The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1872-09-18
A SCRAP FROM HISTORY.
ST. CATHARIsE's, C. W,

I September IL, 1864.
/ Hon. J. r. BENJAMIs-Secretary
Of State, Richmond, Ia, c. S. A /:
+ SIR: | addressed you on llth Au-
gust last, in explanation of the circum-
stances inducing attending. and follow
ing the correspondence of Mr.. Hol-
eombe and myself with the Hon.
Horace Greeley. Subsequent events
1 have confirmed my opinion that we
lost nothing and gained much by that
correspondence 1t has, at last, FORM
ed An issue between Lincoln and the
South, in which all her people should
/ join with all their might and means.
Even his Northern opponents believ-
ed, up TO the meeting of the Chicago
Convention, that the same issue would
be decided against him by the people
of the United States in November
next. All of the many intelligent
men from the United States with
whom | eonyersed agreed in declaring
that it had given a stronger impetus
to the peace party of the North than
all other causes combined, and had
greatly reduced the strength of the
war party. They thought that not
even a majority of the Republicans
would sustain Lineoln,s ultimatum,
laid down in his reseript, ITO whom
it NAV concern" Indeed Judge
Black stated TO Us that Stanton ad-
mitted to him that it was a grave
blunder and would defeat Lincoln,
unless he could eounteract it BY some
demonstration Of his willingness to
accept other terms-in other words,
TO restore the Union as it was, Judge
b. wished TO know if Mr. Thompson
would go to Washington to discuss
the terms of peace, and proceed thence
to Richmond saving that Mr.. STAN
ton desired him to do so, and would
send him q safe conduct for that pur-
pose / doubt not that Judge b. came
at the instance of Stanton.
Mr. VIM. G. Templeton, professedly
an acquaintance of the President, a
planter in the Mississippi bottoms,
and temporary resident of New
jersey, and reputedly man of wealth
before the war, has been here repre-
senting that c. S Baylor is in New
York, and was al the Chicago Con-
vention, claiming to be Peace Com
missioner from the State of Georgia,
duly accredited by Gov. Brown, and
urging an armistice and convention
of States. L. wished to see Mr.
Thompson and to urge him to accept
a safe conduct to Washington, which
Baylor was authorized to say would
be furnished with q view of arranging
such preliminaries for peace Tenn
pleton has gone to Toronto to see Mr..
Thompson on the subject. had no
acquaintance with Mr.. Templeton be-
fore meeting him here have known
Mr. Baylor well enough not to place
implicit reliance upon his statements.
Still, as he is walking abroad in New
York, and travelling ad li5itam in the |
United States. | believe be has been !
to Washington and has the authority !
he claims from there. / do not credit /
his being sent out by Gov. Brown
Templeton said Baylor objected to
his communicating the above facts to
me, because / was identified with the |
Darius dynasty and not likely to !
agree to any terms of peace that |
would be unacceptable to the Presi-
dent.
You NAV have remarked, that the /
New YORK Times maintains, as by |
that the rcscript declares !
one mode Of making peace, but not
the only one. The abler organs of
the Administration seize this sugges-
ton and hold it up in vindication of
from the charge that he is
war to abolish slavery, AID /
will not agree to peace until that end
is achieved
Mr.. Seward, too, in his late speech |
at Auburn, n. Y, intimates that
slavery is no longer an issue of the !
war, and that it viii not be interfered |
with after peace is declared Thee, !
and other facts, indicate that Lincoln
is dissatisfied with the issue he has
made with the South, and fears its
decision.
1 am told that his purpose is to try
to STOW that the Confederate Goverl-