already
brought him 4" man or men" But again.
in my letter Of tie 18Th, l expressly reminded
him that
"You will Of course undefstand that know nothing,
and have proposed nothing. as 20 t'ms. ano tha'
nothing is conceded taken Cor grant by the meet:
Ing Of persons empowered 10 neg0tinie Tor peace ~
that Is assumed l. mutual desire 80 terminate tlis
Wholesale slaughter If basis oi adjustment can Dc
mutually agreed on
1t was this letter which the President haL just
received when hc telegraphed mt or the 18th.
and also wrote the letter which Mr. Raymond
SAYS was handed me by Major Hay.
1t seemed TO me that, after our simultaneous
successes at Gettysburg, vicksburg ard Port
Hudson, reopening the Mississippi and Perma-
nently severing the Confectionery. (Which jeff
Davis had publicly proclaimed would be its
death-blow, negotiation might wisely be trusted
TO finish the work-that all that was still needed
was to make surely Known to the Southern
PeOnle that they could return 10 the Union Oh
forms which they might now honorably and ad.
yaniagoously accept. In this conviction, | tried
and az well before MS after the
Niagara overiure,-to bring the belligerent par
lies responsibility face TO face, 20 that they might
earnestly Try to restore peace 20 cur blood
81 aked country. CT have certainly understood
that Mr.. Raymond made similar efforts, just
after the Niagara failure, hut without snccess.)
And, bunglingly as tho Niagara business was
on Our side, Lnoar that IL result had
u salutary influence at the South, in appnsing
those who were tired Of wholesale carnage aid
conAsgTaton that a Peace was within their
reach, which would not subject them TO military
execution nor 10 Wholesale confiscation.
Mr. Raymond says that the President sent
Major Hay to Niagara mot understanding the
cause OF delay in their [the Rebel enyoys']
arrival" That must be q mistake. Mr.. Lin-
coin was shrcwd man, and can never have
believed nor expected, in the then actual 70.
sition Of the antagonist forces, that any ac-
credited agents of the Confederate Government
would agree to the restoration Of the Union and
the abolition % Slavery as prclminaries 20 their
being allowed to visit Warrington in quest Of
Peace. ! cannot believe that even his his
torian can have expected any such concessions
precedent to negotiation.
Mr.. Raymond says that declined to give my
assent 20 the publication of my private CORE
spondence with PRESIDENT Lincoln, emitting
-ertain passages not one of them IN has letters,
bat all Of them in mine not at ell essential to
, FIJI understanding Of the subject" Now, l
ike cool things of reasonable size-say gla-
,iers. or icebcrgs-but, really, the Himalaya
IF frigditv, the Arctic Circle Of conSelation,
involved in the proposition that my private
etters should be printed in garblcd form
n order to put mo in the wrong and some
,ne else in the right, quite astounded
me. said, Print my private letters,
certainly, if you choose; but print them as l
wrote them, not as it may suit your exigency
o edit and modify them" 1t serves Mr.. RS
purpose to say that the changes proposed were
. not at all essential;" but they men. Every
me of my letters had urged the fact that amost
important election was then pending in North
Carolina, wherein the Holden or anti-Davis
Peace party would be greatly helped by any
manifestation by our Government Of an anxious
,esire for Peace on terms that the South ought
o accept-and each OF these illusions were
among portions Of my letters which l was re-
.,,;.od 30 onponp in eunnrasein0 II wua pnt