The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-06-05
VERY CURIOUS FACTS BROUGHT TO
LIGHT.
STANTON'S TREACHERY AND HAL
LECK's MALIGNITY.
Halleck as the Reviler Of Generals.
DC, &C., &c.

A quarrel between two high officers of the
government is always unfortunate, unseemly
and usually luxurious to each. This is espe
cially so when they are working in the same
great cause-and that cause brilliantly sue
cessful, crowned with II glorious peace It's
idle to conceal evidences of passion eagerly
promulgated by the telegram and press, and
il is we'll for kindly lockers on to take dis
passionate view to see if all this heat is nee.
essary. The writer of this knows both par
ties, and is certainly friendly to each
The commencement of any difference was
with the Sherman Johnston convention
This, if approved by the president, would
have made peace between the Potomac and
the Rio Grande. The objections made to
ethis are included in three propositions LIST.
That Sherman had no power TO make such a
treaty. The answer is obvious, that he new.
er claimed or attempted to conclude the ar
| rangement. All he did conclude" wss a
| truce for few days, and he then submitted,
for the approval or rejection of the president,
| this important offer of a general peace
Even In arranging the truce he had it ali on
! his side. Wilson was still moving and hold
ing the outer coils of the net, while Sherman
was building railroads and repairing roads
and bridges, ready for the final spring if the
arrangement was disapproved He gained
every thing by the truce and lost nothing
by this very truce, while Sherman was never
more active in preparing for future move
ments if necessary. 1t is said generals have
no business to make truces. or deal with Do
htical questions. and that Grant was reproved
for this but Sherman had made truces be-
fore, and for a year has been distinguished
for his treatment of political questions with
out word OF caution or reproof from his SUI
periors. The telegram to Grant, now pub
| lished as an official order of on old date, was
withheld from Sherman, and Sherman had
been instructed to open communications with
rebel civil authorities.
The second objection is that the arrange.
ment recognized the rebel state governments
and officials. This is the most serious obiec-
ton, and amply justified the government 10
rejecting or modifying the arrangement; but
the official papers ShOW clearly that Sherman
! refused to grant this IA any shape or form,
until the order of Weitzel, issued while Mr..
Lincoln was present in Richmond, convened
the rebel Legislature of Virginia and recog.
nized the Rebel Governor Smith. With this
| order before him, without q word of the con
| trary tenor, Sherman informed Johnston of
| the order, and waived his previous objection
| TO recognize the rebel state authorities
! Why should Sherman be denounced for sub.
| hitting to the new president a proposition
based upon this order, of the revocation OF
which he had not the least notice? How un-
just TO arraign him for this, aud then conceal
the fact that he tcas acting IN pursuance of
the policy Of the former administration.
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 vail
dity of the proclamation of emancipation and
the laws of congress abolishing slavery, and
| the idea of repeating or Strengthening them
! by military arrangement between the gen.
| erals never entered his head. The official
papers show that he urged Johnston to an
nounce as "fact" the extinction of slavery
% fact" that Sherman not only regarded
as fixed, but unalterabe. The result was
that slavery was not mentioned, but was left
precisely where it ought to be left. The ner
vous fear that this question could not be left
to the law aud the supreme court did not dis
turb purely military mind,
This was the arrangement about which 81
much has been said. 1t disbanded the rebel
armies, placed all their arms within our pow
er, made peace universal; and il was purely
conditional, having no life without the appro
val of the president. Now it is plain that
the duty of the government was simply to ap-
prove or reject it, and give no reasons, but
issue it's orders and this is precisely what
was done by the president, and he did no
more. Gen. Grant was sent convey this
order, and did his duty nobly and well, with
generous consideration for his subordinate
and fellow soldier. Sherman did not hesitate
a moment. promptly terminated the truce,
made a new arrangement with John ton, and
&C once started for Charleston and Savannah,
to send supplies to General Wilson. then far
in Georgia ana to close up the scattered links
of his great command. His official report
Of aol
and wonderful ability not surpassed by any
portion of his previous life. All this was go
ing on while he was in utter ignorance of the
wild storm of denunciatlOn that was sweep
ing over the whole country. While he was
supplying Wilson, arranging to catch Davis,
detaching armies from his command and pre-
pairing for peace and home. the press and the
telegraph, the pulpit and the rustrum, were
ringing with denunciations. A letter OF. a
rebel to the London Times was universally
quoted as the revelation of a plot to overthrow
the government. Cromwell and Arnold and
all that was desperate and violent, was sudden.
ly brought to public notice.. To defend Sher-
man, and even to beg people to 'wat-let us
hear from him." was to invite quarrel and in
suit. Timid people were plying him and all
connected with him. People who had slept
soundly in their beds at night, and made
money every day during the war, thought
Gen. Sherman had joined the Copperheads. /"
and was no better than JEFF. Davis. and even
limited that be had got SEINE of jeff Davis
gold.
Gen. Sherman first met this chilling |
wind" ashe was coming northward around |
Cape Henry TO meet his army and surrender
his command. He was then writing bis off. |
cial report. lie firmly believed that all this |
fierce and most unreasonable ealumny was |
organized by Mr. Stanton aud Gen Halleck. |