The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-08-09
FREMONT SANDUSKY COUNTY OHIO; FRIDAY AUGUST g. 1872

Liberty, as TO Gle temper Ol Iue
Democratic party, and especially OF
the people of the Northwest, and
the prospect of any action in that
section favorable to our cause, l
shall state in another part of this re
port.
Certain editorials which appeared
in the New York Tribune early in
June, connected with intimations
from our friends in New York, in
duced hope (which with me has
ripened into an abiding conyiction)
that the able editor of that inhueh-
tial journal entertained opinions up
on the subject 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
gentlemen who visited him in that
city, discouraged 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 by Mr.. Gree
ley, but that he expressed a prefer
ence for Washington as a place of
meeting, and desired to know if we
were willing to go there. Itdid not
occur to us, as we had no doubt
from what had subsequently trans
pired was the fact, that Mr. Greeley
supposed we held any quasi diplo-
matte position. We had never writ
ten line or uttered o word to jus
tify such an inference. The anony-
nous publications attributing to US
conversations, in which various
terms of peace and reconstruction
were suggested, had no shadow o.
foundation in truth. This impress
sion of Mr.. Greeley most probably
arose from the ignorance, folly, Ol
knavery of Colorado Jewett, who
was the medium of communication
between Mr.. Sanders and himself
Nothing could be further from thC
truth than the statement Of our in
genious friend, DR.. Mackay, in hi'
letter to the London Times, that VIZ
laid a trap to catch Mr.. Lincoln
Had we suspected any delusion a
to our true character, or the informa
nature of the proposed conference
| it would have been promptly dis
PEELED. In considering the propri
ETY. of accepting the suggestion o
Mr.. Greeley to visit Washington
we most deeply regretted that it wa
impossible to submit the questio
to our own government for its dec
sion.
"There seemed to us, however, VI
on reflection, no doubt as to tn
line of conduct which would advanc
the interests of our country. Th
good to be accomplished by such
visit would, in our judgment, hav
greatly overbalanced any mischit
that could result from it. The pull
. licity of our presence in the Unite
States, with the sanction Of its Co
ernment, must have impaired
mighty influence to the cause
: peace by the free discussion it woul
have authorized and invited. Th
= opportunities Of general and unr'
4 strained intercourse might hay
been improved so as to secure an Il
, sight into the temper and policy
) the administration, the views
leading public men, the spirit Of th
0 people, and the resources Of tn
country. Under this conviction v
! authorized Mr.. Sanders to signify
! Mr.. Greeley our willingness to pr'
5 ceed to Washington upon the tend
d of an absolute and uncondition
o safe conduct from the President
Q the United States. When Mr.. Snl
ders. submitted the note to us, whlC
appears first in the printed CORE
pondence, we found that he ha'
most unexpectedly, associated hi
name with our own in the propose
visit. There were serious objection
|, to this association, but believin
D Mr.. Sanders to be sincere an
/ Jealous friend of the confederacy
f thinking that on this occasion n
e peculiar talents might render hi
q useful in acquiring the informatio
: we desired, and feeling that if tn
safe conduct was rendered, his wisl
e es on this subject would be entitle
: to some consideration, we permitte
the note to be sent without correC
J tion. 1t is, however, incumbent VI
on me to add that, with all prof.
/ er respect for Mr.. Sanders
he was at no time taken int
, my confidence, nor 1 believe int
that of Mr.. Clay. In a few days W
received letter from Mr.. Greele
, advising us of his arrival at the Ii
ternatio1al Hotel, on the America
: side of the falls, and rendering US
safe conduct to Washington, ant
, his own escort, upon the hypothesi
that we were duly accredited fro1
Richmond as the bearers of propos1
tions, looking te the establishment
of peace, and desired to visit Wash
a., ington in the fulflment of our mis-
> sion. Mr.. Clay and myself were 81
D deeply impressed with the grave re
sponsibility which would attach It
any action we might take on thl
communication, that we telegraphe
to Colonel Thompson to meet us q
: st. GATHERINGS and unite in our de
: liberations. Whilst l can only re
port the seasoning which led m
own mind to it's conclusions, yet
may add that The response whlc
2 was made to Greeley received tn
appreciation of Mr.. Thompson, q
: well as ofMr. Clay and myself. Ou
: most obvious course was to have II
: formed Mr.. Greeley that he labore'
l under strange delusion, both as t.
? our character and our wishes, an
: that we could only meet him as pr
: vate citizens, and for an informal II
= terchange of opinion. This cours'
3 however, as 1 thought, would hav
: given to the party now in power l
: the United States the means OF dt
: Tending itself against the charg
which was used with most effect b
f its political adversaries. Nelthe