Des Arc citizen., 1866-04-14
NUMBER s.

ldent Johnson. The feeling, so far as know is that there is not that equality extended to the Southern States as is, enjoyed by the North.
 c. You do not feel down there that while you accept the result, we are as generous as we ought 10 be under the crcumstances?8 Al They think the North can afford to be gencr- ous. f4 stsd ~ .8.4 ssss,4i}. }.f; s5ss5
 Q. That is the feeling down there? A.. Yes !; aud they think that is the best policy those who reflect on the subject and are able to judge. lak it'alEa 92ns 3la at
 O. understand ittobc your opinion tlat itwould be the surestineens of regaining their good opinion? A. Aes, and the speediest.
 Q, understand you to say, generally, that you had no apprehension of any combination among the leading seccssioni5ts to renew the war, or anything of the kind? A. Ihave no reason in the world to believe so. eflg fiiH
 Q, Have you heard that subject talked of among the politicians7 A No sir, haze, not. | have not heard that matter suggested,
 0. Let me put another political case. Sup- pose the Executive chnr of the United States should De filled by a President Ike Buchanan, whorejectcd thelright ofcoarcion (so-called),i and suppose 2 Congress- should esist here en- tertaining the same political opinions, thus presenting to the oncerebellious States the op- portunity 10 again secede from the Union, would they or not, in your opinion, avai. themselves of that opportunity, or some of them fsaA. I suppose itwouldidependu upon ofo ;of, f4 feelings should remain scmbittsred, and their affections alenated from. the rest of the States think livery probable they might do so, pro vidcd they thought fl to tlicir interest. I do not know that thcreis a deep feeling of dislike towards the Goyerninent.as think tit probable some animosity may exist among1some of tho people Fthink sometimes they were disap- pointed as to the result of thewar. know .of. no condition of discontent against the Gov ernnent among the secessixlists. I believe that the people will perform towards the Cow ernmcnt all of the duties theyar required to- perform. think that is the general feeling Q. Do youthink twolld lie practicable to convict a9man iniVirginia of treason forhav- ing taken part nthls rehellionagajnsfthe Cove ernment. by a Virginia jury, without packing. | it with direct reference to verdict of guilty? 4. On that point I have no knowledge. and r do not know what you would consider treason against the Government. If you mean past
 Gen. Howard-4yes, sin saagaoai44a of Gen. .Lee7-I have no knowledgesas to what l their views on that subject are. O. You understand my question? Suppose, a jury was impannclcd ill your town and neighborhood, taken by lot, would it be prac- ticableto congictJef, Davis for having g1evicr war on the United States, and thus having l committed the crime of treason? A,qsI think 1 it would be very probable that they would not, ! consider he had committed treason; I do not know whether jury would heed the instruc- tions of the Court to convict the offender. a iiA l Q.sd They do not generally suppose that it was treason against the Government, do they? A. l do not think that they so consider it. So far as know, they look upon the action of l State, in withdrawing from the Government, as carrying the individuals in it along with it; that the State was responsible for the act and notthe individual, I am now refsrringto to the past. yssa 1 Q. State. if you please, and if you are dis inclined you need not answer-wbat were your own personal views on that question? A.
 That was my view; that the act of Virginia in withdrawing herself from the Union, carried me along as q citizen ofVirginia, and that her laws andh acts were binding on me.,,,isssvss ] o1 tLa4 fo1t toL L,x, q in taking the course you did? A. Yes, sir.
 Q, Ihave been told General, that you have remarked to some of your friends in conyersa- tion, that you were rather wheedled or cheats ed in that course by politicians? A. Ido not recollect ever making that remark do not think ever made it.. A
 o. If there be any other matter about which you wish to speak, do so freely, ,lgA. Only interference to thatlast question you put tome I may have said, and may have be- lieved that the position of the two sections which they hold to each other was brought about by the politicians of the country that the great mass ofthe people. iflthey4 nnder- stood the real question, would have avoided it, but not that had been individually wheedled by the politicians: but I did believe at the l time that 1t was unnecessary i'll the condition l of affairs, and might have been avoided, if forbearance and wisdom had been praeticed on both sides, 4 A2 sE
 Gen Lee then closed his evidence in stat ing, nreply to questions, that the people of the South would not like the proposed consti- tutional amendment; that he was not aware of any cruelties practised upon our soldiers at Belle Isle, though he was aware that they suf- fered many priyations. He declared distinct ly that he had no command over the prison ers' depots, and did not even know, until he saw in the papers this summer, who caused ' A. ------