The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1865-06-15
WINNsBoRo, S. g, THURSDAY MORNING. JUNE Is 1896.

General,Sherman and General Johnston.
On the contrary, / desire and consider
myself bound to conform to it in all par.
ticulars.
When the proclamation was publish.
ed, two considerations were present to
me--the one, to relieve want, not during
the progress of war, hut when war had
ceased, and hostilities on the part of the
people Of the State were ended the 9th.
er, to secure a portion of subsistence
which was still in the placing it
in the hands of prudent persons, and
they saving it, with any other public
property, from waste. AT that time, /
had no reason to suppose that to this
there would be exception.
AS soon as General Johnstons tele.
gram was communicated, it was publish
ed as explanatory of the proclamation.
l had no information Of the construc.
tion which would be given to the Con.
vention, pt.from the paper. Igave
it as received it.
1t you claim, as now understand you
to do, that all subsistence stores and
property in the State, referred to in the
proclamation, were, by the terms of the
Convention, transferred to the United
States, then, to persist in doing what I
then wished and then thought right,
would be to affect the operations Of the
Convention. 1 have clearly said that
this was not intended; and shall 90
farther and recall the proclamation.
have not any reason to suppose that
any portion, of the least consequence, of
the subsistence stores or property re.
ferred to, has come into the hands Of the
agents of the State. In the only case
which has come to my knowledge, I gave
notice to the parties not to distribute or
dispose of it; and informed them that
you claimed it, for the United States.
1t being, then, the property of the Uni.
ted States, the disposition of it is, of
course, under and subject to the Govern.
ment thereof. j do not deem it proper
now to discuss with you, as you seem to
invite, the suficienoy of the causes which
led to the war, or the principle upon
which you will exercise the power, which
success has given to you. Nor could
you have expected me, considering our
relative positions, to comment upon the
language you employ for the expression
OF your opinions concerning the one and
the other. ..B NJ
In this State, the war is over. With
the Convention between General John:
ston and General Sherman hostilities
have ceased in every part Of this State.
/ do not know of citizen of the State
who is in arms. IF there is such, it is
not by the order or with the consent of
the State authorities 1t cannot but be
known to you that the resources of the
State are exhausted, its population much
diminished, aud now exposed to great
suffering in many cases, without even
the means Of subsistence--in all cases
without the means Of resistance. Such
a apeople cannot be suspected of aggres.
sion. Nor, as their representative, can
/ be suspected of a desire or purpose to
do that which is 'cause of war;" And 1
can with great confidence refer to the
motive which led to the proclamation as
not constituting a "crime against human.
ityP sSf
/ have the honor to be 4
your obedient servant,
l{qcy tip r. A.G. MAGRATH.
Major General @. A. Gilmore, com.
nanding Department of the South, Hill.
ton Head. et2 ~
III. In pursuance, therefore, Of the
Convention referred to in this correspon.
dence, all subsistence stores and other
public property referred to in the procla.
nation Of the ID day Of May, 1865,
which were in the hands Of any agents
of the State State, viii he disposed Of accord
ling to the orders ofthe Government Of
The United States. And if any such
have been disposed Of or distributed be.
fore notice o. this proclamation, a report
of such disposition or distribution viii be
ifiade 10 Gen. Gilmore, or any other
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