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

Senator John Sherman's Review
Of the Difficulty.
VeryCurious Facts Brought to Light
Stanton's Treachery and Halleck's
Malignity.

From q communication In the Washington Chroni'
Gle, Court Journal, May 25.
A quarrel between two high officers of the
government is always unfortunate, unseemiy,
and usually injurious to each. This is especially
80 when they are working in the same great
cause-and that cause brilliantly successful
crowned with glorious peace. 1t is idle 20
conceal evidences of passion eagerly prOmui.
gated by the telegram and press, and IL Is wen
| for kindly lookers-on to take dispassionate
view to see If all this heat is necessary. Tue
writer of this knows both parties and Is Ger
| tainly friendly to each.
The commencement of any difference was
with the Sherman-J Johnston convention. Inns,
if approved by the President, would have mace
peace between the Potomac ana tue hlo
| Grande. The objections made to this are IN
cluded in three propositions:
1st That Sherman had no power 10 make
such q treaty. The answer is obvious, that ne
never claimed or attempted to conclude the
arrangement. AL he did conclude" was
truce for few days, and he then submitted TOR
| the approval or rejection of the President TINS
| important offer of general peace Even IN
arranging the truce he had 1t all on his SIDE.
Wilson was still moving and holding the outer
coils of the net, while Sherman was 3uiioins
railroads and repairing roads and bridges,
ready for the final spring if the arrangement
was disapproved. He gained everything by
| the truce and lost nothing. Johnston was
''corraled," and was kept so by this very truce,
| while Sherman was never more active in pre-
pairing for future movements If necessary. 1t
Is said generals have no business to make
truces. or deal with political questions, anG
| that Grant was reprOved for this bnt Sherman
had made truces before, and for year haa been
distinguished for his treatment of political
question, without word of caution or reprO0t
| from his superiors. The telegram to Grant.
now published as an official order of an old
| date, was withheld from Sherman, and Sher-
man had been instructed to open communica.
| tons with rebel civil authorities.
The second objection is that the arrangement
recognized the rebel State government and
officials. This is the most serious objection,
and amply justified the government in reject
| ing or modifying the arrangement; but the
official papers show clearly that Sherman re-
fused to grant this in any shape or form. until
the order of Weitzel, Issued while MIR. Lincoln
was present in Richmond, convened the reoei
Legislature of Virginia and recognized the re0el
Governor Smith. With this order before him,
without word of the contrary tenor, Sherman
| informed Johnston of the order, and waived
his previous objection 20 recognizing the rebel
State authorities Why should Sherman be
denounced for submitting to the new President
q proposition based upon this order, OF the re-
vocation of which he had not the least notice?
How unjust to arraign him for this and then
1
ance of the policy of the fJrmer admlnlstra-
| ton.
The third objection is that he recognized
slavery and restored the old relation between
master and slave This is simply absurd.
Sherman has repeatedly acted upon the valid
| ity of the proclamation of emancipation and
the laws of Congress abolishiDg slavery,
and the idea of repeiling or strengthening
them by q military arrangement between the
| generals never entered his head. The official
papers show that he urged Johnston to an
nouDce as "fact" the extinction of slavery
"a "tact" that Sherman not only regarded as
| fixed, but as unalterable. The result was that
slavery was not mentioned, but was left pre-.
| csely where it ought to Re left. The nervous
fear that this question could not be left to the
law aud the Supreme Court did not disturb
purely military mind
This was the arrangement about which so
much has been said IL disbanded the rebel
armies placed all their arms within our power,
made peace universal and it was purely con-
ditional, having no life without approval OF
| the President. Now it is plain that the duly
of the government was simply to approve or
reject it, and give no reasons, but is-ue Its Dr.
ders and this is precisely what was done by
the President, and he did no more. Central
Grant was sent to convey this order, and did
his duty nobly aud well, with generous on
sideratiOn for his subordinate and fellOwkOl-
promptly terminated the truce, made new
arrangement with Johnston. and at pnce
started for Charleston and Savannah, to tend
supplies to General Viii on. then far in GeGgia,
and to close up the scattered links of his treat
command. His official report shows an anDunt
of zeal, activity, patriotism and wonerful
ability not surpassed by any portion 4 his
previous life. All this was going on While he
was in utter ignorance Of the wild stdm OF
denunciatiOn that was sweeping over thewhOle
country. While he was supplying Wills n ar
ranging to catch Davis detaching armi6 from
his command, aud preparing for peae and
home, the press and the telegraph, thspulpit
and the rostrum. were ringing with dauncia-
| tons. A letter of rebel to the LOndd Times
was universally quoted as the revelation OF q
plot to overthrow the government. Gomwell
and Arnold, all that was desperate andviolent,
was suddenly brought to public ndce To
defend Sherman, and even to leg leople to
wait-let us hear from him." Was 10 invite
quarrel and insult. Timid people wee plying
him and all connected with him. PDple who
had slept soundly in their beds Alright and
made money every day during The war,
thought Gen. Sherman had joined The cop
perheads" and was no otter than left Davis,
and even limited that he lad got sone of Jet.
Davis's gold.
Gen Sherman first met this ''chiling wind"
as he was coming nOrthward artund Cape
| henry 10 meet his army ana surrender nIS
command. He was then writing lis official
report. He firmly believed that allthis fierce
and most unreasonable ca)amty wa organized
by Mr.. Stanton and General HalleR with the
deliberate purpose to iDs lit, humilate and ruin
him. He then first saw Stanton's reasons and
HalIeck's insulting order. He mixed all the
filsehoods and malignity with these two off,
cial acts. No wonder that this gave tone to
his official report. and under this shadow it
should be read. 1t will soOu be made public,
and the writer of this ventures to predict that
every fair minded man who contributed to the
clamor will on reading it, regret his part.
The rejection of the convention and the rea-
sons Of Stanton were given to the public at the
same moment. They had the appearance OF
contemporaneous acts bat they were entirely
distinct and separate. The fact of disapproval
was sent by Grant, and was entirely legitimate,
and resulted we'll Grant even did not know
these reasons" N t o shade of discomfort
could have arisen Why. ,hen. puoilsn tnese
reasons? Tue answered. Mr.. Stanton Is, tnaI
General Sherman's order announcing the truce
10 his a, nv made it necessary; that ne coulo
not disappoint thehopes of the army based up.
o. thi, order, without giving the reasons; that
he got a copy # the order after GRAFT lett, and
! then uepuroIhese reasons. The gloom OF the