The weekly clarion., 1872-07-11
Horace Greeley and the South.
AN UNPUBLISHED FACT.
His Plan of Recommendation
HIS MAGNANIMITY
What He Thought of Gen. Lee and
and His COmPaGriOIS.
PUBLISHED FACT.
HIS MAGNANIMITY.
From the ier-Journal.

RICHMOND, Va, June %, 1872.
An incident in Mr.. Greeley's history. so
creditable to his head and heart that il
ought long ago TO have been made public
has just been narrated to your correspon-
dent, and he hastens to place it before the
| readers of the Courer-Journal. not less as
an act OF justice to Mr.. Greeley than a mat
ter of general interest TO the country. The
wonder is that this incident should so lone
have been kept secret, dating back as it does
seven years ago.
ANDREW JOHNSON SENDS FOR GREELEY.
Soon after johnson was installed as Pres
Iueut, he sent Il gentleman named Camp to
New York to solicit an interview with
Horace Greeley. Unable TO leave the capi-
tai, Greeley must come to him at once at
| the White House. Greeley promptly COM
piled 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 interview.
johnson opened the conversation by say
that lie found himself in Il most trying posi-
ton. The nation was convulsed with
passion in consequence of Mr.. Lincoln's
assassination; the situation was new and
EN- barrassing to him; he felt inadequate to
the task TO which he had been so uneXpcct-
edly called, and he felt the need, rs he had
never before felt it, of the counsel of some
cool and SagaciOus man. He had. therefore,
sent tor Mr.. Greeley. What course to pur-
sue, how to stem the torrent OF Northern
frenzy, how To manage the reins of govern
ment in crisis so awful, was a problem too
deep for him to solve. Placing himself i'll
Mr.. Greeley's hands, he asked,
WHAT MUST Do?
Thanking him for the confidence thus re-
posed III him, Mr.. Greeley replied that his
best course was to call to his assistance a
few of the wiseSt and best men in the coun-
try. They should be representative men
from the two great sections. On the part Of
the North, he would suggest Gov. Andrew,
of Massachusetts; Gerrit Smith, OF New
York, and Judge Spalding of Ohio. y like
number OF Southern gentlemen should be
called; they should be invited to the White
House, as guests of the President, there TO
remain and deliberate as long they
thought fit; and, having agreed upon some
policy, they should submit it to the Presi-
dent for his approval, and if approved by
BIN, as Mr.. Greeley doubted not it would
be, it should be faithfully and rigidly pur-
sued, despite the popular clamor which
might for Il time ensue.
Mr.. johnson thought well of the sugges-
ton. But what Southern men should |
invite, Mr.. Greeley, to meet the gentlemen
you have named from the Sorth 2"
First and foremost said Mr.. Greeley,
Robert f. Lee, OF Virginia.
Great heavens! !" exclaimed johnson. she
is the very head and front of the rebellion"
Il know that" said Greeley. land for that
very reason you should invite him. He
knows. if any man does, the wants of the
Southern people, he OF all men possesses
the confidence of the entire South; he is
upright and pure; he would not recommend
single action on your part which would
not meet the approval OF your advisers from
the North, and the result of the delibera-
tions in which Robert +. Lee, Judge Camp
bell. of Alabama, and a third man like
them, from the South, took part, would not
fonly insure the appreciation OF the disat-
| ected States but, in the course of few
| months, would, | am firmly persuaded,
! bfng to your support every right-minded
| ana right-hearted man at the North. The
! pac cticatiOn of the eStranged sections. your
mall difficulty. would thus be solved, and
yourDat made clear towards the solution
of mllor difficulties. How are you to dis
/ cover tle true sentiments OF the South and
| the vans of its people it you do not con-
| suit her representative men? And what
| sort of restoration will that be in the plan
| OF which he South has no part whatever?
Ii must o, necessity be One-sided, partial
and unjust. Be persuaded, Mr.. President,
and call TO Your aid men of the standing,
| position and temper | have suggested, and
| by all means tall them fro II both sections"
| In this straia Mr.. Greeley continued until
| lie had
FAIRLY Won THE PRESIDENT
over to his way of thinking. The interview
ended with the assurance from the Presi-
/ dent that he would ADOPT the views of Mr..
Greeley and follow them exactly. He would,
j however, make single Notwithstanding
! would substitute Horace Greeley in place OF
Gerrit Smith.
Very well," said Mr.. c., ''if you call me
/ l will come gladly and aid you to the best
of my ability
They parted. and ten days afterwards
johnson threw Greeley's suggestions to the
winds adopted "my policy" and pursued it;
with what result the country is but too
/ sadly aware.
Thus it will be seen that the role of paci-
ficator is
NO NEW THING
with Mr.. Greeley, but is only a part which
/ he has Systematically pursued ever since
the close of the war. So also. his conf
dence in the integrity and good sense of the
Southern leaders, and his Willingness TO
trust the Southern people is no new thing.
What he is to-day he was years ago; and
what better guaranty do We wantf or the
future?