Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-06-26
GREELEY TO LINCOLN.
An Extraordinary Letter Written after
the Battle OF Bull HUN.

An Extraordinary Letter Written after
h Battle OF Bull Hum.
The following extraordinary letter was
written by Horace Greeley to President
Lincoln after the battle of Bull Run,
and is printed for the first time In the
"Lincoln Life" in the June Century. II
will be remembered that before the
battle Mr.. Greeley had kept a standing
headline in his paper-urging the armies
I"Forward to Richmond-Forwsrd to
Richmond:"
New York, Monday, July 80, 1861,
Midnight-Desr Sir: This is my
seventh sleepless night-yours. too,
dorbtless-yet l think I shall not die.
because I have no right to die. / must
struggle to live, however bitterly. But
to business. You are not considered q
great man, and l am q hopelessly broken
one. You are now undergoing a terrible
ordeal, and God has thrown the grayest
responsibilities upon you. DO not fear
to meet them. Con the rebels be beaten
after all that has occurred, a.d
In view of the actual state of
feeling caused by our late aw7ul
disaster? 1t they can land it is
your business to ascertain and deoide,)
write me that such is your judgment,
SO that may know and do my duty.
And if they cannot be beaten-if our
recent disaster is fatsl--do not fear to
sacrifice yourself to your country. II
the rebels are not to be beaten-if that
is your Judgment in view of ell the light
you can get-then every drop of blood
henceforth shed in this quarrel will be
wantonly, wickediy shed, and the guilt
Will rest heavily on the soul OF every
promoter of the crime. / pray you to
decide quickly and let me know my
duty.
Ii the union is i%rreyocably gone, an
armistice for SO, 60, 80, 120, days-better
still for q year-ouRht at once to be pro.
posed, with q view to a peaceful adjust
ment. Then congress she MD call o
national convention. to meet at the EARL.
est possible day. And there should be
an immediate end mutual exchange or
release of prisoners and q disbRndment
OF forces. | do not consider myself at
present a Judge of any thing but the
public sentiment. That seems TO me
everywhere gathering and deepening
against o prosecution OF the war. The
gloom in this city 10 funeral-for onr
dead at Bull Run were many, and thew
lie unburied yet. On every brow sits
%sullen, scorohing, black despair. It
would be easy to have MIR. Orittenden
move any proposition that ought to be
adopted, or to have it come from any
proper quarter. The first point is to
ascertain what 10 the best that can be
done which is the measure OF our duty
end do that every thing at the earliest
moment.
This letter is written In the strictest
confidence, aud ia for your eye clone.
But you are at liberty to say TO nam
bers OF your cabinet that you know /
will second any move you may see fit to
make. But do nothing timidly nor By
halves. Send me word what to do. I
will live till / osn hear it, at ell events.
III it is best for the country and for man.
kind that we make peace with the reb-
els OF once and on their own terms, do
not shrink ever from that. But bear in
mind the greatest truth: "Whoao would
lose his life for my sake shall save IT,"
Do the thing that is the highest right,
and tell me how to second you. Yours,
in the depths or bitterness,
8H HORACE GREELEY.