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

moment. seemed to thwart the national cry
for vengeance Sherman's Arrangement Dreatn-
ed the spirit of the dead President; but II came
one week too late, or one month TOO carry:
In either contingency Stanton's reasons wouio
never have been Issued. They were bis alone,
and are plainly marked with passion, but may
have been published without malice.
But, 1t is said, why did Sherman issue tnis
order to his troops? Why did he assume tnat
peace was to exist from the Potomac 10 the
Rio Grande? Why not wait until the arrange.
ment was approved? The answer is that II
was necessary to announce the truce TO the ar
my to prevent collision and loss of life. The
order was to the army only, and expressly stat.
ed that the truce depended upon the approval
of the President. Without. a knowledge of the
truce, how could the officers or men perform
their new duties, and in what better terms could
o conditional truce be expressed? Sherman
talked to his army alone merely for their tenn
porary action. Can any man read the order
now without approving it?
Then followed the advice of Halleck to ig-
more Grant, to insult Sherman, and to arrest
the movements of subordinate Ulcers, not on
" without the knowledge but IN defiance of
both OF them. And this was accompanied by
the military ofense of Halleck's disregardiug
o truce and actually invading another military
department to assault an enemy under terms
OF surrender. 1t was fortunate that this order
was cOuntermanded In time or an actual COLI.
sion might have occurred in violation OF o
truce between two armies of our noble heroes.
FOR this, General Halleck alone ought to be
held responsible. If he was of any service at
an other than an expensive luxury. tied and
aDeiled away where he was supposed to be
harmless, ne should, as writer upon military
law, have been the last man to advise the
preach OF Q truce-the soldiers higher law"
be knew that Johnston had surrendered, was
awaiting the action of the President upon that
surrender, and that Grant, his superior officer,
was conveying that action to Sherman; and
yet ne advised course that could only be JUS
uneo Dy the clearly ascertained fact that both
Grant and Sherman were traitors to their
country. ~
And then, why publish this order7 What
motive could possibly induce this? II some
grave exigency justified the order, it should
nave oeen Kept secret as the grave. If they
Ioond sherman was playing the traitor, their
precautions should have been concealed. In
any aspect the publication of this paper seems
tne groSsest folly or the meanest malice. If
Jastlned by events it was blunder to publish
tnelr plans: but when viewed by the light of
events 1t was most gross public insult heaped
upon soldier while in the successful discharge
OF the highest duties. The writer of this does
not know that either Stanton or Halleck au-
tnorlzed Its publication, but he does know the
whitening effect it had upon Sherman's reputa-
ton, not for what was alleged in it, but from
what was fairly implied from it. Why is not
this explained? Who published it7 Where
was the public censor then7 Why not now
announce in an equally specific order that the
fears upon which it was basel proved utterly
groundless? If Mr.. Stanton pub ished this
order, and will not now openly acknowledge
that it was founded in error, he continues an
insult and evinces malice. Then he must ex-
pect open defiance and insult, and neither his
person nor rank can shield him.
1t cannot be denied that after this order was
issued, while the telegraph was under q strict
military censorship, the public mind was poi
soned against Gen. Sherman by kilograms since
shown to be false, as that he refused to obey
and that facts relieving him from blame were
not stated, as that the order of Gen. Weitzel
was approved by Mr.. Lincoln, but afterwards
withdrawn. And this, too, while Gen. Sher-
man was beyond the reach of letter or telegram,
actively engaged in his official duties. 1t is
true that MIR. Stanton neither can or ought to
control the press, and is often roughly handled
byit Yet had not an officer in Gen. Sherman's
position the right to expect some effort on the
part of his department to stay the tide of cal
umny, the very moment the return of Gen.
Grant with the unconditional surrender of
Johnston proved how grOundless and foolish
bad been the idle fears at Washington.
Now, 1t Is plain that the true course is to
publish the official report; to respect the natu-
raj resentment of soldier sensitive on account
of palpable wrong; to avoid minglng per.
sonal feelings with the general joy over great
triumphs; to neither force or oppose public
judgment upon the merits of controversy no
longer important to the nation, and leave to
the country and history to settle the credit due
to the prominent actors in the war; The wri-
ter of this is not disposed to belittle either the
services of Gen. Sherman or the energy of Mr..
Stanton, and would rather see both expended
on the common enemy.