The Portland daily press., 1872-07-31
Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary Of State, C. s. L.:
SIR: l desire to submit to you, as the
head of the department to which l am direct
ly responsible, and under whose control they
should, if possible, have been conducted, the
history of certain transactions in which was
engaged whilst in Canada, but which did not
fall within the scope of the duties assigned
me by the president. will not here repeat
the reasons which have been communicated
in previous reports for protracting my stay in
the British provinces. During the interval of
leisure which this delay afforded me, Twas
practically associated by my friends, Messrs.
Clao and Thompson, with themselves, in the
execution of their more comprehensive and
delicate mission. In anticipation of the ar
rival of these gentlemen at Niagara, but, as l
believe, without their previous knowledge or
sanction, Mr.. George N. Sanders, then resid-
ing in that part of Canada, invited number
of citizens of the United States, supposed to
be hostile to the existing administration, to
visit the falls and interchange opinions upon
the condition Of the country and the great
question of peace, with the prominent Confed-
crate gentlemen who were expected to spend a
portion ofthe summer at that place. Suchcon-
ferences being entirely legitimate under the con-
-struction which Messrs. Clay and Thompson
'eno doubt very properly placed upon their
powers and duties. / had no hesitation in
falls, and expressed desire for my society.
That point being the most convenient and
eligible for the transaction of my own bust
ness, remained there during the whole peri
cd ofmy stay in Canada, and thus had op-
portunities of more frequent and extensive
intercourse with these gentlemen than either
of my friends, one of whom, Mr.. Clay,
made his headquarters at st. GATHERINGS, the
other, Mr.. Thompson, at Toronto. Besides
a crowd Of less distinguished persons, saw
during the course of the summer lin some in
stances repeatedly Governor Hunt, of New
York, Messrs. Leigh Richmond and Benia-
min Wood, of the same State; Mr. Buckalew,
Judge Black, and Mr.. Van Dyke, of Peunsyl-
vania; Mclean, of the Cincinnati ENQUIRER:
Weller, of California; Judge Bullitt, of Ken
lucky, and Colonel Walker of Indiana. We
received messages from other gentlemen, such
as VOORHEES,, of Indiana, and Pendleton of
Ohio. Before Mr.. Clay and myself had
reached Niagara, Mr.. Thompson had
seen Mr.. Vallandingham. The i'm
pTessiOhs which had been made upon nv
mind by what learned from these gentlemen.
and from many other sources of information,
including interviews with leading members of
the order of the Sons of Liberty, as to the
temper of the Democratic party, and especial
ly OF the people of the Northwest, and the
prospect OF any action in that section favor
able to our cause, l shall state in another
part of this report.
Certain editorials, which appeared in the
New York Tribune early in June, connected
with intimations from our friends in New
York, induced hope (which with me has
ripened into an abiding conviction) that the
able editor of that influential journal enter
tanned opinions upon the subject of peace
much more reasonable and moderate than
those of the Republican party in general.
For this reason, neither Mr.. Clay nor myself
(Mr. Thompson being in Toronto, and taking
no part in these conferences, except with one
or two gentlemen who visited him in that
city, discouraged Mr.. Sanders from sending
such an Invitation through a third person to
Mr.. Greeley, as he had sent to others, to
come to the falls and see us. Mr.. Sanders
soon reported that this suggestion was most
kindly received by Mr. Greeley, but that he ex-
pressed preference for, Washington as place
OF meeting, and desired to know if we were
willing to go there. 1t did not occur to MS. as
we had no doubt from what had subsequently
transpired was the fact, that Mr. Greeley snp-
posed we held any quasi diplomatic position
We had never written a line or uttered a word
to justify such an inference. The ANONYMOUS
publications attrbuting to us conversations. in
which various terms of peace and reconstruc-
ton were suggested, had no shadow of founda-
ton in truth. This impression of Mr.. Greeley
most probably arose from the ignorance, folly,
or knavery or COl0fauO JeWetU. who was the
medium of communication between Mr.. San
ders and himself. Nothing could be further
from the truth than the statement of our in
genious friend, DR.. Mackay. in his letter to the
London Times, that we laid trap to catch Mr..
Lincoln. Had we suspected any delusion as to
our true character, or the informal nature of the
proposed conference, it would have been
promptly dispelled. In considering the propri-
eIy Oh accepting the suggestion of Mr.. Greeley
~ ,io :" aohlhgoon, we most deeply regretted
W .laS ~ was impossible to submit the question
10 our own government for its decision.
Ihere seemed to US, however, upon reflection.
no doubt as to the line of conduct Which yyoni3 |
advance the interests of our countrv Tho |
good to be accomplished by such visit would
IN our Judgment, have greatly overbaIanced |
any mischief that could result from II Tba
publicity of our presence in the United Stato.
with the sanction of its Government. must bovs
impaired mighty influence to the cause of
peace by the free discussion it would have an
thorzed and invited. The opportunities of |
general and unrestrained intercourse might |
have been improved so as to secure an INSIGHT |
uto the temper and policy of the administra-
5ion the views of leading public men, the spir-
t of the people, and the resources of the coun-
Try. Under this conviction we authorized Mr..
sanders to signify to Mr.. Greeley our willing
ness to proceed to Washington upon the tender
u an absolute and unconditional safe conduct
from the President of the United States. When