Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-04-05

j; feeling. @ Do you think it would be prac
i ticable to convict in Virginia of treason fol
having taken part in this rebellion against IKE
government by Virginia jury, without packing
it with direct reference to verdict of guilty p
A On that point have no knowledge, and / dc
not know what they would consider treason agains
the government, if You mean past acts. -. ..-
Mr. Howard.--lYes, sir. 1-' "'
! - General Lee.--I have no knowledge as to what
their views that subject in the past are @
You understand my question. Suppose jury was
empanneled in your own neighborhood taken by
lot would it practicable to convict for instance
Jefferson Davis for having levied war on the Uni
ted States, and thus having committed the crime
of treason? A. think it would be very probable
/ that they would not consider he had committed
treason. do not know whether a jury would heed
the instructions OF the court to convict the Oten
| der. T. They do not generally suppose that II
was treason against the government, do they A.
1 do not think that they do so consider it. So fan
as know. they look upon the action of State in
withdrawing from the government as carrying the
individuals in it along with it that the State was
responsible for the act, and not the Individual
| am now referring to the past O. State, if you
please, land if you are disinclined you need not
answer the question,) what your own personal
views on that question were :? A. That was my
view that the act of Virginia withdrawing her
self from the Union carried me along as citizen
| of Virginia, and that her laws and her acts were
binding me. O. And that you feel it to be
your justification in taking the course you did p
|
you have remarked to some of your friends, in
| conversation, that you were rather wheedled or
cheated in that course by politicians A. do
not recollect ever making that remark. do not
| think [ ever made it. Q. If there be any other
matter about which you wish to speak, do so free
ly A. Only in reference to that last question you
put to me. may have said and may have be-
heved that the position of the two sections which
they held to each other was brought about by the
politicians of the country-that the great masses
of the people, if they understood the real question
would have avoided it but not that had been
individually wheedled by the politicians. But did
believe, at the time, that it unnecessary
condition of affairs, and might have been avoided
if fOrbe rance and wisdom had been practiced on
both sides
General Lee then closed his evidence in stating
Gin reply to queations) that the people of the South
would not like the proposed constitutional amend
ment that he was not aware of any crueties to
Federal prisoners at Belle Isle, though aware that
they suffered many privations He had no control
OF command whatever over the prisoners depots,
and did not know who comma nded at Anderson
vile until he saw it in the pape
Iii. OTHER IMPORTANT TIES TIDIONY.
General Terry and other Ofic ers testify that it
would be unsafe to freedmen and UniOnists to re-
move the troops from Virginia The change of
feeling is described by these Witnesses to be due
to President Johnions liberal policy.
John Minor Bolts and Colonel Lewis testify to
the remarkable statement that Mr.. Lincoln made
a remark to Messrs. Bolts and Baldwin, in April
1861, that he would evacuate Fort Sumter if the
Virginia Convention would adjourn sine die.
Mr. Bolts asked by the committee care
you perfectly sure, according to your best recol-
lection, that Mr. Lincoln told you that he had
made that proposition to Mr. Baldwin, to evacuate
Fort Sumter on this condition %
Mr. Botts.-EI know it as we'll as I know you
are standing before me, and that I am answering
your question:
Mr. Bolts then goes TO say that if Mr.. Bald
win had fulfilled his duty the Virginia Convention
would have adjourned, and that tSle ordinance of
secession would not have been passed.