The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-25

war for the pigger' rather than for the Union; |
and that prejudice weakens the arm of the |
nation. We seek, therefore, to dispel II, and we |
trust not without success"
That was our view from first to last-it is |
that which we expect to live and die in. The |
war for the Union was not offensive but defen- |
sive-the Rebellion was simply slavery de-
manding and hghting for an increase of its
power. II became necessary TO strike at the
effect (Rebellion) through the cause slavery;
and we early and earnestly urged the adoption
of that policy. We insisted that this was not
perverting the war for the Union into a war
for the negro, but, on the contrary. converting
the negro into potent weapon of defense for
the Unlon' The Copperheads contested this
view Vehemently, with some aid from Jealous
put maladrolt AbolitiOnists, and still more
from T. W., who perversely adopted their
view OF the matter, and whose occasional bull
letlns went the round of their journals as fast
as issued, serving them most effectively It
seemed SAD pity to see whatever ability and
influence he had put to such use.
II. W. proceeds
"But where was Mr.. Greeley's friendship for
negroes while he was defending secession
when he said that slave states had a right to 20
out OF the Union; when he bid them God speed
he eT grnfnn ~ Wneh ne endeavored oy severing
their millions of offspring to the shackle and
the lash forever aud eves?'"
II. w. knows better than all this knows
that the right we have ever upheld is that
affirmed by our fathers in the preamble to
their Declaration of Independence, when they
declared that governments derive their Just
powers from the consent of the governed, -
and that this consent they have a right to
withdraw. We cannot renounce the doctrines
of the American Revolution in Difference to
any political eXigency. But we deny that
Rebels were "the people, or even the States
of the South-we insist that the Rebellion was
the fruit of conspiracy, violence, and terrorism,
overbearing and suppressing the real iudg-
ment of a majority of the Southern people,
who would have voted it down at any free and
fair election prior to the Inauguration of hos
tilities. Fort Sumter was cannonaded and re-
duced expressly to ''fire the Southern heart"
and thus prevent the imminent collapse of the
Southern Confederacy.
Were we unwise in presenting our view of
the fundamental question Consider that.
the moment Mr.. LincOln's election was assured,
the North was summoned to make new con-
cessions to the slave power, or fight for the
Union. 10 our amazement, 7. w. was found
backing this demand-nay, urging that the
Republicans should consent to run the slave
line clear across the continent, and cOncede
all our territory south of the parallel of SO
deg. 80 min. to slavery forever To do this
was to insure the ultimate conversion of all
Mexico and Central America, with Cuba, into
duulIlOlldl SldN6 DJdlSS Ol our Union. 10 THIS
fearful concession-to dRy concession that
would give slavery another foot of free
SOLVE were intensely hostile. Yet stocks
were falling, business paralyzed, local cleo
tions going heavily against us in Northern
communities that had just given large ma
jorities for Lincoln, and all industrial interests
shrinking from the prospect of vast civil
war. If poll could then have been had on
the question, the free States would have given
e.. IL
promise. 1t was our task to stem this head
long torrent, and save the nation from COM
mitting gigantic crime. We did this, per-
haps not so wisely as another might, but with
such wisdom as we had. We said in sub
stance, "NOt another inch of free soil to
slavery-rather let the South go, if there be
no other alternative" Let those who did
better (not t. W. take credit for their
superior sagacity or courage.
II. w. continues:-
"And where, Also was Mr. Greeley's love for
the Union and sympathy for the slave when,
in the dark day OF the war, he demanded from
the Government Peace upon the best attain
able terms? We all know that the best attain
able terms were an acknowledgment OF the
southern Confederacy,' with slavery and the
1T is lie with circumstance that we ever
demanded "peace on the best attainable
terms.' The article whence these words are
wrenched was plea for calling out additional
forces, reinforcing our armies at all points,
and striking quick and heavy blows at the
forces of the Rebellion. In this way we
believed signal successes might and would be
achieved-as they We're. We added that if,
having put forth our utmost strength, we
found it insufficient to wage successful war,
we would then make peace. Why not
1T is as we'll to let T. w. get all this fou
stuff off his stomach. Here is the last of it,
"And eveb at later day, while on the eve o
a glorious triumph of our arms, Mr. Greeley
rushed to Canada, cuddling with traitors for
disgraceful peace, finally closing his craven
and cuwardly labors by 'implOring' Presiden
! Lincoln to ufter four hundred millions OF dol
! lars to Slavery, for peace, at the moment tha
Grant, FarraRut, Thomas, and Sheridan Wer'
/ striking down both Rebellion and Slavery Wltl
! their swords"
Mr.. Greeley only rushed to Canada
when President Lincoln directed him to do so
and then sorely against his will. His ''cud
! ding with traitors" required second urgen
request from Major Hay, the President
Secretary and special envoy. Up to the hou
of Hays arrival on the ground, had had NJ
interview, and only the most formal cor
respondence with any Rebels whatever Thei
overture came to me unsolicited and uneX
pected; | forwarded it to the President bu
made no response to its authors till directed Il
do so by Mr. Lincoln. 1t is special lie that
'implored" the President to offer $400, 900, ,0O
for peace, though | did suggest to him tn
wisdom of offering to pay that amount, Il
case the Rebellion were given up and tn
| Union restored, as compensation for tn
slaves of logdL slave owners, not of the Rebe
States exclusively, but of all the slave States
Had that proposition been made and accepted
the national debt would have been far les
to-day than it is to say nothing of the savini
of many thousands of precious lives, alOnl