The Portland daily press., 1881-01-11

| Correspondence N. Y. Times.
| The death of Ambrose Stevens, formerly Of
New York, at Lexington, KY, on Dec. 10, was
| announced few days ago in the papers The
| writer's acquaintance with him was slight and
casual, being confined to a long conversation
with him at the Judson House, Luck port
in 1872, on the occasion of reunion of the vet
Grams of the Eighth New York Heavy Artil-
lery. What then heard from him, however,
now enables me to say that with him have
probably died some most interesting chapters
of the unwritten and secret history of the War
Of the Rebellion. Few men in the United
States military service had greater facilities
for acquiring speedy information as to what
was going on in Richmond during the War;
and it is to be regretted that he failed to add
his own memoirs of those stirring historic
times to the great mass cf War literature out
of which the true story of the great upheavals
is yet to be made. The most interesting of
the "reminiscences which he gave me related to
the so-called ''peace negotiations" at the Cliff
ton House, on the Canada side of Niagara
Falls, in July, 1864. was so impressed with
the facts that he then narrated that COM
IulItcu lUctQ 10 Tue lIueS uuu6r uaIe OF NOV
80, 1875, and they were published few days
after with the title, can Unwritten War
Chapter" L did not feel at liberty at that
time to mention the name Of my informant;
and as his death has now removed that re-
striction, and as the credence to be given to
any such startling aud extraordinary story as
this riust depend largely upon its coming from
credible source, and one named in the state
ment, it seems proper at this time to briefly re-
capitulate the facts of that communication in
connection with the name of him who, as am
now able to state, was my informant, the late
Col. Ambrose Stevens, of Batavia.
During all the time that Gen. Dix was in
command in New York Col. Stevens occupied
confidential position on his staff. pub
lished memoir before me says that he was le-
gal adviser to Gen. Dix and Judge-Advocate.
He was more than this. He was in charge Of
most efficient Secret Service Bureau, which
was so well organized that the weeks were few
and far apart in which direct intelligence Of
importance from the Rebel Captain was not
placed by him before his chief In the latter
days of June and the first days of July, 1866,
with remarkable uniformity the spies, refu-
gees and deserters who were brought to head
quarters had to tell of good news from Mag
ara which was expected at Richmond. The
place was full of vague rumors of something of
| the highest import to the Confederate cause
which was about to happen at Niagara. So
| much of this kind of information came, and
| kept coming, that COL Stevens laid it all be-
| fore Gen. Dix, with the opinion that it would
be we'll to send an officer to Niagara to observe
and report. He Immediately received an
| der to assume the duty himself. The first ex-
press train bore him West, and in due time, in
| plain clothes, he was mingling with the great
| swell-mob of COnfederates who were at the
| Clifton House in eager conference with North
ern Copperheads Matching together their trea-
| sonable schemes. A few days went by. Clay,
| Holcomb and Saunders, the so-called "Peace
| Commissioners" made their appearance The
| Northern press was filled with exciting and
sensational rumors of dawning peace. Presi-
dent Lincoln's announcement "To whom it
may concern" was published; Horace Greeley
and Col. John Hay came to Niagara, and moth
ing came of the negotiations. Still the "Com-
missioners" remained at the Clifton, and daily
they were closeted with persons coming over
from the American side. 1t was plain to be
seen that something important was in the
wind.
Col. Stevens had benin fact, was-a prom
inent Democrat, had attended National Con-
ventions of the party, and had large acluain-
tance at the South. One day one of the Com
missioners' rs'-and can state which one to any
person curious to know-recognized him at the
table as an old party friend and co-worker,
and, after long conversation about former
times, invited him to his rooms. There, under
lock and key, and under pledge of secresy,
but without the faintest idea of Stevens con-
nection with the Union service, the "Commis-
sioner" revealed to him the true object of him
self and his associates 1t was nothing less
than conspiracy for the assassination OF Pres
ident Lincoln. All the flourish and sensation
about ''peace negotiations was part of the
plan, and was designed to al(ay any possible
suspicious as to the real object. With the aid
M Northarp Gnpparbaa1s ~ xub
they were communicating with daily, and
through whom they could make all necessary
arrangements at Washington, they fully ex-
pected to accomplish their object. 1t was stat
ed substantially as follows:
"Our object is not so much to put Lincoln
out of the way as to elect Mcclellan, for the
latter will bring us peace. But we are salts
fed that the only way in which we can insure
the election of Mcclellan is to kill Lincoln.
The deed will be done in the afternoon or ev-
ening of the day next before election day. The
news will be telegraphed all over the North
the same night, and every voter will know it
| the next morning OF course the Republicans
| will be panic-stricken. In the uncertainty
that will prevail as to whom the Republican
Electors will vote for thousands of that party
will fail or refuse to vote at ALL and large
majority of Mcclellan Electors will be chosen.
Or, if it were possible under such circum-
Stances as it is not, that majority Of the Re-
publican Electors should be chosen, the con-
test after the election among them for the
choice of President would disorganiZe them;
the whole North would be filled with strife and
turbulence, aud the gravity of the crisis would
soon compel the choice of Mcclellan"
Col Stevenss informant also told him that
Dean Richmond had been sent for, and was
expected that day. He came, and had an in
terview with the three. The result of that in
terview was soon learned by the Colonel.
Upon this plot being opened to Mr.. Richmond
he denounced it and its authors in the severest
terms; assured them that he should have moth
ing to do with it, and further, that if they did
not instantly promise to drop the whole busi-
ness he would publish the plot and all its de-
tails in the Buffalo papers the next morning.
No such publication occurred and the infer
ence is that the Commissioner agreed to
desist. Back to New York sped Stevens, and
reported the matter to Gen. Dix. The latter
Immediately hurried to Washington and the
intelligence that he bore was deemed of suffi-
cient consequence to be considered at Cabi-
to Col. Stevens did Gen. Dix, who was pres
ent, reveal the discussions of that meeting. A
majority of the secretaries and Gen. Dix also
were in favor of giving the whole infamous
disclosure to the press, thinking that
the indignation which it would pro-
woke would benefit the Union cause.
Mr.. Lincoln promptly vetoed the proposition.
SIT WILL" he said, "do us far more harm than
good. 1t will discourage the weakened and
shaky, and make the Coppe-heads correspond
ingly plucky." Without giving his exact lam
guage, these words will express the idea.
The story is truly an extraordinary one, but,
considering the time, the situation, the posi-
ton of the narrator, and some of the events of
the following April, 1 fully believe it.
j.. F.