New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-07-25
ROSCOE COMBINES ASSERTIONS.

Mr. Conkling, among the thousand untruths
which he utters against Mr.. Greeley, quotes
the following as his language:
"when the rebenlous traitors overwhelmed in the
field and scattered like leaves before an angry wind,
1t must not DO to return to peaceful and contented
homes they must find poverty at their resdes and pr
walton in the anxious eyes Of mothers and tho rags OF
childreni"
This differs from the rest, in that it was
stated in these columns, at least ten days ago,
that Mr.. Greeley never wrote the above,
never prompted or approved it, and never
saw it till after it was printed. I'VE may
properly add the fact that the man who did
write it is now one of the most earnest and
prominent editorial supporters Of Grant Will
son and Conkling in this city.1
Mr.. Conkling says that on visiting Niagara
in 1864, and finding that there were no such
Commissioners there as had been represented
to him,
"Mr Greeley in place Of denouncing the cheat and
repepg the impertinence and clearing the Presidents
skirts by showing the two letters which he had been in
struced to show went into correspondence with these
brazen impostors."
But Mr.. Greeley was never authorized to
show the Presidents letters to "brazen i'm
" posters" nor anything of the kind, but only
to persons who had authority from Richmond
to make peace. Finding that the persons there
had no such authority, but offered to procure
it, he telegraphed this to the President, and,
awaiting his orders, had nothing more to say
to the Rebels. The only overture made to
them afterward was made by the President
through one of his own Secretaries.
Mr.. Conkling states that, on leaving Nj
agara,
Mr.. Greeley sent word TO the Rebel Commissioners
that he regrets the sad termination OF the inat0ry
steps taken for peace in consequence Of the change
made by the President"
Mr.. Greeley sent to those Rebels no "word"
or message of any kind. His dealings with
them terminated when he had learned that
they were not Commissioners" but private
persons, though he, at Major Hays request,
accompanied the latter across the river, while
the Major delivered the card "To whom it
"may concern" The Major awaited an
answer; Mr.. Greeley did not. He sadly felt
that an opportunity to make good impress
sion on the public mind, North and South,
had not been used to the best advantage !;
that was all.
MIR. COnkling says that MIR. Lincoln
wrote to Mr. Greeley for permission to publish the
aggerated idea Of military and political condition
this request Mr. Greeley refused unless all parts OF the
letters were published"
"7he letters" Mr.. Greeley only insisted
that his o,rn letters should not be mutilated
to his prejudice. He had privately written to
Mr. Lincoln that reasonable offer of peace
from him would powerfully aid the anti-Jeff
Davis virtual Peace party. then cOntesting
North Carolina-an election of Governor, Leg
islature, &C., being imminent This was one
of the passages in his own letter which Mr..
Greeley was asked to strike out, allowing the
residue to go to the people as though unmu-
tilated. He objected. Had he not reasonf
Mr.. Conkling sneers at the terms of peace
which Mr.. Greeley privately suggested to Mr..
Lincoln to be offered to the Rebels. This re-
fleets on Mr. Lincoln, who, with Mr.. Greeley's
letter open befoye HIM, responded:
"If you find any person, anywhere protesting to have
any proposition Of Jefferson Davis IN writing for peace,
embracing the restoration OF the Union and the aban-
donment of Slavery whatever else 1t embraces, say TO
him he may come to me with you"
And this he subsequently repeated in his
card "To whom it may concern" In fact
there was no difference between the two
Out IHlb MI Olcclcy DtlltNcu tHdI al
offer-no matter though informally made
by our Government of reasonable terms of
Peace would weaken the Rebellion and
strengthen the National cause; Mr.. Lincoln
wished to deal only with authorized Commits
soners. Yet he did, in the last resort, make
through Major Hay general or public over
ture to the Rebels, which he had not authorized
Mr. Greeley to do.
MIR. Conkling asserts that Mr.. Greeley
"was going to close up the whole Rebellion by paying
loyal ard secession alike for slaves and
by several other things"
Let us see about this. Here are the terms
suggested to Mr.. Lincoln by Mr.. Greeley:
J. The Union is restored and declared perpetual.
O. Slavery utterly and forever abolished throughout
the same.
g. A complete amnesty for all political ofenses, with
restoration of all the Inhabitants OF each State TO all
the privileges Of citizens OF the United States.
4. The Union 10 pay four hundred million dollars
O00l In five per cent United States stock to the
late Slave States loyal and secession alike DO appor-
toned pro rata according TO their slave population re-
epectivey by the of 1860 In for the
Losses of their loyal citizens by the abolition OF Slavery
Each to be entitled to its quota upon the reca-
tion by Legislature OF this adjustment The bonds
TO be at the absolute disposal OF the Legislature
aforesaid
Now, it is quite probable that the Legisla
lures might have otherwise appropriated this
money but Mr.. Greeley proposed that the
Union pay the States only for the losses of
" their loyal citizens by the abolition of
=" Slavery Conkling's citation of "loyal and
0secession alikc.n IA though il referred IN