The national Republican., 1866-12-12
koNAI REpUBI1cAN WEDNESDAY MORNING DECEMBER a 1885,


he Case of the rebel MAJOR Gene.
RI Ii Il raj Pickett. ~. .
THs PRRsrpEsr sent 70 the House OF Rep
= 'entativss yesterday The following com
munication:
T. the Hoss Of Representatives
Transmit herewith reports from the Sec
rotary Of War and the ATTORNEY General In
CO npliance with the resolution Of the third
IL tant, requesting the President ITO COM
mnnicate to the House, II not incompatible,
in IDS opinion, with the public interests, the
information asked for in resolution Of the
Honse dated 23d Of June last, and which res
oluiion he has up to this time failed TO an
swtr, as 70 whether any application has been
mace TO him for the pardon Of George T.
Pickett, who acted as major general OF the
rebel forces in the late war for the suppress
sion Of the insurrection, and II % what
has besn the action thereon. and also
to eommunicste copies Of al pspsrs, sntriss
endorsements, and other documentary evf
dence in relation to any proceeding In con.
nection with ssch application, and that be
also inform the Ho1Se whether, since the ad-
journment st Raleigh, North Carolina, on
the 30th Of August last Of the last board or
court Of inquiry, convened TO investigate the
facts attending the hanging Of number Of
United States soldiers for alleged dessrtion
from the rebel army, any further measures
O,ss, ct be, Ps'pet'.'' Of that crime to punish
In transmitting the accompanying papers,
containing the information requested by the
House Of Representatives, Il is proper to
state that instead Of bearing date the 29d Of
June last, the 6rst resolution was dated the
23d Of July, and was received BY the Exec
utive only four days before the termination
Of the session. ANDREW JoHSsoN.
wAsHIussou, Dss. II, 1885. ..r al -.. =
Accompanying the shove are several COM
munications Attorney General srANBEHY
transnis to THs P.rsIDExr copies Of all pa-
pen relating TO PIcxrrr on nls in his ofacs.
No action has been taken against Picrrrr.
The petition Of General PIckrrr to TIE
PnrsrDrsr asking for clerpncy, setting forth
that he Joined the Confederate army because
his State (virginia) seeded, his readiness to
renew his allegiance as loyal citizen to the
United States Government, etc. Accompa-
nying PIckKrr's petition is copy Of the oath
Of allegiance taken by him before the Pro-
vost Marshal at Richmond, June 16, 1865.
The following Is the endorsement upon the
petition Of General PICKETT: ...a
The Secretary Of War reports that Gen.
Pickett stands charged with the unlawful
hanging Of twenty citizens Of North Caro-
lima, and the case Is now under investigation
in North Carolina. .b..,i .'-.....
Ds.' 10 g.. EDWIN M. STANTON"
PrcxEIT sends to Gen. GRAxr, march IL,
1866, . communication, stating that after he
was psroled ON the surrender of LEE be had
petitioned THI PRssrDESr for clemwcy
through Ex-senator o. II. BaowxIxo, &C.
companied by his oath, . recommendation
from Gov. PfrRroxr, and statements Of on
GERS Of general courtmartial In the Confed-
crate army in reference to the execution Of
number Of deserters, he claiming that he
only desired to live unruolested in his native
State and earn subsistence for his mpover-
ished family by cultivating the soil.
ThiH letter sepdorsed BY Gen. U. 9. GnASr
"Respsetfully forwarded TO his Excellency
Ne Prssids.t e The UaitsA Statss, With tha
recommendatiou that clemency b extended
in this case, or assurances given that no trial
will take place for the offences charged
against G. Z. Pickett.
During the rebellion belligerent rights were
acknowledged to the enemies OF our country,
and it is clear to me that the parole given by
the armies laying down their arms protects
them against punishment for acts lawful for
any other belligerent In this case know
it is claimed that men tried and convicted
for the crime Of desertion were Union men
from North Carolina who had found refuge
within our lines and in our service. q
"The punishment was harsh one. but ii
was in time Of war and when the enemy no
doubt felt it necessary to retain by some
power the services Of every man within their
reach. .. 20 D.. ...
Gen. Pickett I know personally to be an
honorable man, but in this case his judgment
sustained. Though do not see how good,
either to the friends Of the deceased or by
fixing an example for the future, can be Sc
cured by his trial now. 1t would only bring
up the question whether or not the Govern.
ment did not disregard its contract entered
into to secure the surrender Of an armed
enemy. Il ~. 8. GRANT,
Lieutenant General.
"MAacu 16, 1866"
The next is report Of Secretary STANTON
to TIE PRESIDENT, Dec. 10, 1866.
The Secretary submits copy Of the re-
port Of the Adjutant General, transmitted to
the House Of Representatives May lst last,
with the documents and papers printed in
Pub. Doc. No. 9s, lst Session House Of Rep
resentatives, 39th Congress.
The resolution of the House Of Represen-
tatives Of the 23d Of July was referred to the
War Department on the 25th Of July, where.
upon telegram was sent to General Rob.
inson, as follows:
| "ADyurAHr GENERALS OFFICE,
| "WAsHIHGroS, July n, 1865.
"Aaj. Gss. J. C. Ro5inson, Raleigh, N. c.:
please state how the investigation in the
case Of Pickett for hanging Union prisoners
now stands, and send Immediately by tele-
graph. Z. d. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant General"
On the 9th July, the day preceding the
adjournment Of Congress, this answer was
received:
"RALsIan, N. G, July ~.
THE record Of the proceedings Of q board
OF officers called to Investigate the circum-
| u a Ii L. - HI