Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-08-06
GREELEY AS A PEACE MAKER.
The Full Facts OIL How Greeley Was Fooled by
Leading Rebels I'm fs64-How the Silly old
philosopher" Annoyed President Lin.

hI' hcNry y. haJmon0 In his 81 life
OF Abraham Lincoln" and also Mr..
Edward MCPHERSON, in his "History
of the Rebellion, l86O~65," give the
letters which passed betw cen Mr..
Greeley and President Lincoln in
July, 1864 and Mr.. Greeley and GER
tain rebels who were at Niagara
Falls on the Canada side, and which
have since been styled the Niagara
Falls Peace Correspondence" When
the whole correspondence was finish
ed, Mr.. Lincoln, seeing the use that
was made OF it for The purpose of
placing him 10 false light before the
country, requested of Mr.. Greeley
his consent to have it published, with
the exception of certain passages in
MIR. Greeiey's letters, which in the
judgment OF the President, might be
injurious to the public interests.
With this request he refused 20 com.
ply unless these passages were re-
tanned. Mr.. Lincoln thsn placed the
correspondence in the hands of Hem
ry j. Raymond, with red pencil
limo drawn over those parts that be
thought it expedient to publish, ad-
dressing him letter, in which occur
tho following sentences"
81 have concluded that il is better for ME
10 submit, for the time, to the consequences q {
the false position in which consider he Mr.
Greeley has placed me than to subject the
COUNTRY TO the consequences of publishing
these dlscouraging and injurious parts. send
you TINS, ana The accompanying copy, not for
publication but merely TO explain 10 you. and
that you may preserve them until their proper
time shall come"
This letter was dated August 10.
1861, when the Democratic party
was hurting violent charges at the
head of the President, as needlessly
prolonglng the war and using the
failure OF the Niagara Falls Coufer-
ence as u proof thereof Mr.. Lincoln
felt himselfunjustly impcached there
by, and wished the country to know
all the facts that bad any real bear.
ing upon the question then agitating
the public mind. The only paris
which he proposed TO omit in the
publication of the correspondence
were those passages in which Mr.
Greeley had expressed discouragiue
views about the war. These parts
certainly were not material TO the
end sought, nor could their publica
ton be of any service to Mr.. Greeley
for reasons best known to himself, he
declined to give his consent unless
the passages from his own pen
which, as Mr. Lincoln thought, might
be detrimental TO the Union cause
were also published.
The correspondence in question be
gins with letter dated at Nlagars
Falls, July 5, 1864, and addressed tC
Mr.. Greeley, by w. C Jewett, in an
swer to previous note from the for
mer to the latter, in which he says
81 am authorized TO state to you, for YOU
use only, not the public, that two ambassador
of Davis & Co. are now in Canada, with full
and complete powers for peace; and Mr.
Sanders requests that you come on immediate
ly TO me, at Cataract House, TO have privat,
interview. Or, if you will send the Presi
| dents protection for him and two friends they
will come OH and meet you"
This letter Of Mr.. Jewett show.
that Mr. Greeley himself bad preVi-
ousIy written to him. Ga the III
of July. 1864 Mr.. Greeley sent TIN,
letter to President Lincoln, writing
himself also, strenuOusly urging hin
"to submit overtures for qualification
to the Southern insurgents" and pro
posing plan Of adjustment which
included an indemnity of $500, 600, OO(
to be paid by the Government to th,
slave States for the abolition of sla-
very.
In answer to this letter the Presi.
dent wrote to Mr.. Greeley on the 9tt
of July, 1864, saying
eff you can find any person anywhere pro
| Tossing to have any proposition of Jefferson
Davis, in WRITING for peace, embracing III,
RESTORATION or THE UNION AND THE ABAN
DoNMENT or SLAVERY, whatever else it EN-
braces, say TO him that he may come to m,
with you, and that, if he really brings sue!
proposition, he shall at the least, have SAT,
conduct with the paper (and without pub lici
| ty if he chooses) to the point where you shall
4
persons"
The President was very careful Il
say that the proposition must come
from Jefferson Davis, that it must be
in writing, and that it must en- brace
the restoration of the Union and the
abandonment of slavery.
On the 18th of July, 1864 Mr.. Gree
ley writes to Mr.. Lincoln, and says
81 have now information on which can re
| ly that two persons duly commissioned an,
empowered TO negotiate for peace are at th
moment not far from Niagara Falls in Canada
and are DESTROYS of comforting with yourself
or such persons as you NAV appoint or EN-
power TO treat with them"
This was based on @ letter TO Mr.
Greeley from Geo. n. Sanders, writ
Ten at Niagara Falls on the previou.
day, but which did -ot contain the
Conformation" conveyed by Mr.. Gree
ley to the President. On the 18th oil
July the President replies by tele-
gram, and says to Mr.. Greeley:
81 have just received yours of the 18th, an.
am disappointed by il. was not expecting
/
man or men. Mr.. Hay goes to you with my
answer to yours of the l3th.".
In this answer, as borne by Major
Hay, Mr.. Lincoln says that if the
commissioners consent to come. on
"being shown my letter to you OF
"the 9th instant, show that and this
"to them, and if they will come on
"the terms stated in the former, bring
them. | not only intend sincere
"etfort for peace; but / intend that
"yOu shall bea personal witness that
sit is made He authorized Major
Hay to issue safe conduct to Hon.
Clement G. Clay, Hon. Jacob Thomp.
son, Professor James b Hoicomb
and George n. Sanders, the persons
then at Niagara Falls, two of whom
had been represented by Mr.. Greeley
as being duly appointed by Jefferson
Davis. The safe conduct was acS
cordingly issued and placed in the
hands of Mr.. Greeley
Mr.. Greeley then starts for Niaga-
ra Falls, and on the 18th of July
opens direct correspondence with