The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-08-06
From the N. Y. Tribune.
Roscoe COnkling's Assertions,

,rdtns which be utters against Mr.. Gree.
ley, quotes the folio wing as his Ian
guage: S. # a 81
1When the rebelRous traitors are over.
whelmed in the field, and scattered like
leaves before an angry wind, it must not
be to return to peaceful and contented
homes; they must find poverty at their
tresides and plivation in the anxious
eyes Of mothers and the rags of chill
! llren''
This differs from the rest, in that it
was stated in these columns, at least ten
days ago, that Mr.. Greeley never wrote
the above, never prompted or approved
it, and never saw it until after it was
printed. [We NAV properly add the
fact that the man who did wrte,it IS now
one of the most earnest and prominent
editorial supporters of Grant, Wilson
and Conkling in this city.
Mr.. Conkling says that on visiting
Niagara in 1864, and finding that there
were no such Commissioners there as
had been represented to him.
"Mr. Greeley, in place of denouncing
the cheat and repelling the impertinence,
and clearing the Presidents skirts by
showing the tive letters which he had
been instructed to shown ihto q cor
,respondence with these brazen impos-
tors" .F..
But Mr Greeley was never authorized
to show the Presidents letters to "hra
zen impostors," nor anything of the
Kind, but only to persons whp had au-
thority from Richmond to make peace.
Finding thst the persons there had no
such authority but offered to procure it,
he telegraphed this to the President, and
awaiting his orders had nothing more to
say. to the rebels. The only overture
made to them afterward was made by
the President, through one of his own
Secretaries
| Mr.. Conkling states that, on leaving
Niagara, q !, 81 !,
"Mr Greeley sent word to the Rebel
commissioners that he regrets the sad
termination Of the initiatory steps taken
for peace, in consequence of the change
made by the President"
Mr.. Greeley sent to those Rebels no
"wordp or message of any kind. His
dealings with them terminated when he
learned that they were not "Commis-
sioners" but private citizens, though he,
at Major Hays request, accompanied
the latter across the river. while the Ma.
jor delivered the card ITO whom it may
concern" The Major awaited an an
swer; Mr.. Greeley did not He sadly
felt that an opportunity to make.a good
impression on the public mind, North
and South, had not been used to the best
advantage; that was all.
Mr. Conkling SAYS that Mr.. lincoln
"Wrote to Mr. Greeley for permission
TO publish the correspondence, emitting
only such parts as carried an exaggera
ted idea of our military and political
condition: this request Mr.. Greeley re-
fused, unless all parts of the letters were
published"
"Ths letters" Mr.. Greeley only. ins
sisted that his oUn letters should not be
mutilated to bis prejudice. He hadspri-
vately written to Mr.. LiReoln that area
sonabe offer of peace from him would
powerfully aid the anti JEFF. Davis (vir.
tual Peace party, then contesting North
Carolina-an election of Governor, Leg
islature, &c, being imminent. This was
one of the passages in his own letter
which Mr.. Greeley was asked to strike
out, allowing the residue to go to the
people as though unmutilated. He re.
fused Had he not reason2
Mr. Conkling sneers at the terms of
peace which Mr. Greeley privately sug-
gested to Mr. Lincoln to be offered to
the rebels This reflects on Mr. Lin
coin, who, with Mr.. sGfeeley's letter
open before him, responded:
''If you find any person, anywhere,
protesting to have any proposition from
Jefferson Davis, in writing, for peace,
embracing the restoration of the Union
and the abandonment of slavery, what
ever else it tembraces, say to him he may
come tome With you.'' sIsHs sSs
And this he subsequently repeated in
his card ITO whom il may concern" In
fact there was no difference between the
1.-TWO but this: Mr.. Greeley believed that
an offer-no matter though informally
made-by our government ofsreasoaa-
BILE terms of peace would weaken the re-
bellion and strengthen the national
cause Mr.. Lincoln wished 10 deal only
with authorized commissio oners yet he
4 dids ii the last resortxg make through
Gen. Hsya general or publieaoserture
to the rebels, which hs had not author
! lized Mr.. Greeley to do.
i ,Mr.sConklipg asserts that Mr.. Gree
ley SO r. as.S.
!. 'Was going to close up the whole re
belion by paying S4O0, 100000 to loyal
and secession alike for slaves, and by
several other things"
| Let us see about this. Here are the
, terms suggested to Mr.. Lincoln by MIR
Greeley:
4 81. The Union is restored and declar
) ed perpetual. ya@um u
%. Slavery is utterly and forever
2 Iabolshed throughout the same.
"3. A complete amnesty for all politi
, cal offenses, with restoration of all tht
inhabitants Of each State to all the priv
ileges of citizens of the United States.
# ~. The Union to pay four hundred
million dollars $4,000 0 900, in five pc
cent United States stock to the lat,
Slave States, loyal and secession alike,tt
be apportiotea Pro rata. according L
their slave population respectively, b,
: 1.-THE census of 1860, in compensation 70
Z 1.-THE e'lossess of theiriloyal citizens by th'
abolition OF slavery. Each State to b
! entitled to its quota upon the ratification
]by its Legislature of this adjustment
The bonds to be 81 hesa6selute disp posa
of the Legislature aforesaid.
Il Now, it is quite probable that the Leg
!, }islatures might have otherwise appropri
ateti this money; but Mr.. Greeley pro
posed that the Union pay the States onl,
l1''for the losses of their loyal citizens b.
the abolition of slavery" Conlling'
citation of "loyal and secession alike.
!, - Fl ,ol1 Iowa -,