Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-08-08

in our judgment have greatly overbal-
anced any mischief that could result
from it. The publicity of our presence
in the United States with the sanction of
its government must have impaired
mighty influence to the cause of peace,
by the free discussion it would have
authorized and invited. The opportuni-
ties of general and unrestrained inter
course might have been improved so as
to secure an insight into the temper and
policy of the administration, views OF
leading public men, the spirit of the
people and the resources of the country.
Under this conviction we authorized Mr..
Sanders to signify to Mr.. Greeley our
willingness to proceed to Washington,
upon the tender of an absolute and I'M
conditional safe-conduct from the Pres
ident of the United States. When Mr..
Sanders submitted the note to us, which
appears first in the printed correspond
ence, we found that he had most unex-
pectedly associated his name with our
own in the proposed visit. There were
serious objections to this asso-
citation, but believing Mr.. San
ders to be a sincere and jealous
friend of the COnfederacy, thinking
that on this occasion his peculiar talents
might render him useful in acquiring the
information we required, and feeling
that if safe conduct was rendered MS
wishes on this subject would be entitled
to some consideration, we permitted the
note to be sent without correction. 1t
is. however, incumbent upon me to add
that, with all proper respect for M.
Saunders, he was at no time taken into
nv confidence, nor, | believe into that
of Mr.. Clay. In few days we received
letter from Mr. Greeley, advising Us
of his arrival at the international hOte.
on the American side of the Falls, anC
rendering us a safe conduct to Washing
ton and his own escort, upon the ny
pOthesis that we were duly accredited
from Richmond, as bearers of PROPOSE
| tons looking to the establishment OF
peace. and desired to visit Washington
in the fulfiIlment of our mission. Mr.
| Clay and myself were so deeply inn
pressed with the grave responsibility
| which would attach to any action we
might take on this communication, that
! we telegraphed to Colonel Thompson tC
! meet us at st. GATHERINGS, and unite il
/ our deliberations While | can only re,
port the reasoning which led my Owl
| mind to its conclusions, yet | may adt
that the response which was made to Mr.
! Greeley, received the appreciation Of MI
| Thompson as well as of Mr. Clay AMI
myself. Our most obvious course was
to have informed Mr.. Greeley that R
/ lahOred under a strange deluSiOn, bOh
us to our character and our wishes, am
that we could only meet him as a pr
vatp citizen, and for an informal inte,-
change of opinion. This course, how
/ ever, as | thought, would have given b
/ the party now in power in the United
States means of defending itself againt
/ the charge which was used with tie
most effect by its political adversariei.
Neither the present nor any other r.
| publican administration can secure tie
same degree of public support in tie
prosecution of war on policy of conf
cation and emancipation as on a pOliU
which looks simply to the restoration #
the Union. Mr. Lincoln was reprOachd
| with an unwi,lingness to make peace N
any terms short of subiugatiOn of tie
States of this Confedracy and the utter
/ overthrow of their peculiar social sy-
/ TEN. and consequent indispOsitiOn o
! ascertain the sentiments of the SOutl-
ern people for fear they might prOfessa
readiness to submit to the authority #
! the United States on more REASONABLE
/ conditions Although no proposition FIR
/ peace, which did not oonccde our abs
! Iutp independence would have been En-
! tertainpd by lis for moment, it did nc
/ seem 10 me wise to give our enemies tlP
! moral and material benefit to be derivel
+ from a position they were not honesty
entitled to occupy. Had we returned
! the answer which has been suggested
the friends of Lincoln could have az
peaIcd to the letter of Mr.. Greeley a.
proof of his willingness to open nogOtia-
tons on the most liberal basis. The let
ter wholly abandoned the attitude which
the government of the United States had
/ maintained since the secession of South
Carolina. and to which. according to the
declaration of Mr.. Seward in his recent
/ speeches at Auburn, it has returned, Of
''No negotiations with rebels in
arms :" 1t expressed readiness to
/ omen negotiations and attempt to set
tlo through diplomacy, questions which
had been so long i'm vain submitted to
I'll" arbitramont of war 1t d'dnot even
onpouncn that Nv" restoration Of the
Union was an indisDensable condition Of
o"1"", but preferred tree ana untram-
m"''e't conferences. Had the correspond
"nco closed at that point, II must haV"
adl"d strength to tn" administration OF
W. Lincoln. and thus increased It's ca
pacitv to carry on the war. Within orr
own borders It would have nonrlShed y
drlUsjvp and dangerous hope OF com
promise with our enemy on terms con-
SiStont with liberty and S"if-rpSpcCt. n
renewed pressure would have been
| brought to bear ON the President To SEND
commissioners to Washington with a
{ view OF opening negotiations at the haz-
ard OF fresh lndi@nltles to the Con1"der-
acy IN framing onr reply to tn" letter
OF Mr. Greeley. we end@a&Vored 10 shape
it :" as to compel such new dG1VeIop-
m"ntS from Mr.. LlncoIn az would dis
close the p,o'Icy OF his aamin,Stratlon, or
Si,cn an alhcrrncc 10 the noS'llon 3sSu'n