Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1872-07-12
GREELEY AND THE SOUTH.
an Important IHteFUieiU Uhich
has NeUe?' Before been made
Public Horace GreeIey'S
Pacific Policy AdUOcdted
by him SeUeH Years
lam
His ODissIess Of Zee.


An incident in Mr.. Greeley's histo-
~, so creditable to his head and heart
that ii ought long ago to have been
made public, has just been narrated to
your correspondent, and he hastens to
place it before the readers of the Cour-
ier-Journal, not less as an act of Justice
to Mr.. Greeley than matter of gene
raj interest to the country. The won
der is that this incident should so long
have been kept secret, dating back as
1t does seven years ago.
ANDREW JOHNSON SENDS FOR GREE
LEY.
/ Soon after Johnson was installed as
President, he sent gentleman numed
Camp to New York to solicit an inter
view with Horace Greeley. Unable
to leave the Capitol, Greeley must
come to him at once at the White
House. Greeley promptly complied
with the request. After the first for
NAL civilities were over, Camp rose to
leave, but President Johnson requested
him to remain, aud he did SO during
the whole interview. -TegE
johnson opened heconversation by
saying that he found himself in a
most trying position. The nation was
convnlsed with passiOnin CONSEQUENCE
of Mr.. Lincoln's assassination the
situation was new and embarrassing
to him; he felt inadequate to the task
to which he had been SO unexpected
" called, and he felt the need, rs he
had never before felt it, of the counsel
Of some cool and sagacious man. He
bad, therefore, sent for Mr.. Greeley.
What course to pursue, how to stem
the torrent of Northern frenzy, how
to manage the reins of government in
4 crisis so awful, was q problem too
deep for iim to solve. Placing him
self in Mr.. Greeley's hands, he asked:
WHAT MUST I DO?
Thanking him for the confidence
thus rep0sed in him. Mr.. Greeley re-
piled that his best course was to call
TO his assistance few of the wiseest
and best men in the country. They
should be representative men from the
two great sections. On the part of the
North, he would suggest Gov. An
drew, of Massachusetts, Gerritt Smith
of New York, and Judge Spalding of
Ohio. A like number of Southern
gentlemen should be called; they
should be invited to the White House
as guests of the President, there to re-
main and deliberate as long rs they
thought fit; and, having agreed upon
some policy, they should submitit to
the President for his approval, and if
approved by him. as Mr.. Greeley
doubted not it would be, it should be
faithfully and rigidly pursued, des-
pite the popular clamOr which might
for time ensue.
MIR. Johnson thought well OF the
suggestion. but what Southern
men should / invite, Mr.. Greeley to
meet the gentlemen you have named
from the North ?" "A
Firstand foremost, said Mr.. Gree
ley" Robert Z. Lee, of Virginia"
"Great heavensv' exclaimed John
SON; he is the very head and front
of the rebellion"
a know that" said Greeley, " and
for that very reason you should invite
him. He knows, if any man. does, the
wants ofthe Southern people; he of
all men possesses the confidence of the
entire South; he is upright and pure
he would not recommend a single ac-
ton on your part which would not
meet the approval of your advisers
from the North, and the result of the
in which Robert e. Lee,
Judge Campbell, of Alabama, and a
third man like them, from the South,
took part, would not only insure the
of the disatfected States
but, in the course of few months, |
would, l am fully persuaded, bring TO
your support every right-minded and
man at the North. The |
of the estranged sections, |
your main difficulty, would thus he |
solved, and your path made clear to- |
wards the solution of minor difficult |
ties. How are you to discover the |
true sentiments of the South and the
wants of its people if you do not con-
suit her representative men? And
what sort of restoration will that be in |
The plan of which the South has no |
part whatever? 1t must of necessity |
be one-sided, partial and unjust. Be
Mr.. President, and call to |
your aid men of the standing, position |
md temper have suggested, and by |
III means call them from both sec
.ions.n ...e
In this strain Mr.. Greeley continued |
until he had ra s''a .is 81 -i1E
FAIRLY WON THE PRESIDENT
overito his way Of thinking. The in
ervieW ended with theassursnce from |
he President that he would adopt The |
views of Mr.. Greeley and follow them
Exactly. He would however, make q.
single modification-he would substi-
ute Horace Greeley in place of Gerritt
smith.
(" Very well, . said Mr.. G., elf you
,all me l will come gladly aud aid you
o the best of my ability 81 81 4
They parted, and ten days afterwards
johnson threw Greeley's suggestions-
o the winds, adopted :" nay policy"
md pursued it; with what result tile
country is but too sadly aware.
Thus ii will be seen that the role OF
lacificator is