by the unit rule. It was a remarkable coincidence, too,
that the New York _Herald_, which had pursued the Governor for more
than a year with bitter criticism, suddenly lapsed into silence.
Indeed, the only shadow falling upon his pathway in the Empire State
reflected the temporary anger of Tammany, which seceded from the
convention because the McKeon delegation, an insignificant coterie of
advocates of peace-on-any-conditions, had been admitted on terms of
equality.

As the summer advanced political conditions seemed to favour Seymour.
During the gloomy days of July and August the people prayed for a
cessation of hostilities. "The mercantile classes are longing for
peace," wrote James Russell Lowell,[972] and Horace Greeley, in a
letter of perfervid vehemence, pictured to the President the unhappy
condition. "Our bleeding, bankrupt, almost dying country," he said,
"longs for peace, shudders at the prospect of fresh conscriptions, or
further wholesale devastations, and of new rivers of human
blood."[973] The President, also yearning for peace and willing to
accept almost any proposition if it included the abolition of slavery,
waited for a communication from some agent of the Confederacy
authorised to treat with him; but such an one had not appeared,
although several persons, safely sheltered in Canada, claimed
authority. One of these, calling himself William C. Jewett of
Colorado, finally convinced Horace Greeley that Clement C. Clay of
Alabama and Jacob Thompson of Mississippi, two ambassadors of
Jefferson Davis, were ready at Niagara Falls to meet the President
whenever protection was afforded them. Upon being informed by Greeley
of their presence, Lincoln replied (July 9): "If you can find any
person, anywhere, professing to have any proposition of Jefferson
Davis in writing for peace, embracing the restoration of the Union and
abandonment of slavery, whatever else it embraces, say to him he may
come to me with you."[974]

[Footnote 972: Motley's _Letters_, Vol. 2, p. 168.]

[Footnote 973: Nicolay-Hay, _Abraham Lincoln_, Vol. 9, p. 186.]

[Footnote 974: _Ibid._, pp. 187-188.]

While Greeley, hesitating to undertake the mission himself, indulged
in further correspondence with the President, James P. Jaquess, a
Methodist clergyman and colonel of an Illinois regiment, with the
knowledge of Lincoln, but without official authority except to pass
the Union lines, obtained (July 17) an audience with Jefferson Davis,