Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-14


else Of Executives clemency In his own favor, and
who has constantly avowed his determination to
share the general tate of hIs fellow-cazsns Of the
South heretofore engaged In this war whatever tass
! ate might be To be sure I came back scross me
o ,esn not altogether without hope, which l n1s-
cay stll confidently entertain, that now that 81
those crushing military reverses have fallen upoa
the unhappy South which | epprehsntsd aud pre-
diced four months ago, and the consequences LIKELY
to flow from which, IS far as could, have 1aoored
earnestly to avert By timely efforts for peace and
now, that the war has evidently at last reached Us
virtual termination, that might be safely permitted
to return to Tennessee especially as Z Is tsc' wei
known that have long since declared % e my own
clear conviction that both duty and policy alike da-
msncei at the present moment that all who nave
been heretofore struggling In arms against the re e
tablisnment Of Federal authority over all the terri
tory Of the Republic should at once deslst from iur
Their opposition, and submit themselves aoSotureiY
to toe Justice and clemeacy Of the Government,
which do not at all do1b. will ultimately act In
manner suited to is own dignity aad In consonsace
With heightened msgnaalmity AMI wise statesman
ship.
Having bsen recently visitor to the renowned city
Of Rome, and having four weeks ago hsd the honoc
Of standing in the ancient FORUM the air surrounding
which may, with slight stretch Of imagination, De
regarded as yet vocal with the sounds OF Cicsconiaa
etouuence your own classic taste will allow me 70
conclude this short and hssy eusion by stating ny
own hearty approval Of what the great Roman orator
and statesman says 10 one OF his letters to Mrceus
whom ne was enisavodng to persuade toreturn home
and accept tie cemency OF Cesar, after TIE re-
nowned victory of Phsysalia, when the Pompeian
faction, with which both Of them stood con1ected7
mad been efsctuslly destroyed The portion OF the
letter retired TO- and which Il Is my ardent Wish that
ny cnivslrous countrymen o. the South wouid
speedily apply to their own present unhappy case,
Is az follows: Your conduct canno. but be greatly
and universally applsuded In having renouncet the
split Of contention when you lost the hopes OF SUE
cess and you showed by your own example that 40
wise and honest patriot will always enter into
civil war with reluctance, 80 he will never choose 70
carry Il on to It's last desperate extremity"
Not doubling your willingness 10 do justice to me
individually, and 10 place the Government also IN
position calculated 70 encourage prompt and cordial
submission to It's authority Oh the part OF al those
In the South not bearing arms n opposition TO C,
and hoping, likewise that the day % not far distant
when the coed and true men both OF the NORTH and
of the South shall become once more friends aad
brethren, az formerly, and generous co-workers In
the cause of freedom, have the honor to De your
obetiient servant, II. .. tOoTE
To Tie Editor Of Tie Herald
You have placed me under obligations by the IN
sertion of my vindicstory letter in your paper OF
this morning Of which assure you / am duly sen
sible regret 70 state that there are several eTat1
in Il. though that, unless corrected, must place me
IL a position to DE most seriously misconstrued by
your readers. Not doubling your willingness to
make proper corrections IN your paper Of toorTaW,
I will specify the errors committed.
/. In the first paragraph am represented "a sta.
ting that "when landed In New York reluctantly
reported myself at General Dlx's headquarters
when said that Immediately reported myself
81.
2. Ia the last paragraph you make ne say.
Not doubling your willingness 10 do justice to me
individually, and to place the Government also In
: position calculated TO encourage prompt and
cordial submission 10 It's authority on the part of al
those net IN arms" &c, when l said, al thcss
now in arms" &c. This, you VIII perceive, Ia
most vital error, as Il would set me forth as en-
couraging those In srns 10 continue the war, when
I think and have tried TO have myself understood
as intoxicating the gross .mpropristg and lnpoicy
of further prosecuting hostiittes. have been
hoping IN fact for several days plst that that pure
minded and wise commander, General Lee, who,
am cure. came reluctantly into the contest, would
seize the opportunity now so happily presented TO
him, of abandoning struggle whtch.he cannot but
think hopeless, aud tecone thus prominently efec-
tive In restoring Federal authority throughout the
South aud thus saving ais native land from certain
ruin.
As 70 the cath Of Submission 70 the GovsEnnsat
which you kindly advise me to take, assure you
that nav, been ready to do 50 ever since reached
the city. In fact, offered 70 do so Immediately on
presenting myself at Gen. Peck's headquarters bat
the officer whom found in charge of the book Of
registration deernipg It unnecessary to exact It,
have not yet done 90 Il would be indeed unreason-
able In me to expect to be allowed to go into the Boz
som of the South without previously giving this az
sursnce Of fidelity. Three days sgo dispatched an
elaborate me mortal Of my case to Pfeidsnt Lincoln,
upon which feel confident he VIII act favorably
when he shall have read It, In which, among othec
things ssked TO be allowed to return quietly to
my own home, under such assurances as 70 future
good conduc. az you may think 1t prudent 10 de-
mand," etc.
As to what you say about my having been here
tofore "subiect OF JEFF Davis" beg you and the