New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-05
TRAITORS IN THE REAR.

,,r.s,.pys To RR EMPLOYED FOR INCITlNG AN
IxsURRECTiON IL The NoRTRENN STATES
Mr. James p. iIolcombc. one of the three prom'-
nent rebel agents III CanaGa in 1864. having AZ
tended to the special business on whlch 10 was
sent. protracted his stay and made Niagara rams
his headquarters. There lie enjoyed opportunities
of freouent and extensive intercourse with citizens
NJ the United States Among those whom he men
tons in the following report to the rebel secretary
of State as having visited or sent messages 70 .ii
were Messrs Benjamin Wood. OF New-iork' no-
Lean. of The Cincinnati Enquirer, and the present
United States Senators Pendleton ana 'ooino0S
lie also had numerous interviews WIN iea..'"s
members of tie order of the Sons oil Liner'y' WV"
many of these visitors Mr. Holcombe appears 10 nave
opeply plotted the organization oil Ie"eiion III 'o
Northeastern States and he declares That 1t would
40 fatal mistake for the South to give M hope OF
ACCOMPLISHING this TO keep alive such spirit Oh
annrehensoa As would call for the diversion ol
large portions OF the Union army To MAINTAIN oiu'i
in that region he urges the unstlnted use OF iioneS
md talent and the keeping up oil Constant ooI,''
bunication with "Our friends at the Noilh ho
also advises the introduction OF arms anu 'uo
subsidiznr of newspapers, by which means IL
Vonld at length be IN the power oil the oou'" "
& strike deadly blow" Mr. HolcOnbe was also
active in negotiating an interview with Horace
Creelev. who. supposlng Mossrs Bolcombe. Clay
md Thonpson TO be fully authorized and deslrous
Of agreeing upon terms of peace. invited lhcn'
with Mr. LincOlns approval. to accompany MN ~
WASH rxt,on for that purpose, under saie-cou'uct
They were careful in their reply to call iorth' II
sossible. new developments OF policy from fresi-
dent Lincoln in which they considered the'hSei'os
successful by bringing out the celebrated document
addressed - To whom it may concern" which. Mr.
1Ioico1nbe declares. has united and animated our
own people more than any political action oil our
.dversaries since the commencement OF the war
The whole plan OF the Rebel agents appears 10 nave
zen TO draw out far possible the Intentions VI
the Union Government while studiousiy concesi-
ing their own and keeping up. at all hazards ac-
tive cooperatiom with "Copperhead" piotters
throu zhout the Northern States
JAMES p HOLCOMBE TO JUDAH 7. BENJA-
MIN.
Hon. j. p BENJAMIN. Secretary OF State, c. ~ A.
SIP: desire to submit TO Won, rs the hean OF the
Department to which | am Directly iesponsi!o'lo
and nnder whose control they should II possible
have been conducted. the history OF certain trans
actions in which | engaged Whit IN Canaua
but which did not fall within tue scope OF the
dnties assigned me by the President l Will not
here repeat the reasons which have been COMMUNE
cated in nreyIous reports for protractng my stay in
sSs kr;tish Provinces During the interval Of
leisure which this delay aiordci 20 me, was prsc
tically associated by my friends. Messis clay anu
Thompson with themselves in the execution or
fher more comprehensive and delicate mission In
anti.ipation OF the arrival of these gentlemen AZ
NIAGARA /
tnowIrdce or sanction, Mr. George n. Sanders, tier
residing in that part of Canada invited hummer
of citizens OF the United states. supposed 10 ne
hostile TO the existing Administration 10 VISIT the
Falls and Interchange opinions upon the condition
of the country and tho great question OF peace
with the prominent Confederate gentlemen who
were expected 10 spend portion of the summer at
that place Such conferences being entireV lcg,u-
mate. under the construction when Msssrs' aS
and Thompson no doubt very properly placed
N, on their powers and duties. | had no hesitation
in meeting the public men "ho came 10 ,ht fHiis
and expressed a desire for my society. nat polht
being the most cOnvenl"ht ana ellgoie IoI tno
transaction OF my own business remained 'ueIeo
during the who'll period OF my stay III anaA, anu
fins had opportunities Of more frequent aud eN'fn-
siye intercourse with these gentlemen than either
ot nv friends OF whom, Mr.. Clay. made ms
Headquarters at ST. GATHERINGS, the other. Mr.
