The Washington herald., 1914-05-11
WELCOME AWAITS
A. B. c. MEDIAIORS
Peace Meeting Will Add New
Fame to Historic Little
Resort Town.
RECALL CIVIL WAR DAYS
To Hold Sessions on Site Where Rep
resentatives Of North and South
Met in 1864.
RECALL CIVIL WAR DAYS

Met in 1864.
, Buffalo. n. Y, May 10.-The Mexican
,, peace mediators are expected to arrive
at the Clifton Hotel. Niagara Falls
on May 1s. The Official sessions Of the
three South American representatives
will not begin until May IS. however
The United States Treasury Depart
ment has reserved accommodation at
the hotel for eight secret service men.
Between forty and fifty reservations
have been made for newspaper men
from all over the country.
The decision of the mediators, to
hold their sessions in Niagara Falls.
Ont. has brought new fame to that lit
tic resort town. II is recalled with in
terest as a coincidence that in the days
of the civil war representatives of the
North and South met at the old Clifton
House, which was burned in 1898. to
endeavor to restore peace.
i Preparations Rrc Rushed.
May % was the date first announced
for the opening of the Clifton Hotel
hut with the news of the selection OF
Niagara Falls as the scene of the med
iation deliberations the date was adj
vsnced to May 16 and preparations
are being rushed with feverish haste
In order that the distinguished guests
may find everything in apple-pie order
for their reception and accommodation
when they arrive at the Falls. A large
corps of men and women have been
engaged to put the house in order and
Manager Major is giving his personal
attention TO every detail.
The sessions of the mediators win be
held in the large private parlors on the
second floor. which give out upon bal
! cony commanding one of the best views
| of the American and Canadian falls to
be obtained anywhere. Directly across
the driveway from the Clifton Hotel and
in the range of vision OF the mediators
is one of the finest parks in the Dominion
of Canada, the Queen Victoria Niagara
| Falls Park.
Not far from the Clifton Hotel and in
plain view from its windows is another
object that may have an influence upon
the statesmen who gather there on May
is. 1t is the little Church of Our Lady
OF Peace built by the Carmelite fathers
| in 1854 as a thank offering to the Al
mighty upon the declaration of peace
and the ending of the Crimean war. The
church has famous shrine, to which
thousands make annual pilgrimage
Recalls Old Days.
The coming of the mediators to the
new Clifton Hotel bids fair to start the
house out upon a record that may some
day equal that of the famous hotel IL
replaces The old hotel accommodated
many royal personages besides other
men and women Of note Even in the
matter of the coming peace negotiations
the new house will not set a new record.
fora similar gathering was held in the
old house within the memeky Of soma OF
the present residents Of the town.
In July. 1854. representatives OF the
North and the Sol h met at the Clifton
House at the suggestion Of Horace Gree
ley in order to discuss measures to end
the civil war. The old Clifton House
was the headquarters of the Confederate
emiSsaries, while the Federal representa-
tives made their headquarters at the
International Hotel on the American
side. 1t was feared at the time that
safe conduct to Washington could not
be guaranteed the representatives OF the
South, owing to the infiamed condition
of the country. and the neutral territory
across the river was suggested for the |
conference.
President Lincoln was led to believe |
that Clement c. Clay, of Alabama, and
Jacob Thompson. of Mississippi. were
duly accredited to open negotiations with |
him These delegates were to be ac-
companied by George -. Sanders. Horace
Greeley communicated the names of
these representatives TO the President in
a confidential letter. The President want
ed them to go to Washington to meet
him and discuss the terms Of peace. He
sent Mr. Greeley to Niagara Falls to con-
fer with them.
Word from Confederates.
Mr.. Greeley arrived there July II, 1sS.
and engaged quarters at the Interna~
tional At the Clifton House, across the
river. were Clay. Thompson, Sanders. and
Prof. B. Holcombe. of Virginia Col W.
c. Jewett. of Buffalo, carried Mr.. Gree
ley's message across the river to the
with word he was then pre-
pared to promise them safe conduct to
and would accompany them
in person. They replied to Mr.. Greeley
regretting he had evidently been under
a misrepresentation concerning their au-
thority to act for their government. They l.
declared they were not accredited to act
for the Confederacy, but would gladly
avail themselves of the promise Of safe
shortest route to Richmond, where they
would be pleased to convey to their gov
eminent the willingness of the Federal
authorities to negotiate for peace.
It was then that the President and his
advisers became aware of the fact that
the Confederates were simply playing
for time, and in order that there might
be no more receptions of the sort Presi-
dent Lincoln made this public state
nent:
Document Is delivered.
ITO whom it may concern:
ANY proposition which embraces the
of peace. the integrity of the
whole Union and the abandonment Of
slavery, and which comes by and with an
authority that can control the armies
now at var against the United States. |
will be met by liberal terms on SUBJ
stantial and collateral points and the
bearer, or bearers, thereof shall have
safe conduct both ways.
tSigne0 ABRAHAM LINCOLN"
With this message Mai Hay accom-
'anied Horace Greeley to the Clifton
House. where he delivered the docu-
nent. in the handwriting of the Presl-
lent, to Prof. Holcombe. The interview {
was brief and at the close of il Mr.. !
Greeley returned to New York, leaving :
Maj. Hay to receive the answer. In
Thus ended this particular incident
the civil war other confer ,
Strictly Puee e