The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1865-06-21
SHERMAN AND JOHNSTON.
Testimony.and Correspondence Of Gen.
J, eral Sherman.

4 !. ,.eral Sherman.
BIS REASONS FOR THE NEGOTIATIONS --rHE
HISTORY OF THE AFFAIR.
/ The evidence given by General
Sherman before the committee on the
Conduct of the War, ard his full re,
lport and correspondence relative to
the negotiations with Johnston, are
published.
The following is the Generals tes-
tisnony III relation 10
THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH JOHNSTON.
tmet Gen Johnston in person at a
house five miles from Durham Staten.
under a flag Of truce. After a few
preliminary remarks he said to me,
since Lee had surrendered his army
at Appomattox Court House, -of which
The bad just been advised, he lopked
upon further opposition by him as the
Igreatest possible Of crimes; that he
wanted to knew whefherI couldmake
him any general concessions; any
thing byWhich ke~could emaintain his
hold and-control offllis army, and pre-
vent its scattering; anything to sat
lsly theegreat warming Of their peo-
| ple; if So, he thought he could arrange
terms satisfactory to both parties.
He wanted to embrace the condition
and fate Of all the armies Of the
Southern tConfederacy to the Rio
IGtande; to make onej job Of it, as he
termed it. / asked him what his
lpowers were-whether he could COM
IInand and control the fate Of all the
armies to the Rio Grairdc. He an
swered that he thought he could ob.
tain the power, but he did net possess
il at that mom3nt; he did not know
where Mr.. Davis was, but be thought
If could give him time be could find
Mr. Breckenridge, whose orders would
be obeyed everywhere, and he could
pledge to me bis personal faith that
whatever lie undertook to do would
lbe done.
had had frequent correspondence
with the late President Of the United
States, with the Secretary of War
with Gen. Halleck and with Gen.
Grant, and Tie general impression
left upon my mind, that If a settle
Iment could be made consistent with
the Constitution Of the United States,
the lawssof Congress and tha+precla.
mation Of the, President, they would
not only be willing, but pleased to.
terminate the war BY one single
stroke Of the pen.
/ needed time to finish the railrord
from the Neuse bridge up to Raleigh,
ard thought | couldputin four or Eve
days Of good time in making repairs
to my road, EVENT. had to send pro
positions to Washington; I therefore
lconsented to delay twenty-fourh hours,
to enable Gen. johnson to procure
what would satisfy me, as to his au
thority and ability as a military man,
to do what he undertook to do; /
therefore consented to meet him the
lnextday, the l7th, at - at noon, at
the same place i
We did meet again; after gener.
al interchange Of courtesies, he re.
marked that he was then prepared to
satisfy me that he could fulfil the
terms of our conversation of the day
1before. he then asked me what I
Was willing to do; / told him, IN the
first place, / could not deal with any.
body except men recognized by us as
beiligerents," because no military
man could go beyond that fact. The
Attorney General has since SO deci-
lded, and any man Of common sense
50 understood it before; there was no
difference upon that point, as to the
linen and officers accompanying the
Confederate armies. told him that
1.-THE President OF the United States,
!. by published proclamation, had en-.
abled every man in the Southern Con
|federate army, Of the rank Of colonel
land under, 70 procure and obtain am.
|nesty, by simply taking the oath of