The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-12-26
Congress and the Pardoning Power.

Congress and the Pardoning Powe
THE CASE OF GENERAL PICKETT.
I On the 1lth inst, the President in Al
swer to . resolution ofthat body, sent
the House of Representatives, the offici'
correspondence ia reference to the apple,
ton of Major Gen. G. E. Pickett for pardol
Among the documents inclosed is one frol
Judge Advocate General Holt. dated jul
last. He submits for consideration Of Til
Secretary of War the statement of q write
who was recently in the military servic,
and while on duty in North Carolina, off
cially connected with the investigator
then preferred against General Pickett
and Others, of having murdered twenty
two Federal prisoners of war. a4 It, isl
commended that Gen. Pickett be rearrested
and put Oh trial before military com
mission engaged in trying employees o
the Freedzhen's Bureau in North Carolina
The Secretary Of War, in letter to tn,
President, dated Dec. 10, says: Taking int,
consideration the action Of the Suprem,
Court Of the United States in the case o
Mllllgan and Others, who had been triei
and convicted by military commission. AMI
the doubts cast upon the Jurisdiction O
such tribunals, the Secretary has not fell
authorized to pursue the course recon-
lnended by the Judge Advocate General
until the opinion of the Supreme Cour,
should be formally promulgated, The
magnitude of the offence alleged againsl
Pickett is such that there should be no
reason to contest the Jurisdiction of the
TRIBUNAL to whom their trial may be com.
mitted.
Attorney General Stanberry, December
., Informs the President that no action has
been had upon the question of pardon Of
Gen. Pickett, nor has his office any infor.
nation Of the proceedings instituted
against Pickett for cruelty to Jr..soners, or
any offence against the laws of war.
Among the papers is Gen. Pickett's appl;.
cation for pardon, dated June. 1865. sad.
dressed to the President, III which he saws:
1t was only through the conscientious duty
to his mother State, Virginia, that he
joined the Confederate army, and that had
she not seeded he would not have been in
that service, as 10 one was more attached
to the old service, nor ever stood by and
fought for it, with more fidelity than he
did. The documents show that in June.
1865, he took amnesty oaths. jait 4 = =
A letter from Gen. Pickett dated March
IL, 1866, addressed to Gen. Grant, s,,ows
that the papers accompanying his applica.
tlon Tor clemency to the President were
presented by ex-senator o. II. Browning.
OF Illinois. Pickett says to Gen. Grant:
My object now, General, in presenting this
paper, is to ask your favorable considera-
ton OF nay case, and that yen will. if you
believe in my sincerity, for which I have
pledged you my honor as an officer and a
gentleman, put such an Endorsement npon
It as will obtain from his Excellency. the
PRESIDENT, guarantee that may be per.
mltted to live unmolested in my native
state where am now trying to make a
subsistence for my family, much impoyer-
shed by the war, by tilling the land. /
acted SIMPLY as a general commanding the
departments Certain men, deserters from
North Carolina regiment, were taken
With arms in their hands, fighting aolinst
,he colors under which they had enlisted
;harges were preferred against them. A
ocular organized court-martial was assem-.
lied, composed of officers from North Caro-
ina, Georgia and Virginia, before whom
ne men were tried. The evidence in the
ase being perfectly unlnistakable-
len being identified by numbers of their
id regimental comrades, they were found
uilty, and condemned to be hung. The
entences were approved by me, and were
uly executed according to the custom of
7ar In like cases Ny action was sane.
Toned by the then Confederate Government
the time has not arrived for the execu.
we clemeney to be extended to nv case.
nd which point Lam now pressing. II
lerely wish some assurance that I wilimot
disturbed in my endeayor to keen nv
'mlly from starvation, and that my M.
,le' winch was given in good faith, may
rotect. me from the assaults Of those nas.
ms deslrous OF still keeping up the war,
hich has ended, in my humble opinion !
rever. $50
Appealing to you as soldier, and feel. ;
g confident you will appreciate NV posi- !,
on, ! sign myself with much esteem. yo,,r
'edient servant, :
GEORGE E. PICKETT. !
The following is Gen. Grants indorse. t
ent on this letter: il
Respectfully forwarded to his Erca,,en. v
!, the President of the United States q
tn the recommendation that clemencv
ny he extended in this case, or an ass,;.
nee given that no trial will take Mace
the offences charged against George r q
S = During the rebellion belligsfsnt Z
hts were acknowledged to the enemies =
our country, and 1t Is clear to me tbat q
parole given by armies laying down CO
'ir arms protects them against punish.
mt for acts lawful for any other belIi- I,
emf. IN this case, l know it is claimed W
u the men tried and convicted for the q
me of desertiUn were Union men from m
rth Carolina, who had found REFUGE of
hin our lines, aud were in our seryice ha
punishment was a harsh one. bnt Il m
In time OF war, and when the enemy 9
doubt found it necessary to retain. by :.
70 power, the, services of every man r.
hin their reach Gen. Pickett / know 'll'
sonaliy to be an honorable man, but in ia
case MS Judgment prompted him to do as
AZ cannot well be sustained, though I pu
y see now any good, either to the friends faf
ne deceased, or by fixing an example all
tne future, can be secured nv HIS tria11 off
: !: 1t would only open up the questisn, !.
'tner OF not the Government did not :.
egard Its contract, entered into to Sc. N,
the surrender Of an armed enemy. va
U. S.'GRANT, Lieut.. Gen. an
In the Wrong Bed. The
IIE ROMANCE OF REALITY.-IIndar +h;s h.,