Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-08-07

Editorials Gave Aid and Comfort TO the
ReneI GOVerument-Ciree would have
Admitted the Rebel Agents and spies
into Washington without Restrictions
He would have Opened throughout TIA e
Country the Free advocacy of Peace at
the Most Critical Moment of the war.
Hon. j. p. BoJonia, Secretary Of state,
c. s. H.:
SIR: | desire to submit TO YOU. as the
head of the department to which am di-
rectly responsible, and under whose con-
troll they should, if possible, have been con-
Quoted, the history of certain transactions
in which l was engaged whilst in Canada,
but which did rot fall within the scope of
the duties assigned me by the President.
viii not here repeat the reasons which have
been communicated in previous reports for
protracting my stay in the British prov
inces. During the interval of leisure
which this delay afforded me, | was prac-
tically associated by my friends, Messrs.
Clay and Thompson, with themselves, in
the execution of their more comprehen-
siVe and delicate mission. In anticipation
of the arrival of these gentlemen at Mag
ara, but, as | believe, without their pre-
vious knowledge or sanction, Mr.. George
\. Sanders, then residing in that part of
Canada, invited a number of citizens of
the United States, supposed to be hostile
to the existing administration, to visit the
condition of the country and the great
question of peace, with the prominent
Confederate gentlemen who were expected
TO spend portion of the summer at that
place. Such conferences being entirely
legitimate under the construction which
Messrs. Clay and Thompson (no doubt
very properly placed upon their powers
and duties, l had no hesitation in meet
ing the public men who came to the falls,
and expressed a desire for my society.
That point being the most convenient and
eligible for the transaction of my own
business, I remained there during the
whole period of my stay in Canada, and
thus had opportunities of more frequent
and extensive intercourse with these gen.
tlemen than either Of my friends one of
whom, Mr.. Clay, made his headquarters
at 1t. GATHERINGS, the other, Mr.. Thomp-
son. at Toronto. Besides a crowd of less
distinguished persons, | saw during the
course of the summer lin some instances
repeatedly Governor Hunt, of New York,
Messrs. Leigh Richmond and Benjamin
Wood of the same State Mr.. Buckalew,
Judge Black and Mr.. Van Dyke, of Penn
sylvania; Mclean, of the Cincinnati En-
quirer; Weller, of California Judge Bull
lit, of Kentucky, and Colonel Walker, OF
Indiana We received messages from 9TH
er gentlemen, such as Voorhees,, of Indi-
ana, and Pendletoa, of Ohio. Before Mr.
y
Mr.. Thompson had seen Mr.. Nallanding
ham. The impressions which had bean
made upon my 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 es-
pecially of the people of the Northwest,
and the prospect Of any action in that sec
ton favorable to our cause, ] shall state in
another part OF this report.
Certain editorials which appeared in the
New York Tribune early in June, connect
ed with limitations from our friends in
New York, induced q hope (Which with
me has ripened into an abiding conviction)
that the able editor OF that influential
journal entertained opinions upon the sub
ject 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 gen.
tlemen who visited him in that city dis
couraged 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 10y Mr.. Greeley, but
that he expressed a preference for Wash
ington as place of meeting, and desired
to know If we were willing to 90 there. 1t
did not occur TO US, as we had no doubt
from what had subsequently transpired
was the fact, that Mr.. Greeley supposed
we held any quasi diplomatic position.
We had never written line or uttered a
word to justify such an inference. The
anonymous publications attributing TO us
conversations, in which various terms OF
peace and reconstruction were suggested
had no shadow of foundation in truth.
This impression of Mr.. Greeley most
probably arose from the ignorance, folly
or knavery of Colorado Jewett, who was
the medium of communication between
Mr. Sanders and himself Nothing could
be further from the truth than the state
ment of our ingenious friend, DIR. Mackay
in his letter to the London Times that We
laid trap 10 catch Mr.. Lincoln. Had We
expected any delusion as to our true char
acter, or the informal nature Of the pro
posed conference, IL would have beer
promptly expelled. In considering tbs
propriety of accepting the suggestion o
Mr., Greeley 10 visit Washington, We mos
deeply regretted that il was impossible L
submit the question 70 our own govern
ment for its decision.
There seemed to Us, however, upon re
Election, no doubt as TO the line of cOnduc
which would advance the interests of on
country. The good 10 be accomplished by
such a visit would, in our judgment hav
greatly overbalanced any mischief tina
could result from il. The publicity Of on
presence in the United States, with III
of IL (an,rarprpapf halF