The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-31
Nor. Confederate Papers.

Moro Confederate Papers.
We print to-day another of the papers re-
Gently purchased by the government from
Colonel Pickett. As furnishing confirmation
of the generally believed and in fact undis-
puted statement Of the negotiations for peaceat
Niagara Falls in the summer of 1864, it has its
value to the writer of history. So far, how
ever, as it goes to effect the object for which it
appears to be used, that of campaign docu-
ment. it is a failure. It attests what all knew,
that Mr.. Greeley was anxious for peace, and
willing to make strenuous efforts to bring it
about but it fails to show that he proposed
conditions unworthy of the federal government
Mr. Greeley promised ga free and untram-
melted conference" 1t also shows that there
was in the Northwestern States widespread
spirit of dissatisfaction, which only lacked
daring leaders andan opportunity to blaze into
open instruction. q 1t gives the names of
several gentlemen, who were at that time
known and influential democratic oppo-
nents of President Lincoln and of the
war, "a having been in communication with
the Confederate Commissioners on the Cana
dian border, and details at considerable length
the attempted negotiation with Mr.. Greeley,
his procuring safe conduct for the Commits
sioners to visit Washington to confer with the
President, and their failure to do SO for the
reason that they lacked proper authority to
act for their government. Not new fact is
established by this paper, which has been pub
lished at Washington and forwarded to all
parts of the Union to operate on the Presi-
Dental canvass. Now, is the purchase of such
documents legitimate duty Of the admins
trationp Have the executive departments at
Washington merged into committee to carry
on the reelection of President Grant? We
were told by Pickett that those yellow trunks,
whose contents, he says, rightfully belonged
to the United States and for which Mr. Bout
well paid seventy-ive thousand dollars, held
vouchers and lists of rebels, which would save
the Treasury from the risk Of paying dishonest
claims. Possibly there may be such papers
in the batch. We have now the second sample,
and SO far can see nothing which has the least
value to the nation. These papers, if honestly
purchased for the government, cannot prop
erly be in the custody of the Republican Cen
trail Committee. If they were bought for the
use of that party let its committee honestly
pay the nation for them. The people will not
sanction the idea that the federal aaministra-
ton and the Republican Central Executive
Committee are identical. Let that committee
carry on its own business, procure and publish
it's own papers II il is proper for the
government to pay Pickett for partisan
documents it would be just as proper
to pay the party printing bills
from the federal Treasury. President Gran.
should know that his Washington subordinates
are seriously injuring his cause with the peo-
pie by their political plottings. He is the
constitutionally elected chief of the nation,
and he should at once send to the rear under
arrest those of his subalterns who degrade the
action of his administration to execute the be-
hests of party cabal. This Confederate
archives job is gross outrage upon the peo-
ple o burning disgrace to the administration
which permits it. These papers have been in
the market for years. General Rawlins would
not buy them without examination. Mr..
Seward would not have them at all. Their
authenticity is seriously denied. In spite Of
all this Mr.. Boutwell, pays Pickett seventy-fve
thousand dollars for storing them, and after
their purchase they seem to be only used for
party purposes, and valueless at that. Com
mon honesty demands that the republican party
pay for those trunks of rubbish, and the good
name of President Grant demands that the
federal government and that party should
its own business.