The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-06-09

told him could not deal with ANYBODY
except men recognized by us as beliger-
ents. because no military men could &C
beyond that fact. told him the Presi-
dent of the United States by published
proclamation had enabled every man in
the Southern Confederate army of the
rank of colonel and others to obtain am
nesty by simply taking the oath of allie
glance to the United States and 90 to his
home and live in peace The terms OF
Grant to Lee extended the same principles
to officers of the rank of brigadier generals
and upward, including the highest officer
in the Confederate army, viz: General
/ Lee, cOmmander-in-chief
| was, therefore, willing to proceed
with him on the same principle.
Conversation arose As TO what kind of
government they were to have in the
South. Were the states there to be dis
severed and were the people to be deni-
ed representation in congress- Were the
people there to he, in the common Ian
guage of the people of the South, slaves OF
the people of the North
OF course l said no; we desire you
shall regain your position as citizens of
the United States, free and equal to us in
all respects, and wish you to have repre-
Sentation upon condition of submission TO
the lawful authority of the United States.
as defined by the constitution, United
States courts and authorities of the Unit
cd States Supported by those courts
He remarked to ME that Breckenridge.
major general in the confederate army.
was near by, and if l had no objection he
would like to have him present.
Breckenridge came-a stranger TO me
and joined in the convention going on.
A courier arrived and handed Gen john
ston a package of papers. He and Breck-
/ inridge sat down and looked over them
some time and put them away. What
| they were | knew not. but one of them
was slip of paper written by Mr.. Rea-
gan, postmaster general OF the Confedera-
cy: they seemed TO talk about ii soto rooe.
and finally handed it TO me: l glanced
over ii; it was preceded by preamble.
and closed with Il few general terms; |
rejected it al once.
We then discussed matters: talked
about slavery. talked about everything: ::
there was universal assent that slavery
was dead As anything could be. that ii
WIS one of the issues of the war long since
determined. and even Gen. Johnston
laughed at the folly OF the Confederate
government in raising negro soldiers where
by they gave us all the points of the case !;
l told them slavery had been treated bv
Us as a dead institution: first, 10y one
class OF men from the initiation OF the
war, and then from the date of the eman-
cipation proclamation of President Lin
coin. AMI Tlnallv 10y tho assam, n.' all par
/ ties.
A. TO reconstruction. | told them l id
not know what the views of the admins
trati1n were Mr.. Lincoln. up 10 that
time. in letters and telegramS TO me. en-
couraged me bv all the words which could
be used in general terms, TO believe not
only i'll his willingness but in his desire
thai should make terms with the civil
authorities. governors and legislatures. rs
far hack rs 1868. Ii occurred TO me that
might write of some general PROPOSE
tlon>. meaning little or meaning much.
according 10 the construction of the par
tie>-wllat | would term ',glittering gen
eralitieS' and send them TO Washington.
which | eonld DO in four days: that
would enable the new President 10 give u>
a clue TO his policy in the important juno
ture which WAS then upon Us. That the
war WAS over the highest military author
itie> of The Southern Confeleracy confess
ed 10 me openly. unconeealedly and re-
pcatedly.
| therefore drew up the memorandum.
which has been published TO the world. for
the purpose of referring it TO the proper
executive authority of the United States.
and enabling him TO define 10 me what |
might promise. simply 10 cover the pride
OF Southern men, who thereby became
subordinate 10 the laws Of the United
States. civil and military.
made no concessions to Gen Johns
tons army or the troops under his direc-
ton and immediate control. and if any
concessions were made in those general
terms. they were made because | then be-
lieved and now believe they would have
delivered into the hands of the United
States the absolute control of every Con
iederate officer and soldier, all their mus
ter-rollS and all their arms Ii would
save us all the incidental expense resulting
from the military occupation ofthat coun-
try by provost marshals, provost guards.
military governors and all the machinery
10y which alone the military power can
reach the people of a civilized country
1t would have surrendered to us the armies
of Dick Taylor and Kirby Smith. both OF
them capable of doing infinite mischief by
exhausting the resources of the whole
country upon which We were to depend
for the future extinguishment OF our debt
forced upon us by their wrongful and re.
belliOus conduct
never desi gned TO shelter human be
, ing from any liability incurred in conse
quenee of past acts TO the civil tribunal
of our country, and ! do not believe fail
and manly Interpretation Of my terms car
50 construe them; for the words :. Ii niteC