Tbompsnn al Toronto. Besides crowd or less
distinguished persons. saw during the course OF
the snmuer lin some instances repeatedlyl Gov.
ernor Hunt Of New ork. Mess:s Leigh Richmond
and BENJAMIN. Wood. OF the same state; MeSsrs
Buckalew. Judge Black and MI. Van Dyke. OF
Weller OF California. Judge Buiiltt, Of keninckyi
aud Colonel Walker, Of Indiana. we received
messages from other gentlemen such as voorhees,,
of Indiana. and Pendleton, OF ONO. tei0ro Mt
CLAW and myself had reached NIAGARA MI. Ih"ihp-
son had seen MI Nsllandghain me iupfrsss, atS
which have been made upon nv mlnd by what !
learned from these gentlemen. ana rom many
other sources OF information. including interviews
with leading members of the order OF the Sons "f
liberty as to the temper Of the Democratic party;
and especially of the people OF the Northwest. ana
the prospect of any action in that section iaV"rane
10 our canse 1 shall state in another part OF TINS
report. :. ,r,. NJ.
YOLK IEiBV>E early in June, connected WIN In:
t,matiuns from our friends in New ork. Induced
hone (which with me has ripened into an abdlng
convictiOn that the able Editor oi that lhnueh'a,
ionrnsl entertained opinions upon ii q subject ot
neace much more reasonable and moderate than
those of the Republican party III general. f1l tuls
reason neither Mr. Clay nor myself MIR. Thomp-
son being in Toronto and taking no part IN 'h'Ee
conferences, except with ono OF Two gentlemen
VINO visited him IN that city dls.onthRru M.
Sanders from 8 ndinC su an inv alton through
tinrd person To- Mr. Greeley as he bad sent 10
Others 10 come to the Falls ~ d see ms. MI. san
,lers noon reported that this suggestion was most
kindly received by Mr.. Greeley. but that ne eI,
pressed preference for Washington ~ place OF
meeting and desired 10 know il we were willing 20
20 there. IL did not OccnI 10 MS, az We nave 10
doubt from what has SUI scquently TRANSFERRED was
the fact. that Mr.. Grf rley supposed we hei" any
Quas-di pl0matic position. We had never NtUeh
a line or uttered a word to justify such an infer
ence. The ANONYMOUS publications attrihulfg 70
us conversations. in which various terms oil peace
and reconstruction were suggested hau no Sh'l ,,v
of foundation IN huih THIS IMPRESSION "l MI
Greeley most probably arose ir' ~ IN" ignorance
folly, or knavery of Colorado Jcwcti. who was inc
medium Of communication ietween MI sanders
and himself Nothing could be further from the
truth than the stat nrhi Of our ingenious iTienu
Dr. Mackay, in his lelterto !he io~"oI I,me.. ihat
we laid trap 10 catch Mr.. Lincoln Had we suS-
pected any delusOD as Ia ON true character or The
Informal nature Of the propUsed conference. n
would have been promptly dispelle'i. In cohHlueIs
Ing the prDprietv OF accepting the suggestion OF
Mr. Greeley 20 visit Washington, most deeply
regretted that it was Impossible tosubmit the qnes
tiOn to OVID Government Tor lts decslOn.
There seemed to us, however, upon reflection. no
doubt "a to the ipe OF cOnduct that would advance
the interests OF orr country. The good 10 be ac-
complished by such u yist would in our Judgment
have grt atty OverDaanCcd any mischief that could
result from il. The publicity of our r7esence in the
United States with the sanction OF It's Government.
must have impartial mighty influence " the
canse OF peace, 10y the free DISCUSSION II would have
authorized aud invited.
intercourse might have been improved. 80 40 TO