The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-06-21
Inside Giinnpses Of the Rebeliion-bu'
chanau, Seymour and Greeley.

During the war of our great rebellion, our
| readers will remember, we published on seve-
raj occasions some very curious disclosures con-
| corning JEFF Davis, from Colonel J. r. Jaquess,
an Illinois Union soldier and clergyman, en-
pIoyed on mission to Richmond, among other
things, in the secret service of the govern
| nent, by President Lincoln. II now appears
that this same confidential officer in recent
examination before the Senate Committee on
Military Affairs, has been disclosing some very
interesting facts relating to some other secret
| service expeditions involving the status on the
war question of the late ex-President Buchanan
and Of Horatio Seymour and Horace Greeley.
1t thus appears, from this testimony Of
Colonel Jaquess that he Gin the fall of 1861
was commissioned by President Lincoln to
'crack that nut Of the rebel peace diplomats
Jacob Thompson, Clement G. Clay, George
Sanders and others, on the Canadian side OF
Niagara Falls, that extraordinary rebel diplo-
matte experiment by which Horace Greeley
was ''taken in and done for;" that in order to
get an sopen sesame" to that Canadian gang
of rebel peacemakers, Colonel Jaquess found
his man to be ex-President Buchanan; that
repairing to Wheatland, the Colonel readily
succeeded in getting into the confidence
Of Buchanan, who was found to be
thoroughly advised of and familiar with
all the movements Of the enemy on the border
| Thompson, Clay & Co.. and in full sympathy
! with them;" that che (Buchanan) preferred
that they should succeed in their wicked
designs against the government rather than
that the republican party should succeed in
saving and keeping control of the country;"
that from Buchanan the witness in this matter
secured the sntr6e into the Canadian Border
Rebel Convention, the deliberations of which
''were confined to the best methods of securing
the election of the democratic candidate to the
Presidency, the defeat of Lincoln and the ele-
walton of themselves to power"
From this testimony, then, we see that the
rebel chiefs, in the fall of 1864, as the last
resort, hoped for the success Of their designs
through the defeat of Lincoln, and that the
rebel conspirators on the Canadian border
were chiefly employed in considering the best
methods to secure this great object; that
they counted upon peace on their own terms
with the defeat of Lincoln, and that so the
loyal States understood the Chicago democratic
platform in declaring the war for the Union ga
failure" AS for that feeble-mnded old man,
Buchanan, the attitude in which he is placed
by the witness quoted does not differ
materially from the prevailing Impressions in
the North of his capitulation to the Southern
secession democracy in reference to Fort Sum-
old slaveholding oligarchy as the rightful mas
tiers of the government; for he had 80 learned
to read the constitution.
1t is gratifying to have, after this testimony
against Buchanan, evidence from the same
witness Of the practical loyalty of Governor
Seymour after the Presidential election of
1864, in not only ceasing to oppose the admin
istration OF Lincoln in the prosecution of the
war, but in promptly answering every call
upon New York for her quota Of troops. 1t
appears, too, that Governor Seymour was
brought round to this policy by the commune
cation to him in person from Colonel Jaquess
of the views and purposes of jeff Davis, which
admitted Of ''no halfway house Of diplomatic
rest" between the suppression or recognition
of the Southern confederacy. The HERALD,
with the active cooperation of that experienced
and sagacious politician, John Van Buren,,
succeeded, in 1862. in putting Seymour for
Governor on the right platform for success
"a more vigorous prosecution of the war;"
but he was overruled by the peace copper
heads in 1868, and 80 they and he-for Gov
ernor again-went on to their defeat of
| 1864. But after this defeat it is graft
flying to know that Governor Seymour stood
faithfully by Lincoln in pushing on the war.
What followed, in reference to Seymour down
| to November, 1868, we need not here repeat,
only that it was the winding up of his political
| career.
| Greeley. whose alterations and perturba-
! lions during the war as supporter Of the
government, no man, living or dead, can
satisfactorily explain, appears in this testi-
mony of Colonel Jaquess as anything but an
amiable man, and, withal, as very profane
man. After cracking that rebel nut at Niagara
| Falls to the satisfaction of the President, the
witness in the premises says that he next, in
behalf of the amiable Lincoln, undertook to
reconcile Greeley-that is, in reference to his
wild-goose chase to Niagara Falls for treaty
of peace with Jake Thompson & Coon the
basis of sop of four hundred millions Of dol
lars to the Southern oligarchy for the emanci-
patton of their slaves. "But, says the witness
before the Senate committee. Ion the subject,
81 went to Mr.. Greeley, but he was not will
ing to be reconciled. He seemed willing to
receive me and to hear me, but was very much
incensed at Mr.. Lincoln. Greeley says be
never swears; but to me he cursed Mr.. Lincoln
up and down, and have witness who car