The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-07-25
A Chapter or Confederate History
Horace Greeley MS a Friend OF Peace.
Interesting Letter from HON. James

1Htcre6tfnE Letter frOna RtOns bGESffs
n, Holcombc.
! 1oue Editors Of uts IyRchtrrg Republi.
can j have just seen an article from your
columns, in which certain statements made
by me in private conversation with regfrd to
| Mr.. Greeley have been uninteptionally Lut
| incorrectly reported. Although I am very
! reluctant to iutrude any narrative or opinion
of mine upon the public the course of your
correspondent has lett Inc no alternative.
My interview with Mr.. Greeley at niagara
| Falls i'm July, 1864, has become historical,
but the circumstances under which it oc-
CURED seem generally misunderstood. II
has no significance whatever in relation to
Mr.. Greeley, except as illustrating the
promptness, decision, and solicitudc willis
which he embraced every opportunity to
urge the interests of peace.
| The accidental presence at the same time
in the vicinity of the Falls of Messrs. G. &.
Clay, Jacob Thompson, and myself had eX-
citedmuch speculation in the North as to
our business. Mr.. Greeley received infor-
nation, to which he gave csedence, that we
were invested with autbority to open nego-
tiations looking to the establishment Of peace.
No word oract on our part had given coun-
tenance to this widely prevalent delusion.
nor were we aware OF its being shared by
| Mr. Greeley until he reached the Falls. Mis-
| led by third parties, Oh whom he had Il right
| to rely, a. to our wishes and powers, he had
with much difficulty procured from Mr.. Lin
coin authority to tender us Il safe conduct to
| Washington. As every attempt Of the Con-
| fcderate authorities to open negotiations with
the Federal Government had been hitherto
rlldciy repulSed, we believed that through
| Mr.. Grecley's agency great step had
been taken, ii not towards pacification,
at least in the line of humanity.
If the door thus opened had not been
subsequently closed, an exchange Of the CT
Whites OF war, and free discussion between
| representative men. of the means OF pacilca-
| ton, would have followed, which must have
| infused into the conduct OF hostilitlcS more
| humane and Christian spirit. In diSabuSing
| Mr.. Greeley's mind of the false impression
under which lie laborcd we had no lleSita-
ton in declaring that if the circumstances
| could be communicated to the Confederate
| Government our knowledge Of its wishes
and opinions authorized lis to say the rcqui-
| site powers would be ut once conferred on
us or some other gentlemen; and for that end
solicited pass through the lines to Rich
mond. But in the interval another inilu-
cnce had been brought to bear upon the
ccunscls of Mr.. Lincoln, an influence
whose spirit was us opposite to that OF
Mr.. Greeley as darkness to light, and
| which led to an abandonment of the liberal
attitude most congcnia to his own kindli-
ness of disposition. and the emanation of the
famous rescript, "To whom it may con-
cern." My personal interview with Mr..
Greeley took place when this document
was delivered to me by Major Hay, the pri-
yate secretary OF Mr.. Lincoln, and was ne
ceSSariIy brief and formal. The character OF
that paper diSpellcd all hope of peaceful ne
eoiiation. precludrd even courteous discus
sion. and seemed to me an appropriate sub
jcct for commentary through the press. That
lIr. Greeley WAS equally panied and diSap-
pontcd at this termination to his benevolent
hopes and IaborS. will hcSccn from in article
which aprcared ut the time in the Trlburc
"a single paragraph of which quotc) Vlnoi'
eating his conduct from the miSrcprcScnt.
lions of malignant par,sans. suppose
he writes. "thc President had said to these
gentlemen, 'Wcll, 30 to Richmond, if you
wish. bv the shortest route, and whcn
ever YOU, or others duly authorized
hy thc power now warning on Tic
Union, shall desire ACCESS 10 Wash
inylon. there to propose conditions OF
peace, Won shall have safe conduct and Il
ncari,,r,' where would have hecn the harm
suppose they had made an intolerablc pro
position, would not that lave aided the M
iionll cause; Suppose they had made one
that could hc properly and honclaby &c
ccptcd. WHO would not have rcjoced: Ant
=, >upuoSc noH,ing had come of it bHt he
manifestation by Our G0cernmentg a kndi,
yV,II. and an earnest desire for any honor
irIe uc0re. 3rouM not mat hdCe been 1rOrH
as iriEinq cOSt!'
| The italics in the last sentence are MIR
t;ireley'<, and the subsequent files OF Tho
T,JI,uuc (which alc in the writer's posses
sitnl will show that Mr.. Greeley neglected nc
. finely occasion to the close Of the war tC
press similar colln>cs upon his Government
have met Mr.. Greeley OIL but one ocr;t
sion since. In the course of vlsi to New
York. in the summer Of 1871, called at hi,
office and had Il long conversation with hin
upon the condition Of the country. 1t was
dnrin.r this conversation that he referred tC
the almost daily loss OF subscribers to the
Tribune in consequence Of his advocacy OF
universal amnesty. 1T was then, too, thai
ne complaiucd, and, as thought, with JUS
tice. of the southern press, for copying from
the Tribune offensive paragraphs, whlc!
were neither written by him nor submitted
70 him for revision. whilst no notice was
taken of carcf'ully-preparcd editorials under
his own initials, whose conclIatory Splrl'
could not be mistaken.
| cannot, at this distance of time. recall tho
details of that conversation, but it lett on IN,
+ mind so profound IN impression OF MI. Glcc
. irv'S beneyolcncc rs Il man, saSacty az
statesman, and comprehensive and truly
American spirit rs Il patriot, that on the mex
day EXPRESSED to IN old associate in on
Confederate Congress my sincere regret tina
it was not in our power to tender him caff'
blanche on which to write the terms OF re
construction.
As Your correspondent has informed thu
public of what he styles my ''cNtraordln'r,
and almost afiectionate ardor for Mr.. Gree
lev, NAV be pardoned for briefly indicatin!
why have never taken Mr.. Greeley cas-
lesser evil The worst consequences of !
sectional war is not the victory. hut per
pctlatiou of the causes and passions Of strife
To no no further, we may reid this truth il
the light of Irish history. Centuries hay
now elapsed since the subiugation of Ireland
I but that land yet groans under the miSeric
of oppression, and the reSentmcnts of con
, quest still burn uneXtinguiShed in the heart
+ of her people. A happier destiny is i'll OIL
, hands. The issues of the war have bccl
; closed. The equality of all men before tin
law has been established. The geographical
line. coincdcnt with moral principle, III;
, been oblitcratcd. The unity OF the Govern
mcnt has been established on basis never t.
!. he shaken. Indeed, by Il change of circum
+ stances. our old landmarks of policy har'
! been reversed, and the union from which WI
once appschcndcd every danger has bccrm
f our only hope of reviving prosperity. No
, thing can arrest the healing influences of tim
+ or prolong the cXaspcrtting struggles of sec