American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-09-21
Mr. Greeley's "Plan of Adjust
ment."
Full Text Of Horace GreeIey's Let
ter to President Lincoln lnclosing
His Plan Of Adjustment.
NEW YORK, July Z, 1864

His Plan Of Adjustment.
NEW YORK, July Z, 1864.
MY DEAR SIR venture to in
close you letter and a telegraphic
dispatch that l received yesterday
IRON our irrepressible friend, Color
ado Jewett, of Niagara Falls. /
think they deserve attention. Or
course 1 do not indOrse Jewett's
positive averment that his friends
at the falls have /" full powers y
from j. d though I do not doubt
that he thinks they have. l let that
statement stand, as simply evidenc-
ing the anxiety of the Confederates
every here for peace. So much is
beyond doubt.
And, therefore, I venture to re-
mind you that our bleeding, bank
rup', almost dying country, also
longs for peace-shudders at the
prospect of fresh cOnscriptions, of
further Wholesale devast atoms, and
of new rivers of human blood and
a widespread conviction that the
government aud its prOmiL ent sup
porters are not anxious for peace,
and do not improve preferred OppOr-
tunities to achieve it, is doing great
harm now, and is morally certain,
unless removed, to do far greater in
the approaching elections.
1t is not enough that We desire a
true and lasting peace; we ought
to demonstrate and establish the
truth beyond cavil.
The fact that A. 81. Stephens was
not permitted a ear ago, to visit
and confer with the authorities at
Washington has done harm, which
the tone of the National Convention
at Baltimore is not calculated to
cOunteract.
entreat you, in your own time
and manner, to submit Overtures
for pacification to the Southern in
surgents, which the impartial must
pronounce frank and generous, if
only with a view to the mOmentOus
election soon to occur in North Car
DINA, and of the draft to be enforc-
ed in the free States. This should
be done at once. l would give the
safe conduct required by the rebel
ENJOYS at Niagara, upon their pa
role to avoid observation, aud to
refrain from all communication with
their 81 mpathizers in loyal States /;
but you may see reasons for declin-
ing it. But whether through them
or otherwise, do not, entreat y0u,
fail to make the Southern people
comprehend that you, and all OF us
are anxious for peace, aud prepared
to grant liberal terms. venture
to suggest the following:
PLAN OF ADJUSTMENT.
L. The Union Is restored and de-
clared perpetual.
2. Slavery is utterly and forever
abolished throughout the same.
3. A complete amnesty for all po-
litica1 Offenses, with the restoration
Of all the inhabitants of each State
to the privileges of citizens of the
United States.
4. The Union to pay four hundred
million dollars in FIVE per cent. Uni
ted States stock TO the late slave
States, loyal and secession alike,
to be apportioned pro rata. accord
ing to their slave population re-
spectively, by the census of 1860, in
for the losses of their
loyal citizens by the abolition Of
slavery. Each State to be entitled
to its quota upon the ratification
by its Legislature of this adjust
= 81, IL
solute disposal of the Legislature
aforesaid.
3. The slave States to be entitled
hencefOrth to representation in the
House on the same basis of their
total, instead of their Federal pop
ulation, the whole being now free.
6. A national Convention to be
as soon as may be, to
ratify this adjustment and to make
such changes in the Constitution as
may be deemed advisable.
Mr.. President, fear you do not
realize how intently the people de-
sire any peace consistent with the
national integrity and honor, and
how iOyousIy they would hail Its
achievement and bless its authors.
With the United States stocks worth
but 40 cents in gold peAdollar, and
about to commence on the
third million of Union soldiers, can
this be wondered att
l do not say that a just peace is
now attainable though 1 believe it
to be SO. But do say that frank
offer by you to the insurgents of
terms which the impartial say ought
to be accepted, will, at the worst,
prove an immense and sOrely ne ed
I'd advantage to the national cause.
1t may save us from a Northern in
Yours, truly.
HORACE GREELEY.
Hon. A Lincoln. President, Washington, d. Z.
p. Seven though it should be
deemed inadvisible to make an offer
Of terms to the rebels, 1 insist that
in any possible case, it is desirable
that any offer they should be dis
posed to make should be received,
and either accepted or rejected.
beg you to invite those now at Nj
agara to exhibit their credentials,
and submit their ultimatum.
g.
~ Henry Reed, the Washington
recently assaulted by Mr..