The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-06-09

that class who shun the fight and the march,
but are loudest, bravest, and fefces: when dam
ger Is past ggiiEsH.4 30 ToalHa 9"l ,-i"3AT
/, SECOND INTERVIEW WITH JoHNsroN.ia 81
! Iagain met Gen. Johnston on the 18th, and
we resumed the conversation. He satisfied me
then of his power to disband the rebel armies
in Alabama, Mississippi Louisiana, and Texas,
as well as those IN hfs immediate command,
viz: North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.a
soiicitude were lest their States were to be dis
membered and denied representation IN Con. 4
gress, or any separate political existence what
ever; and the absolute disarming his men would
leave the South powerless and exposed to de-
predations by wicked bands Of assassins and
robbers The Presidents (Lincoln3 Message Of
1864; his Amnesty Proclauation,i Gen Grant'sH
terms to Gen. Lee. substantially extending the
benefit of that proclamation to all officers shove
the rank Of colonel the invitation to the Viz
ginia legislature to reAssemble In Richmond
BY Gen, iWeitzel, with the supposed approval Of
Mr.. Lincoln and Gen. Grant, then on the spot:
Q firm belief that had been fighting to re-
establish the Contribution Of the United States;
and last. bat not least, the general and nnitersl
sal desire to close awar any longer WITHOUT
organized resistance, were the leading facts that
Is, signed BY myself and Gen. Johnston. 2 r.
was designed 10 be- auie0 expressed - mere.
basis for reference to the Presidept of the Uni
ted States and constitutional commander-in-
chief I'd enable him, II he chose, at one blow
to dissipate thepower0 of the confederacy which
bad threatened the national safety for years.
1t admitted Of modification, alteration and
change. II had no appearance Of an ultlmaturh
and by no false reasoning can 1t be construed
into an usurp4sion of power on my part I
have my opinib9 on the questions involved,
but this forms to part of q military report
lmmediatelyloh my return to Raleigh dis.
patched one OF my staff, Major Hitchcock, to
Warrington, enoining him to be most prudent
and careful to hyoid the spies and iaformers
that wonld be pure TO infest him BY the way,
dent could make Known to me Ills feelings ana
wishes In the pntter. nj bs5gI9ni els9illo odi 'sf
THE NEWS or r1K PREslDEsr's DEATH. 5ea
The news Of President Lincoln's assassina-
ton, ON the 14iht of April (wrongly reported
by telegraph as,having occurred on the 11th),
! reached me on he 18th, and was announced ID
my command on the same day, I'M Field Orders
No. 66. was duly informed with It's horrible
atrocity and probable effects on the country.
But when the property and interests Of millions
still living were involved, sawno good Yea.
son Why to change my course, but thought
rather % manifest real respect for his memory
BY following, after his death that policy which,
II living I felt certain he would have approved,
or ct least not rejected With disdain.o9sI g sid
GEN. SIBERIAN AND sRCRKrRY srANroN.E1 2
Up to that hour had never received one
word of instruction, advice or counsel a. 70
the plan or policy of the government looking
to q restoration of peace on the part Of the
rebel States Of the South. % Whenever asked
for en- opinion on the points involved, had
always avoided the subject. Ny letter to the
Mayor Of Atlanta has been published to the
world, and was not rebuked by the War De-
partment forit Ny letter to Mr.. =, of sa-
fore It's publication, and all that nv memory
retains Of his answer Is that he said, like my
letter generally it was sufficiently emphatic
and would not be misunderstood. Both these
letters asserted my belief that according to Mr..
Lincolns proclamation and messages, when
the people Of the 6ooth laid down their arms
and submitted to the lawful, powers of the
to them, and furthermore, that II any State
in rebellion would conform to the constitution
of the United States, cease war, elect Senators
and Representatives to Congress, If admitted
,(of which each House of Congress alone Il the
iudre). that State become instanter as much in
the Union Is New York or Ohio. Nor were I
rebaked for these Expressions, though it was
universally known and commented on ct the
time. And again M. Stanton in person at Sa-
yannah. speaking az the terrific expense of the
war and dificuity Of realizing the money for
the daily wants Of the government, impressed
me most forcibly with The necessity of bringing
the war to . close as soon Is possible for fnan-
ciai reasons' 70 81 GlE19 IS 3aat hsc11ia 81 Gbf
) THE REJECTION OF THE AGRKEAKNr. :
! On the evening Of April %, Major Hitchcock
reported to Morehead City with dispatches, of
which fact Gen. Johnston at Hillsbor0ugh was
notified, so as to be ready in the morning for
an answer. At 6 o'clock A. N. on the Path
Major Hitchcock arrived, accompanied by Gen.
Grant and members of his staff, who had not
teiegraphed the fact OF his coming over our
eYposed roads for prudential reasonR soon
learned that the memorandum was disapproved
without reasons assigned, and was ordered to
give the forty-eight hours, notice, and resume
hostilities at the close Of that time; governing
myself by the substance Of despatch then
enclosed, dated March 8. IL Il, at Washington,
D. c.. from Secretary Stanton, to Gen Grant