New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-04-03

trust needless, defense of "Mr. Greeley Peace
Letter." says:
eve ore inclined to believe that Mr.. Greeley himself
"a onite s~tshed by this time with the Which the
Ni.safa Peace negotiations took. That Whole affair
proves to have been IL the main a trick. there was
expectation and purpose of peace on the part OF
/ the Rebels Their game was to make capihl for the
approaching Presidential election They belved they
could aid materially In eecting Democratic Resident.
and that then they could negotiate for peace viii better
prospects of having something to show as thefts Of
their Rebellion The whole thing proved faire; but
it not easy to say how much mischief might ot have
been done thor emssaries had been allo"edto WISH
washingt on-which the main thing they dsired"
We have already tried to make this natter
so plain that the wayfarng man need mt err
therein; but, since our success seems thave
been at best partial, we will make one more
effort.
We do not know nor believe that ther was
any "trick, or deception, on the part OF Nessrs.
c. C. Clay, Jacob Thompson g. Co.; cut, if it
really was their "gamc" to make capital for
the Democrats in the then pending Presi-
Dental canvass, it is very certain that they sue
ceeded, and wholly by reason Of the wors posi-
bic playing on the part of our Government.
Let us accept, for the moment, The Tmes's
theory, and suppose that Messrs. Clay d Co.
were fnessing on the Peace question ir the In
terest Of Copperhead Democracy. Thy asked
permission to visit Washington as peas makers,
and Mr.. Lincoln at first conceded it. Suppose
he had stood just there, and they had gone along.
Now the President was under no conceivable
obligation to make them any propositin what
ever, while they were clearly pledged II make
one to him. So he simply folds h arms,
and says, "Geutlemen, j listen" Now, Yet US
suppose they make disunon part of Their pro-
gramme he replies, Either am President OF
the United States or all this is trfing with very
grave subject. AS President, l. have swornoup-
hold and obey the Federal Constitution, doc
ument with which presume You are all familiar.
have carefully studied that charter, and ind
in it no clause authorizing the President TO Wn-
sent to division Of the United States. Iaa-
not, therefore, accept your proposition. l wish
you very good morning and safe return to
your homes" Now, is there one man alire 10
dull as not to know that this interview would
have immensely aided, strengthened, exhhrated
the Union party, and given them every a Tant-
age in the Presidential contest then proceecing'
But suppose they had not insisted on Dis
union, but had profiered some sort Of recon
struction"-the President might or might not
have found it acceptable; but in any case our
danger from Foreign Intervention-not thea
illusory nor trifling-would have been utterly
o~J hat
dispatched o circular to our Ministers saying
through them to Foreign Courts, "fou see
here the proof that We have oil along been right
in the assertion that this is purely domestic
quarrel-that we are indeed two warning fac
tons, not two hostile countries" From that
moment, Foreign Intervention would have
been utterly without pretext or excuse; while
the Coniederates could no longer deny, even to
each other, that they were Self.oonfessed
Rebels, not an independent people.
Now, then, as to the wisdom and policy Of
a counter proposition from the President to the
Confederate ENJOYS or emissaries, as you will:
Let us suppose he had made some such over
ture as We suggested or one as much better and
it have been possible longer to uphold the Rebel.
lion by o merciless CONSUMPTION Of persons and
property throughout the South, based on such
assertions as those we copy below from recent
Proclamation Of Alabamas Gov. Watts-(an
old Clay.Webster Wing, who ought to be
thoroughly ashamed and sick Of his present bed
fellows, and We presume is SOY. Under date OF
March 3, he summons every citizen into the
Rebel armies, saying:
ITO The pEorIK OF ALABAMA: The recent rejection
of all propositions or pence by the authorities Of the
United States and the presentation TO US OF the only
that we lay down our arms and submit to the be-
hests Of Lincoln, with the promise only to be liberal In
the e1ere.e Of the pardoning power hu. treating the
vidual and sovereign capacity as criminas leave us
but one choice. We must either become the slaves OF
Yankee masters. deerndingins to equality with the ne
groes subectng and children and our cliren's
children 10 slavery than Egg ptian bondage.
must with the help Of Goo and our own strong arms
and brave hearts establish our freedom and independ
property 10 pay Lncons debt and crafty abolition
hatred and The destruction Of all the rights and iber
ties of freemen Submission IL but subjugatoD coupled
with everlasting disgrace and dshonor Such terms
OF peace the freemen OF Alabama can never accept"
&c, &c.
The Rebellion has been kept alive ever since
our triumphs at Gettysburg and Vicksburg by
just such appeals, such assertions, as the above.
Have they been properly counteractedi Was
it well for the Union cause that the President
should be bul!ied by bad advisers into prccluding
an overture from the Confederates at Niagara,
while he volunteered to set forth so much Of his
own conditions Of settlement as must seem re-
pulsive to the South, leaving unexpressed oil