American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-07-13
GREELEY AND THE SOUTH.
an Important Jnferrie,o arhich has
Nerer Before Been Made Public
Horace Greeley's Pacific Policy
advocated by Him Serem Years
Ago-His Opinion Of Gen. Lee.


RICHMOND, VA, June %, IS72.-
An incident in Mr.. Greeley's hIstO-
~, so creditable to his head and
heart, that it ought long ago to have
been made public, has just been
related to your correspondent, and
he haStens to place it before the
readers of the COurier-Journal, not
less as an act of justice to Mr.. Gree
ley than as Il matter of general in
terest to the country. The wonder
is that this incident should so long
have been kept secret, dating back
as it does seven years ago.
Soon after johnson was installed
as President he sent gentleman
named Camp to New York to solicit
an interview with Horace Greeley.
Unable to leave the capital, Gree
ley must come with him at once to
the White House. Greeley prompt
ly complied with the request. After
the first formal civIlities were over,
Camp rose to leave. but President
johnson requested him to remain,
and he did so during the whole in
terview.
johnson opened the conversation
by saying that he found himself in
Il most trying position. The nation
was cOnvulsed with passion in con.
sequence of Mr.. Lincoln's assassin
alton; the situation was new and
embarrassing to him he felt inaG-
equate to the task to which he had
been unexpectedly called, and he
felt the need as he had never be-
fore felt it, of the counsel of some
cool and segaciOus man. He had
therefore sent for Mr.. Greeley
What course to pursue, how to stem
the torrent of Northern frenzy, how
to manage the reins of government
in a crisis so awful, was a problem
too deep for him to solve. Placing
himself in Mr.. Gree!ey's hands, he
asked, what must 1 dO3
Thanking him for the confidence
thus repOsed in him, Mr.. Greeley re-
piled that his best course was to
call to his assistance few of the
wisest and best men in the country.
They should be representative men
from the two great sections. On
the part of the North he would sug-
gest Governor Andrew, of Massa-
chusetts; Gerrit Smith, of New
York, and Judge Spalding, of Chic.
A like number of Southern gentle
men should be invited to the White
House as guests of the President,
thore to remain and deliberate as
long as they thought fit; and hav-
ing agreed upon some policy, they
should submit it to the President
for his approval, and if approved by
him, as Mr.. Greeley doubted not it
would be, it should be faithfully and
rigidly pursued, despite the popular
clamor which might for a time en-
sue.
Mr.. johnson thought we'll of the
"But what Southern
men should 1 invite, Mr.. Greeley,
to meet the gentlemen you have
named from the North p
First and foremost" said Mr..
Greeley, Robert E. Lee, of Vir
ginia.'
"Great heavens - exclaimed Mr..
johnson, "he is the very head and
front of the rebellion"
al know that" said Greeley,
" aud for that very reason you
should invite him. He knows, if
any man does, the wants of the
people; he of all men pos
sesses the confidence of the entire
South he is upright and pure he
would not recommend single ac-
ton OH your part which would not
meet the approval of your advisers
from the North and the result of
the deliberations in which Robert b.
Lee, Judge Campbell, of Alabama,
and a third man like them, from the
South, took part, would not only
insure the appreciation of the disaf-
fected States, but, in the course of
a few months, 1 am firmly persuad
ed, bring to your support every
ri ght- minded and right-hearted man
at the NORTH. Tho pacificatiOn of
the estranged sections, your main
would thus be solved, and
your path made clear towards the
solution OF minor difficulties. How
are you to discover the true senti-
ments of the South and the wants
Of it's people if you do not consult
her representative men =? And what
sort of restoration will that be
in the plan which the South has no
part whatever i! 1t must of neces-
,ity be one-sided, partial and I'M
ust. Be persuaded, Mr.. President,
md call to your aid men of the
position and temper l
nave suggested, and by all means
,all them from both sections.
In this strain Mr.. Greeley con-
inued until he had fairly won the
over to his way of think
ng. The interview ended with the
from the President that
Re would adopt the views of Mr..
ireeley and follow them exactly.
He would, however, make single
would substitute
Horace Greeley in place of Gerrit
smith.
every WE'LL" said Mr.. Greeley,
if you call on me l will come glad
Y and aid you to the best of my
bility.n
They parted, and ten days after
Tard johnson threw Greeley's sug
.estiOn to the winds, adopted "my
olicy," and pursued it; with what
esuIt the country is but too sadly
ware.
Thus it will be seen that the role
f pacificatOr is no new thing with |
Ir. Greeley, but is only Il part |