The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-05-12

Hon. Thomas Ewing respecting the Sher'
man-Johuston negotiation:
rnnM THE Hon. THOMAS EWING.
The public papers, which defend Gen
Sherman against be attacks made on
him for his transaction with johnston,
including the capture and surrender oil
the rebel army, generally assume IT, as q
foregone conclusion, that he made mis-
take, vet 10 one has shown us wherein
the mistake canaisr@. and venture 10
say that no one can show anything III tne
matter, either ia principle or IN detail
INCEPTION or result. 10 which the most
punctilious can object. refer, as mat
ter of cnnrse 10 what he in fact did, not
to what is assumed for him or falsely
imputed tn him The actual facts, plain
ly told, are these:
On the 18th day Of April Sherman had
Johnston so hemned in that he must
either fight or surrender. On that day,
and in this condition Of things, the two
gentlemen met and discussed not only
the surrender OF the army under john
ston. but the other rebel forces IN the
South and West. in the expressed hope
that they might save further effusion OF
blood. As the proposed action, except
so far as concerned forces under the com
mand of each. was beyond their power,
they agreed to suspension Of hostilities,
their armies remaining IN stdtd quo, uh!ii
each could consult with, and obtain tine
instructions of those in power; Sherman,
of course, that of the President OF the
United States and his Cabinet. He re-
ported at once, and received instructions
10 contine himself to the mere military
surrender Of the rebel troops in his pow
er He accordingly received the sarren-
der of Johnston with his q 900 men with
their arms and munitions OF war; pre-
cisely what he would have done had the
Cabinet directed him not to negoflate'
but without any attempt to excite q
public clamor This is all Sherman did
and all he proposed to do. until he should
receive Instructions from the department.
He held Johnston and his army hrlnly'
he lost no advantage which he could have
gained had he attacked Johnston imme-
diately without negotiating, but saved
no doubt the sffusion Of blood.
Now, | am at loss to find the mistake.
Was it in the propositions when were
sent TO the President and Cabinet =
Thsy are greatly misrepresented in the
Secretary's bulletin But ii is no mat
ter what they were, they came with no
authority. Sherman assumed none, out
simply sent the propositions to be passed
upon by the Cabinet Sigma" very
able writer in the Commercial, aud one
who represents the case fairly, is of opin-
ion that the propositions were them
selves the best practical. 1t may be so'
and probably Isl but years experience
will show us
But, in this matter, General sherman
could hardly be charged with thinking
for himself The propositions submitted
were conceived in the spirit OF Mr. Lin
coins last speech, which Gen. Sherman
no doubt had seen, as it was in all the
public prints; and there is no proof, and,
indeed, no pretense, that he had seen
Mr.. Lincoln's instructions to General
Grant, with which the propositions are
so deliberately contrasted in the Secre-
tary's bulletin The propositions may
he the best, or the worst, possible, but,
in either case, have yet to learn that
there was a mistake in making them
known to the President. 1. EWING.