Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-05-30
DAILY SENTINEL.
TUESDAY MORNING. MAY 30.
frran b.. N,.hInr,aa chrsnlels.l

=. - he, ar. working in the same great
e.nse-.nd that cause brilliantly successful, |
cro.ned With a glorious peace. IL is idle TO con
cal evidences Of passion eagerly promulgated oV |
the telegram and press, and !; u well Tor kino'y
lockers on to take . dispassionate view 70 see
IL all this heat is necessary. The vrtter OF 'n's
knows both parties, and il certainly friendly u
each.
The commencement of any difference was
vith the sherman ohuston Convention. ms
IL approved by the President, would nave maae
peace between the Potomac and no otanoe'
The obiectiors made 20 him are included 10 three
propositious: First. That sherman had no power
10 make such treaty. The snsser Is obvious
TIA, he never claimed or attempted TO conclude
the arrangement All he did "coDclude" vas
truee for a few days, and be then submitted. Tor
the approval or rejection Of the President, this
importans offer Of general peace. Even 10 ar
ranging the truce he had IL all on bis side. WI
son was still moving and holding the outer coiis
Of the net, while Sherman was building rail-
roads and repairing roads aud bridges ready Tor
the final spring IL the Arrangement vas dsap-
proved.
He gained everything by the truce aud lost
nothing Johnston was "coraled. aud was
kent 40 by this very truce, while sherman was
never more active 10 preparing for future move
ments. IL necessary. IL is SAID generals have no
business 20 make uuces, or deal with political
questions. and that Grant was reproved for this;
but sherman bad made truces before, aud for a
year has been distinguished for bis treatment OF
political questions without word OF caution or
reproof from sbis superiors. The telegram to
Grant. now published az an Official order OF an
old date. was withheld from Sherman. aud Sher.
man had been instructed to open communications
With rebel civil authorities.
The second objection il that the arrangement
recognized the rebel State Government and 9th
Gals This IL the most serious objection and
amply justified the Government in rejecting or
modifying the arrangement; but the official pa
pers show clearly that Sherman refused 10 grant
this In any shape or form, until the order of
Weitzel, Issued while Mr.. Lincoln was present in
Richmond, convened the rebel Legislature OF
Virginia, and recognized the rebel Governor
Smith. With this order before him, without
word Of the contrary tenor, Sherman Informed
Johnston Of the order and waived his previous
objection to recognizing the rebel State authori-
ties Why should Sherman be denounced for
submitting to the new President proposition
based upon this order, OF the revocation of which
he had not the least Doticef How unjust to
arraign him for this, and then conceal the fact
that he acting in pursuance Of the policy OF
the former Administration.
The third objection is that be recognized sla-
very, and restored the old relations between mas
ter and slave. This is simply absurd. Sher-
man has repeatedly acted upOn the validity OF the
proclamation of emancipation and the laws of
Congress abolishing slavery, and the idea OF
psaling or strengthening them by military ar
rangement between the generals, never entered
his head. The official papers show that he
urged johnson t. snnOunce as fac the extlne
ton OF Slavery fact" that Sherman not only
regarded "a fixed but unaltersble The re
suit was that slavery was hot mentioned, but
was left precisely where IL ought to be left. The
nervous fear that this question could not be left
10 the law and the Supreme Court did not disturb
purely military mind
This vas the Arrangement about which so
much has been said Ii disbanded the rebel ar
mics. placed all their arms within power.
made peace universal AMI IL was purely condi-
tonal. having no lie without tie approval of
the President Now il il plain that the duty of
the Government was TO simply approve or reject
il. aud give no reasons but issue its orders aud
this Is precisely what was done by the President
aud be did no more. Gen. Grant was sent TO
convey this order aud did his duty nobly and well.
with generous consideration for his subordinate
and fellow soldier. Sherman did not hesitate
moment. promptly terminated the truce. made a
new arrangement with Johnston, and at once
started for Charleston and Savannah, 20 send sup
plies to Gen. Wilson. then far in Georgia. aud to
close up the scattered links of his great com
mand.
hls Official report shows an amount of zeal
activity, patriotism. and wonderful ability not
surpassed by any portion Of his previous lie All
this was going on while he was in utter ignor-
ance of the Wild storm of denunciatiOn that was
sweeping all over the whole country. While he
was supplying Wilson. arranging to catch Davis,
detaching armies from bis command, aud pre-.
pairing for peace and home. the press and the
telegraph, the pulpit and the rostrum, were
ringing with denunciations. A letter of a rebel
to the London Times universally quoted
the revelation of plot TO overthrow the Gov
ernment. Cromwell and Arnold, and all that
was desperate and violent, was suddenly brought
70 public notice To defend Sherman. and even
20 beg people to "wait-let Us hear from him ;"
was TO invite quarrel and insult Timid people
were plying him and all connected with him.
People who had slept soundly in their beds at
pight and made money every day during the war,
though. General Sherman had joiued the Cop
perheads." and was no better than JEFF Davis.
aud even limited that he had got some OF jeff
Davis gold.
Gen Sherman first met this chilling wind"
a. he was coming northward around Cape Henry
20 meet his army aud surrender his command.
He was then writing his official report He firm
ly believed that all this fierce aud most unrea
sonxble calumny was organized by Mr. Stanton
and Gen Haleck with the deliberate purpose To
insult. humiliate, and ruin him. He then first
Stanton's reasons and halicck - insulting
order He mixed all the fllsehOOds aud malig-
nity with these two official acts No wonder
that this gave tone 10 his official report, and un
der this shadow il shOnd be read Ii will soon
be made public, and the writer of this ventures
TO predict that every fair minded man who con
tributed to the clamor will, on reading it, re
gret his part
The rejection o the Convention aud the
sous of Stanton were given TO the public at the
same moment. They had the appearance OF CO
temporaneoHs acts: but they entirely dis
tnct and separate The fact of disapDroval was
sent by Grant and was entirely legitimate and
resulted well Grant even did not know these
reasons Not shade Of discomfort could have
risen. Why then. publish these reasons? The
answer of Mr. Stanton is. that Gen Sherman's
order announcing the truce to his army made IL
necessary-that he could not dsappOint the
hopes OF the army, based upon this order. with
out giving the reasons: that he got copy of the
order after Grant left and then penned these rea
sons The gloom OF the public mind and bis
own escape from assassination, no doubt cOlOred
bis statement. and suspicion, aroused by des
perate crime. lit upon the most conspicuous per-
son. who, az the moment. seemed TO thwart the
national cry for vengeance. Shermans arrange
ment breathed the spirit OF the dead President;
but il came one ~eek too late one mouth too
early In either contingency SautOn's reasons
would never have been issued. They we're his |
alone. and are plainly marked with passion. but