The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-09-05
A Brave and Manly Letter.

Extract from Mr.. Greeley's letter to
the club in which it was proposed to
ccnsure him Tor signing Mr., Daviss bail
bond
From the New York Tribune, May o. 1867.
by these Presents Greeting To Mcssrs
George w. Blunt, John \. Kennedy,
John O. Stone Stephen Hyatt, and
thirty others, members of the Union
League Club;
GcmiohnCp-I was favored on the 18th
inst, by an official note from our ever
courteous President, John JAY, notify
ing me that rcquisition had been pre-
scnted to him for "aspecial meeting Of
the club at an early day, for the pur-
pose of taking into consideration the
conduct of Horace Greeley, member
of the club, who has become bonds
man for Jefferson Davis, late chief Off
Ger of the Rebel Government
Gentlemen, shall not attend your
meeting this evening. | have IN en-
gagemcnt out of town, and shall keep it.
| do not recognize you Ms capable of
Judging, or even fully apprehondmg
me. You evidently regard me IA weak
sentimcntalst, misled by Il maudlin
philosophy
| arrnign you as narrOw-mindod
blockhcads, who would like to be useful
to great and good cause, but don't
know how. Your attempt to base Il
great, enduring party ON the hate and
wrath necessarily cngendercd by n
bloody civil war, is rs though youshould
plant colony on nn iceberg which had
somehow dri(tcd into tropical ocean.
| tell you here that, out of life ear
ncstly devoted to the good Of human
kind, your children will select my going
to Richmond and signing that bail bond
as the wiscst act, and will feel that it
did more for freedom and humanity
than all Of You were competent to do,
though you had lived to the age Of Me
thuscuh.
ask nothing of you, then, but that
YOU proceed to your end hy II direct,
frank, manly way. Don't slide of into
II mild resolution of Censurc, but move
the expulsion which you proposed and
which | deserve, if | deserve any re
pruach whatever. All | care for is, that
You make this II square, stand~up fight,
and record your Judgment 10y yeas and
nays. | care not how few vote with mo,
nor how many vote against mo; for !
know that the latter will repent it IN
dust and ashes before three years have
past Understand, once for all, that |
dare you and defy you, and that pros
pose to fight it ont ON the limo that !
have held from the day of Lees Surren-
der. SO long as any man was seeking
to overthrow 0ur Government he was
my enemy; from the hour IN which he
laid down his arms he was my formerly
rrrln% countryman.
So long as any iB ut heart opposed to
the national unity, the Federal author
ity, or to that assertion to the equal
rights Of all men which has become
practically identified with loyalty and
nationality, shall do my best to dc
privo him Of power; but whenever ne
ceases to be thus, demand his rcsto-
ration to all the privileges of American
citizenship. ! give you fNir notice thnt
shall urgo the northumberland OF
those now prescribed for rebellion so
soon as | shall feel confident that this
course is consistent with the freedom Of
the blacks and the unity Of the republic,
and that | shall demand recall Of all
now in exile only for participating in
the rebellion whenever the country shall
have been 50 thoroughly pacilied that
It's safety will not thereby be endan-
gered.
And SO, gentlemen hoping that you
will henccforth comprehend me some
what better than You have done, | re-
main yours, HORACE GREELEY.
New York, May %, 1867.