The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1866-10-03
Greely on REORGANIZATION.

Below we publish letter written by
Greeley to President Lincoln, urging him
to make overtures to the rebels in arms
Liberal, and even extreme as were the
terms proposed, Greeley now assails the
President and denounces him as traitor
because he asserts that the Union is rcstor-
ed, the war at an end, and loyal Members
Of Congress from the Southern States who
can take the required oaths are entitled to
their seats.
Greeley proposed to pay s4oo,ooo,o 900
for manumitted slaves, and to give the reb-
81 states representation in Congress on the
basis of total-chite and black-popula-
ton. The President has adopted policy
much less liberal to rebels, and now Gree
ley-thc architect of ruin "-assails him
as a traitor, and Seward as criminal of
deepest dye.
With cool effrontery Greeley turns an
entire summersault-his disciples follow
sutton the subject of reconstruction,
while the whole radical mob, permitting
this political roue to prostitute their opin-
ions, become frenzied in their zeal, and
join him in his clamor against the Presi-
ident, and seek to excite the public mind
for a new instruction. What safety is
for this Government if the American peo-
PIE permit these appeals to their passions
and prejudices to lead them in the wake OF
such men as Greeley, who applaud to-mor-
row what they denounce to-day? Blind
leading the blind, they are hurrying US on
fron bad to worse. They recognize no
distinction between decency and indecen-
cy, between honor and dishonor, between
truth and falsehood. There is no name so
lofty, no reputation SO spotless, on which
they do not dare to spew their filthy excre-
ments: Like human jackals, these "archi-
tects Of ruin" and their imitators live by
preying on the reputation of their fellow
men.
johnson and Seward, Blair, Wells, Cow
an, Doolittle, Raymond, Weed, in civil
life, and the long list of soldiers who per-
lied their lives that the Union might live,
arc alike the recipients Of every vulgar ep-
tibet that the diseased imagination can in
vent, if they dare to step aside from the
tumultuous rabble who wish to ruin if
they cannot rule. Greeley would ncp
force barbarian Negro Suffrage on the
Southern States as a condition of their ad-
mission to the Union. He no,c denounces
as traitors all who oppose the plan. Then
he wrote this remarkable letter to Presi-
dent Lincoln. Is comment necessary
New York, July 7, 1864.
Ny DEAR SIR: 4 entreat YOU.
in your own time and manner, TO SUBMIT
ovERTUREs for the pacifcation to the
Southern insurgents which the impartial
must pronounce frank and generous. If
only with view to the momentous elec-
ton soon to occur in North Carolina, and
of the draft to be enforced in the Free
States, this should be done at once. l
would give the safe conduct required by
the rebel ENJOYS at Niagara, upon their
parole to avoid observation and to refrain
AIohi uAA COAAuHICutlOu Will IuClr 6yIup6-
thizers in the loyal States but you may have
reasons for declining it. But whether
through them or otherwise, do not, l en-
treat you, fail to make the Southern peo-
pie comprehend that you and all of us are
anxious for peace, and prepared to grant
liberal terms. l venture to suggest the
following plan of adjustment:
|. The Union is restored and declared
perpetual.
2. Slavery is utterly and forever abol-
ished drought the same.
3. A complete amnesty for all political
offences, with q restoration of all the in
habltants of each State to all the priyi-
legcs of citizens of the United States.
4. The Union to pay four hundred mill
ion dollars ($4OO, O0O, OOO) in five per cent
United States stock to the slave states,
loyal and secession alike, to be appropria-
ted pro rata, according to their slave pop
ulation respectively by the census of 1860,
in compensation for the losses of their
loyal citizens by the abolition of slavery.
5. The said States to be entitled hence
forth to representation in the House on the
basis of their TOTAL, instead of their fede-
raj population, the whole being now free.
6. A National Convention, to be as
sembled as soon as may be, to ratify this
adjustment and make such changes in the
Constitution as may be deemed advisable.
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